Function and use of hydraulic cylinders
As a key component in the hydraulic system, the hydraulic cylinder converts hydraulic energy into mechanical energy to perform linear or rotary motion. Hydraulic cylinders are mainly used in the following five areas:
Engineering machinery and equipment
Such as excavators, bulldozers, loaders and other equipment, hydraulic cylinders are used to drive the operation of buckets, arms and other components.
Industrial automation equipment
Such as mechanical arms and clamping devices on factory production lines.
Agricultural machinery and equipment
Such as key components in harvesters and tractors.
Marine and aerospace
Such as steering gear and landing gear.
Automotive
Such as hydraulic systems that drive lifting equipment, braking systems, etc.
Hydraulic cylinders are indispensable, efficient and reliable in the above areas.
Hydraulic cylinders are made up of four basic components
Although the hydraulic cylinder has a simple structure, it has powerful functions. It consists of the following four basic components:
Cylinder
The cylinder is the pressure vessel of the hydraulic cylinder and the space for the piston to move back and forth. It is usually made of high-strength steel, and the inner bore must be precisely honed to ensure the smoothness of the surface and the accuracy of the size, thereby reducing friction and extending the service life.
Piston and piston rod
The piston and piston rod are mainly used to transmit power in hydraulic cylinders. The piston rod is usually made of high-strength steel with a chrome-plated surface to improve corrosion and wear resistance. The piston must be precisely machined to fit the inner wall of the cylinder, and the hydraulic oil leakage is prevented by the seal.
Seal
The seal affects the performance of the hydraulic cylinder. It determines whether the hydraulic oil will leak out and prevents external dust or dirt from entering the cylinder.
End cover and other accessories
The end cap is closed at both ends of the cylinder and has a fixing and supporting function. There are also components such as buffers and exhaust valves to assist in the operation of hydraulic cylinders.
How hydraulic cylinders work
The working principle of a hydraulic cylinder is that when a liquid in a closed container transmits pressure, the pressure remains constant in all directions. The hydraulic cylinder supplies hydraulic oil to the cylinder barrel through a hydraulic pump, thereby pushing the piston rod to produce linear or rotary motion, thereby driving the mechanical equipment to complete the operation.
How are hydraulic cylinders made?
Hydraulic cylinders require a high degree of precision and professionalism during the manufacturing process, which typically involves the following 5 key steps:
Material selection
Material selection largely determines the performance of the hydraulic cylinder. The cylinder barrel material is usually high strength alloy steel or carbon steel, while the piston rod is a chrome plated rod. The seal material must have the advantages of high temperature resistance and wear resistance.
Tube machining
The honing tube is the core component of the cylinder barrel of the hydraulic cylinder. Through honing, the inner wall of the cylinder barrel is machined with high precision to improve its surface finish and dimensional accuracy, reduce friction and damage.
Chrome Rod Machining
Piston rod machining includes rough machining, fine machining and surface chrome plating. The chrome layer can improve the corrosion resistance and hardness of the piston rod and extend its service life.
Seal selection and installation
Select suitable seals according to the working environment and pressure requirements of the hydraulic cylinder. During installation it is important to ensure that the seal is in the correct position to avoid leakage problems.
General assembly and testing
Once the individual components have been machined, general assembly must be carried out. After assembly, the hydraulic cylinders are subjected to rigorous performance tests, including pressure tests, load tests and endurance tests, to ensure their reliability in actual applications.
What are the technical aspects of the hydraulic cylinder manufacturing process?
Precision in the manufacturing process
The precision of hydraulic cylinders directly affects their performance. For example, the straightness and finish of the inner bore of the cylinder directly affects whether the piston moves smoothly, and the surface roughness of the piston rod determines the sealing effect and wear resistance.
Precision requirements for surface finishing
The chrome plating on the surface of the piston rod must be uniform and free of scratches to prevent corrosion and wear. In addition, the outer surface of the cylinder must also have an anti-rust coating.
Seal precision requirements
The seals must be precise to ensure that no leakage occurs under high pressure. In addition, the seals must have a long service life to reduce the maintenance costs of the equipment.
Three factors that affect the performance of hydraulic cylinders
Material quality
The strength and toughness of the material play a key role in the pressure-bearing capacity of the hydraulic cylinder. Poor material quality can cause the cylinder body to deform or the piston rod to break.
Machining accuracy
Inadequate machining accuracy will directly cause the hydraulic cylinder to run unevenly and reduce efficiency, or even leak.
Seal performance
The quality of the seal and the installation process directly affect the performance of the hydraulic cylinder. If the sealing performance is not good, it will cause hydraulic oil leakage and affect the operating efficiency of the equipment.
Three benefits of EASTAI hydraulic cylinders
Advanced production facilities
EASTAI has world leading honing and chrome plating facilities to ensure that each product meets the highest standards.
Rigorous quality control
From raw material selection to finished product delivery, EASTAI monitors quality throughout the process to ensure the stability of each batch of product performance.
Rich experience
As a company with more than 20 years of experience in the industry, EASTAI can provide customised hydraulic cylinder solutions according to customer needs.
Contact Us
For more information on hydraulic cylinders or customised services, please contact us. EASTAI is committed to providing you with high quality hydraulic products and professional technical support. Visit our website for more product details and solutions.
