Short-stroke cylinders in hydraulics

Hydraulics is the preferred technology when it comes to applying high forces. In many situations, however, a long piston stroke is not possible and is also not necessary. This is where short-stroke cylinders can provide valuable service. The pressing forces that can be generated by hydraulic cylinders often exceed even the tensile and bending moments of massive components.

Characteristics of short-stroke cylinders

Short-stroke cylinders are characterized by particularly short piston travel. The working stroke is only a few centimeters. Within this distance, however, short-stroke cylinders in hydraulics can generate very high forces.

Common applications for short-stroke cylinders:

• Clamping devices
• Locking cylinders
• Clamping force
• Lever actuation
• Lifting device

Short-stroke cylinders in clamping devices:

Clamping devices are used to securely hold workpieces that are slightly smaller than the clamping jaws. Hydraulic clamping devices are required wherever high forces act on the workpiece. For example, vises on metal milling machines often have hydraulic assistance. Short-stroke cylinders are particularly popular here when the milling machine is used in an automated production line.

Short-stroke cylinders in locking cylinders

Locking cylinders secure doors and gates with a metal bolt. Short-stroke cylinders are used to extend and retract the bolt. A typical application of this type can be found, for example, in bunker or vault doors.

Advantage of short-stroke cylinders for clamping force:

Short-stroke cylinders are often used in modern die-casting machines. Smaller and older machines of this type operate with form-fitting clamping clamps. This limits the clamping force and thus the internal pressure of the die-casting mold to the permissible yield strength of the components used. This restricts the performance of a die-casting machine. For this reason, modern production systems for zinc, brass, or aluminum components are hydraulically clamped. The short-stroke cylinder is particularly well suited for this purpose.

In combination with lever mechanics:

The key advantage of short-stroke cylinders is their compact design. This makes them suitable for use in environments where there is hardly any space available. If the available installation space does not match the contact points of the short-stroke cylinder, its force-stroke effect can be redirected by means of lever mechanics. This mechanism can additionally amplify the force of the short-stroke cylinder via leverage.

Example of short-stroke cylinders in lifting devices:

The hydraulic jack is a typical example of a short-stroke cylinder. It only needs to lift the vehicle until the wheel no longer touches the ground. To keep the jack as compact as possible, the effective stroke of the cylinder is extended via lever mechanics.

The telescopic cylinder as a special form of hydraulic short-stroke cylinders

The telescopic cylinder also impresses with a very low-profile design. It overcomes the disadvantage of the short travel of a short-stroke cylinder by having several pistons that fit into one another telescopically. When pressurized, these pistons extend one after another. This makes the working stroke of a telescopic cylinder longer than that of a short-stroke cylinder. However, the telescopic cylinder is significantly more complex in design and considerably more expensive than a short-stroke cylinder. Its use should therefore be carefully planned.