Function And Structure Of Thin Cylinder

Appearance design
The thin cylinder takes up little space, has a light structure, and has a beautiful appearance. It can withstand large lateral loads and can be directly installed on various fixtures and special equipment without installing accessories.
The function of the thin cylinder: convert the pressure energy of compressed air into mechanical energy, and drive the mechanism to perform linear reciprocating motion, swinging and rotational motion.
The structure of the thin cylinder: It consists of a cylinder barrel, an end cover, a piston, a piston rod and a seal.
Components
(1) Cylinder barrel
The inner diameter of the cylinder barrel represents the size of the cylinder output force. The piston must slide back and forth smoothly in the cylinder barrel, and the surface roughness of the inner surface of the cylinder barrel should reach Ra0.8um. ​​For steel tube cylinder barrels, the inner surface should also be plated with hard chrome to reduce friction resistance and wear and prevent rust. In addition to high-carbon steel tubes, the cylinder barrel material is also made of high-strength aluminum alloy and brass. Small cylinders are made of stainless steel tubes. For cylinders with magnetic switches or cylinders used in corrosion-resistant environments, the cylinder barrel should be made of stainless steel, aluminum alloy or brass.
(2) End cover
The end cover is provided with air inlet and outlet ports, and some end covers are also provided with a buffer mechanism. The rod side end cover is provided with a sealing ring and a dust ring to prevent air leakage from the piston rod and to prevent external dust from mixing into the cylinder. The rod side end cover is provided with a guide sleeve to improve the guiding accuracy of the cylinder, bear a small amount of lateral load on the piston rod, reduce the amount of downward bending when the piston rod is extended, and extend the service life of the cylinder. The guide sleeve is usually made of sintered oil-containing alloy or forward-inclined copper casting. In the past, the end cover was often made of forgeable cast iron. In order to reduce weight and prevent rust, aluminum alloy die-casting is often used. Micro cylinders are made of brass.
(3) Piston
The piston is a pressure-bearing part in a thin cylinder. In order to prevent gas from flowing between the left and right chambers of the piston, a piston seal is provided. The wear-resistant ring on the piston can improve the guiding performance of the cylinder, reduce the wear of the piston seal, and reduce friction resistance. The wear-resistant ring is made of polyurethane, polytetrafluoroethylene, cloth-reinforced synthetic resin and other materials. The width of the piston is determined by the size of the seal and the necessary length of the sliding part. If the sliding part is too short, it is easy to cause early wear and jamming. The piston is usually made of aluminum alloy and cast iron, and the piston of a small cylinder is made of brass.
(4) Piston rod
The piston rod is the most important force-bearing part in a thin cylinder. It is usually made of high-carbon steel, with a hard chrome-plated surface, or stainless steel to prevent corrosion and improve the wear resistance of the seal.
(5) Sealing ring
The seal of the rotating or reciprocating part is called a dynamic seal, and the seal of the stationary part is called a static seal.
Application areas of thin cylinders: printing (tension control), semiconductors (spot welding machines, chip grinding), automation control, robots, etc.