What Is a Double-acting Cylinder?
A Double-acting Cylinder is a type of cylinder that is a positioning device. It has a rod inside a cylindrical tube and operates using compressed air. The cylinder can position only two main lengths: extension and contraction.
A single-acting cylinder is one that uses compressed air only for extension and a spring-operated cylinder with no compressed air for contraction.
Uses of Double-Acting Cylinder
There are various types of cylinders. They include air cylinders, robotic cylinders, and single-axis robots. Air Cylinder powered by compressed air is a generic term for Double-acting Cylinder and Single-acting Cylinder.
RoboCylinders combine a motor and a ball screw to control the amount of stroke. Single-axis robots are used to transport heavier objects than RoboCylinders.
Double-acting cylinders use compressed air, so they are simple in construction, inexpensive, and lightweight.
Principle of Double-acting Cylinder
Double-acting cylinders have a cylindrical tube covered at both ends with head covers and rod covers, which are tightened with four tie rods.
When cylinders with smaller diameters are used, the covers are screwed or caulked together without the use of tie rods. Inside the tube is a piston that fits with the tube, and the rod attached to the piston passes through the rod cover to transmit force to the outside. The head cover and rod cover are provided with ports for supplying and discharging air to and from the cylinder, and air is alternately supplied to the front and back of the piston for reciprocating motion.
They vary depending on where they are mounted: foot type with an L-shaped bracket, rod flange type with a flange on the rod side of the cylinder, head flange type with a flange on the head side of the cylinder (the side opposite the rod), and single or double clevis mounting with a clevis.