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Hydraulic and Pneumatic F.A.Q.:

How do I figure the force in pounds of an air cylinder?

Force of an air cylinder is calculated by using the following formula:
Force= Area of the cylinder times the pressure in PSI.

Here is the piston area of the most common cylinder. All you have to do is multiply this number by the pressure you are using.

Bore                                 Piston Area

1 ½”                                    1.77
2”                                        3.14
2 ½”                                    4.91
3 ¼”                                   8.30
4”                                       12.57
5”                                       19.64
6”                                       28.27
7”                                       38.49
8”                                       50.26
10”                                     78.54
12”                                     113.10

 

Will I have equal forces on both sides of the cylinder?

No, you will have to subtract the area of the rod from the piston area to figure the retract force of the cylinder.

Here is the area of the most common used rods.

Rod               Area

5/8”                .307
1”                   .785
1 3/8”            1.485
1 ¾”              2.404
2”                  3.142
2 ½”              4.909

 

 

Can I use the calculated value when sizing a cylinder for my application?

No, because air is compressible, you will have to use a percentage of the calculated value to get smooth movement of the cylinder when moving the load. What percentage you use is a judgment call base on how the cylinder is being used. 60 % is a good place to start, or go to the next bore size larger them what you calculated.