Hydraulic cylinders can be found in various commercial and industrial applications to supply linear motion. They are an essential component of hydraulic systems, providing the force required to move large loads.
There are two kinds of hydraulic cylinders – double and single-acting. In this article, we’ll examine the differentiators between the two types of hydraulic cylinders and their advantages and disadvantages.
Single-Acting Hydraulic Cylinders
The single-acting cylinder is much simpler than its counterpart with double acting. With fewer parts involved, there’s less to fail, which is suitable for maintenance.
Single-acting cylinders are excellent for simple jobs – particularly when quick or controlled retractability is not required. Hollow plungers with threads are also available to deal with pulling tasks.
Double Acting Hydraulic Cylinders
Double-acting hydraulic pistons can pump hydraulic fluid on each side of the plunger. Connector ports near both piston ends allow the rod to move forward and backwards. The additional port allows greater control over the plunger when it retracts and makes sure it returns to its original position.
The more rapid and reliable retracting speed of double-acting cylindrical makes them the ideal option for projects that require reproducible accuracy.
Advantages of Single-Acting Cylinders
Single-acting cylinders are less complicated and generally serve only one purpose. Fewer parts are involved, it is much easier to maintain a single action cylinder, and they are more reliable because of fewer points of failure. You can also purchase single-acting cylinders with smaller profiles, which makes it ideal for applications in which space is limited or when the demands for forces are minimal.
A single-acting piston is ideal for basic jobs, mainly when the operator or system does not require retracting for control or speed. A single-acting cylinder is ideal if an external weight can aid in retracting the plunger.
Advantages of Double-Acting Cylinders
Double-acting cylinders come with two hydraulic ports, allowing faster and more precise retract control. This is ideal when the machine needs to be closed and opened or precise control is necessary to accomplish specific jobs. Double-acting hydraulic cylinders may also feature hollow plungers and significant tonnage variations similar to single-acting cylinders. In conjunction with the more controlled and rapid retraction speed, they allow for various applications that reduce the amount of space and costs.
The advantage of double-acting cylindrical lies in its ability to retract rapidly and in the case of operation, which requires precise, controlled retract.
Disadvantages of Single-Acting Cylinders
Single-acting cylinders have a problem when they have to retract. If a system requires a retracting process to be swift or controlled, the single-acting cylinder will only possess the capacity to perform this if it is paired with a single-acting cylinder on one side. In comparison to a double-acting cylinder, using two separate single-acting cylinders would be more expensive and take up more space.
Therefore, if fast or precise retraction is required, it is recommended to use double-acting cylindrical instead.
Disadvantages of Double-Acting Cylinders
Double-acting cylinders need two hydraulic fluids to be injected; it could cause many space issues due to the required routing. Also, the hydraulic system must be more substantial. This is difficult to handle in cases where there’s only a tiny amount of space or when the pump is readily available, only achievable the necessary pressure. Furthermore, double-acting cylinders have more parts, making them harder to manage.
There are more parts, which means there is a greater risk of failure. Double-acting hydraulic cylinders are superior at retracting; issues with space and maintenance hinder them from being utilized in all possible applications where a hydraulic cylinder may be required.
