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When you need a hydraulic cylinder for your equipment design, one major consideration is whether to purchase a catalog cylinder or a custom-made one. A catalog cylinder will always be close to matching your requirements, but with some compromises. For example, the bore may be slightly larger than what you need, and your choice of rod material and diameter are limited. The alternative: A custom-made cylinder allows you to purchase an item that fits your needs entirely, and is built to your specification. This designed cylinder will fit your machine without compromise and match your specifications exactly, thus eliminating under- or over-engineering.
Compared to an off-the-shelf cylinder with external valves and protruding pipework (left), a custom-built version with integrated valves provides a more compact, durable, and simpler assembly for a pipe-grab function within a confined space.
Can Off-the-Shelf be a Good Thing?
There may be some circumstances when a standard cylinder will suffice—for example, on mass-produced equipment with no special requirements. When designing a machine from scratch, you may...