This section provides an overview for cylinders as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 38 cylinder manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked cylinder companies as of November, 2024: 1.Milwaukee Cylinder, 2.Allenair Corp., 3.PHD Inc..
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Categories Related to Cylinders
A cylinder is a device that amplifies and converts supplied pressure into propulsive force. Air or oil is used as the pressure source in a cylinder. A cylinder generates thrust through an internal structure based on Pascal's principle.
The thrust amplified by the cylinder is used for the linear reciprocating or rotary oscillating motion required in the drive units of production equipment. Pneumatic cylinders (air cylinders), which are driven by pneumatic pressure, are used in the automobile, semiconductor, and food industries.
Hydraulic cylinders, which use oil pressure as their drive source, are used in various fields such as construction machinery, heavy machinery, and press equipment.
Pneumatic cylinders are often used in production plants in the automotive, semiconductor, and food industries. The use of pneumatic cylinders makes it possible to easily and compactly achieve labor-saving and automation purposes, such as moving workpieces. For this reason, pneumatic cylinders are employed in a variety of automated equipment and are utilized in operations such as assembly and transfer.
When the pressure used in pneumatic cylinders is about 0.5 MPa, operations similar to human power, such as linear reciprocating motion and rotational oscillating motion, can be easily realized. Hydraulic cylinders, on the other hand, provide a far higher thrust force than pneumatic cylinders and are used in construction equipment, heavy machinery, and other situations where power is required.
Cylinders generate thrust using Pascal's principle. Located on the side of the cylinder are the air and oil supply and exhaust ports, which allow air and oil to enter and exit the cylinders. The pressure supplied through the air supply and exhaust ports moves the piston and rod inside the cylinders back and forth using Pascal's principle to generate thrust.
When the pressure supplied to the cylinder's supply and exhaust ports is pneumatic, the thrust is at a small to medium level. When the pressure is hydraulic, the thrust is medium to high. The main components of cylinders are the cylinder tube, piston rod, and front and rear covers.
If we compare it to a syringe, the outer cylinder tube is the cylinder tube, and the piston rod is the part that moves back and forth inside the cylinders. The part that serves as the lid of the cylinders is the front and rear cover. With an air cylinder, a cushion is used in the cover section to absorb the shock when the cylinders are driven.
The packing is used around the circumference of the cylinder's piston. The packing serves to maintain a tight seal between the cylinder side and the rod side while ensuring accurate movement. Damage to the packing can cause poor sliding properties of the cylinders. Therefore, packing is often treated as a maintenance part.
The internal space of a cylinder is called the cylinder side (or tube side) and the rod side. The rod side is the one where the rod that drives the piston is inside the space. The other side, where there is nothing inside the space, is the cylinder's side.
Double-acting cylinders are designed to extend and retract freely by filling both the cylinder side and the rod side with fluid (generally air or hydraulic pressure) and applying pressure. The piston rod moves back and forth by switching the air supply and exhaust at the air supply and exhaust ports.
Single-acting cylinders are driven by pressure fluctuations on one side only. The piston rod moves when pressure is applied to the air supply and exhaust ports, and the rod returns when pressure is exhausted from the air supply and exhaust ports.
When selecting cylinders, the stroke should be taken into consideration. The stroke of cylinders is the distance over which the cylinder extends and retracts.
The position at which the cylinders are fully extended and fully retracted is called the cylinder's stroke end. In other words, the stroke end is the position at which the piston cannot move any further.
The maximum stroke distance is determined by the length of the cylinder tube and rod. However, this does not mean that the length can be increased without reproduction. If the diameter is small in relation to the length, machining becomes more difficult. In addition, the longer the length, the more difficult it is to maintain the roundness of the cylinders I.D. and piston O.D. Poor roundness will result in poor airtightness, and the cylinders will not be able to move accurately.
Furthermore, if the diameter is small in relation to the stroke, the cylinders may buckle under high loads during extension. Therefore, the stroke and diameter must be selected to suit the intended purpose.
*Including some distributors, etc.
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Milwaukee Cylinder, founded in 1956 with headquarters in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA, is a manufacturer of hydraulic and pneumatic cylinders and equipment. The company's product portfolio covers tie rod cylinders, power units, boosters and accumulators, and industrial manipulators. Its product offerings include heavy-duty hydraulic tie rod cylinders, pneumatic aluminum tie rod cylinders, custom hydraulic power units, and industrial Pow'r Arm lifting and positioning machines. It also offers its online MilCAD Configurator, so customers can generate 2D and 3D parametric drawings for select series of its cylinders.
PHD Inc. was founded in 1957 and is a manufacturer of automation solutions based in Fort Wayne, Indiana, United States. The company manufactures various automation system products such as tri-axis tooling, rotary actuators, linear slides, blow molding, and tie rod cylinders. The products have been applied in various industries such as material handling equipment, stretch blow molding, aluminum, glass, and medical. The company has obtained the certificate of ISO 9001:2015 and complied to REACH and RoHS standards.
Allenair Corp is a manufacturer corporation that Alton K. Allen founded in 1947. This corporation is a manufacturer of products such as fittings, valves, cylinders, and rotary tables. The manufacturing company engineers and designs industrial-level custom pneumatic fittings that include those used in air distribution systems, pneumatic motion control systems, and vacuum distribution systems. Since merging with the Alkon Corporation, Allenair is moving towards holding the largest market share in the pneumatic industry as of 2022. Headquarters moved to Ohio following a change in management in 2017, with another location in Cuautitlán Izcalli, Mexico.
KOGANEI International America, Inc., founded in 2011 and based in Fremont, California, is a manufacturer of industrial machines. The company sells pneumatic system products, industrial robots, electric actuators, centralized lubrication equipment, static electricity removing units, sensors, switches, vacuum equipment, and hygiene/environment related products. KOGANEI can help in selecting the parts that fit customer needs from more than 512,000 standard products, or it will work with the client to provide a solution that will enhance a machine’s performance and functionality.
Danfoss was founded in 1933 in Nordborg, Denmark where it remains today. The company serves automotive, food & beverage, energy & natural resources, wastewater, and mobile hydraulics industries as a manufacturer of power systems and industrial hydraulics. The company operates through three business segments: Danfoss Power Solutions, Danfoss Climate Solutions, and Danfoss Drives. Danfoss Power Solutions produces electronic controls, hydraulic power units, and cylinders. Climate Solutions produces heat exchangers, burner components, hydraulic heating, and sight glasses. Drives produce gear motors, low and medium voltage drives, and various software solutions for operating drives.
Compact Automation Products LLC., founded in 1975, is an American manufacturer based in Westminster, South Carolina, specializing in compact linear actuator solutions. Compact offers a wide range of products that are designed to maximize performance while minimizing space requirements. Some of the company’s product offerings are standard and custom pneumatic and hydraulic cylinders, along with related accessories. Their Turn-Act product line, which holds 12 granted patents, provides rotary actuators and multi-motion devices. These products find applications in various industries, including automation, robotics, conveyor systems, pharmaceutical, and food and beverage.
Yates Industries Inc. is a manufacturer and rebuilder of hydraulic and pneumatic cylinders. It is headquartered in Decatur, Alabama, and was established in 1972. The company specializes in designing and producing a diverse range of hydraulic and pneumatic cylinders, including custom solutions tailored to specific customer needs. It offers a wide range of cylinders, including tie-rod cylinders, piston cylinders, and rotary cylinders. Yates Industries also offers services, such as cylinder repair, cylinder rebuild, and cylinder testing. The company's customers include manufacturers, distributors, and repair shops.
Peninsular Cylinder Co., established in 1948 and based in Roseville, US, is a manufacturer and supplier of air and hydraulic cylinders. The company's product range includes NFPA standard cylinders, ABS compliant cylinders, custom cylinders, cylinder repairs & rebuilds, and special cylinders. These products are designed for applications in demanding and destructive environments. They primarily serve industries such as industrial machinery, construction, automotive, and aerospace. Additionally, the company offers services like competitive pricing, on-time order delivery, prompt quote responses, and a broad domestic & international distribution network.
Oil-Air Products began in 1983 and is based in Plymouth, Minnesota. OAP is a distributor of fluid power systems and offers other services. Product listings include measurement instrumentation, pneumatics, custom manifolds, power units, lubrication, pumps, motors, valves, planetary gearboxes, accumulators, flow meters, and pumps. Other services include custom system design, hose assembly fabrication, troubleshooting, and component selection, as well as machine and part inspection and either on-site or inhouse repair options.
Epsilon Composite, founded in 1987 and based in Gaillan-en-Médoc, France, is a manufacturer of carbon fibre-based composite material parts. The company provides tailor-made solutions for demanding applications in industrial processes such as pultrusion, filament winding and various technologies for processing composite materials. Its products include four different carbon fibre markets, which includes carbon profiles for civil engineering applications, technical rollers for conversion industries, cables and reinforcements for the energy industries, and carbon rods for the avaiation industry. The company's quality management system is ISO 9001 certified for industrial applications and EN 9100 certified for aeronautical applications.
Westcoast Cylinders Inc., established in 1960, is a manufacturer of cylinders based in New Westminster, United States. The company's product portfolio includes hydraulic, pneumatic and position-sensing cylinders used in mining, tire manufacturing, steel, aerospace and lumber industries. It has manufactured over 5,000 cylinders since it was founded, and which have a full-year warranty. The company does repairs and service work through its partners in Alberta, Canada, Georgia, USA and Auckland, New Zealand.
KONAN ELECTRIC CO. LTD., founded in 1941 and headquartered in Japan, is a manufacturer of pneumatic equipment used in the production of domestic spot welding machine. The company provides various products, including solenoid valves for various fluids, pneumatic solenoid valves, and components for pneumatic lines. Furthermore, it has developed guidelines for explosion-proof solenoid valves specific to hydrogen, as well as pneumatic rotary actuators. These products find applications in a range of settings, including nuclear and thermal power plants, steel manufacturing facilities, and press machines..
Howa Machinery Ltd, established in 1907 and based in Aichi, Japan, is a manufacturer of machine tools and other equipment. The company engages in the manufacturing and sale of equipment for diverse markets, with a primary emphasis on machine tools. This product line includes transfer machines, flexible transfer lines (FTL), and flexible manufacturing systems (FMS). The company also offers pneumatic and hydraulic equipment, electronic machines tailored for the IT sector, and firearms. The company's Type 64 rifle and Type 89 rifle have been adopted as the official equipment by the Japan Defense Agency (Ministry of Defense).
Sintokogio, Ltd., headquartered in Nagoya City, Japan, and established in 1934, is a versatile manufacturer of industrial equipment and machinery. They specialize in manufacturing equipment and machinery for foundries, including molding machines, sand mixers, and casting robots. Additionally, Sintokogio caters to the surface treatment industry by providing shot blasting machines, painting systems, and coating equipment. They also offer environmental solutions, such as dust collectors, exhaust gas treatment systems, and waste treatment equipment, ensuring efficient operations of the industries. Sintokogio, Ltd. operates multiple manufacturing facilities across various locations in Japan, including Toyokawa, Ichinomiya, and Osaki.
CKD Corporation, established in 1943 under the name of Japan Aircraft Electric Co., Ltd., is a Japanese manufacturer of automation machinery and manufacturing components, headquartered in Komaki, Aichi. Their diverse portfolio includes pneumatic and fluid control components, fine system components, drive components, and labor-saving components. The company has also developed various types of automation machinery, such as transparent object inspection systems, pharmaceutical products packaging machines, and more. These products find applications in various industries, for example their automated food packaging systems are designed for maintaining food quality and hygienic conditions. Their fluid control components are used in the solar cell manufacturing process.
Fujikura Composites Inc., established in 1901 and located in Koto-Ku, Tokyo, Japan, is a manufacturer of pneumatic control equipment. Its product line encompasses air cylinders, pressure regulators, flow valves, anti-vibration tables, as well as pressure sensors and load control units. Its various types of valves, including check, relief, needle, and proportional valves, are offered. Converters, relays, and transducers are also provided, and the company holds both ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certifications.
SK Cylinder Co. Ltd., located in Tokyo, Japan, is a manufacturer of seamless steel cylinders for industrial manufacturing processes. Originally established in 1966 as Kanto Cylinder Co. Ltd., the company rebranded in 2000. The company’s product lineup includes corrosion-resistant stainless steel cylinders designed for sterile applications and high-pressure gas cylinders for use in the medical and food and beverage industries. It also offers custom manufacturing services for clients with unique projects. SK Cylinder Co. Ltd. is ISO 9001-certified, and its products are primarily used in the industrial manufacturing sector.
SMC corporation was founded in 1959 and is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. SMC Corporation manufactures and sells automatic control equipment and filtration equipment. SMC has production facilities in 30 countries, technical development centers in Japan, the United States, Europe, and China, and sales offices, globally. SMC product lines divided by them include filter replacements, condensation prevention, heat resistance, thermos-chilling, and others. SMC provides a video library as well as product selection guide to assist customers in finding solutions and optimizing product efficiency.
SPX Flow, established in 1912, is a manufacturer of industrial machinery to solve processing challenges based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The company manufactures various machinery such as mixers, pumps, valves, homogenizers, and heat exchangers. The machinery is used in nutrition, health, mining, construction, and chemical industries. The company provides services such as designing, engineering, and installing turnkey process units or full-scale plants. The SPX Flow brands include Anhydro, Bran+Luebbe, Gerstenberg Schrӧder, Pneumatic Products and Seital Separation.
Festo Corporation, established in 1925 and headquartered in Esslingen, Germany, is a supplier of automation technology and technical education and is ISO 9001, ISO 13485, and ISO14001 certified. It has around 33,000 catalog products, customized components, and ready-to-install solutions, including grippers, motors, and sensors used in industrial and process automation. The company won the German Future Award in 2010 and serves 300,000 customers worldwide, while its education division provides training solutions for 56,000 industrial companies and educational institutions. It registered €3.81 billion in the 2022 financial year and is available in around 60 countries, with 2,600 patents worldwide.
Titan Worldwide, Inc. was founded in 2001 and is based in Ontario, Canada, and is a manufacturer of industrial cylinder products and heavy equipment for various residential and commercial applications. The company's product folio includes car lift and parking systems, industrial scissor lifts, tilters, upenders, and cylinders for forestry, mining, agriculture, road transportation, material handling, and, waste recycling platforms. The company offers repair facilities for all makes of pumps, valves, motors, and cylinders as well as provides services such as in-house lapping, honing, and testing of all new or repaired products.
Galland Henning Nopak, headquartered in Franklin, Wisconsin, has been a manufacturer of high-density balers, hydraulic and pneumatic valves, and cylinders since its establishment in 1887. The company's product range is diverse, including high-pressure cylinders, intermediate-pressure hydraulic and pneumatic cylinders, aluminum cylinders, cast head cylinders, bladder and piston accumulators serving customers across various sectors, including oil and gas, lumber and wood, steel fabrication, OEM manufacturing, food & beverage, and more all from their Midwest base. The company is a member of the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) and a founding member of the National Fluid Power Association (NFPA).
Founded in 1890 in Missouri, Emerson Electric Co., is a technology and engineering company that provides various solutions for customers in industrial, commercial, and consumer markets globally. Business segments include automation solutions, AspenTech, and commercial & residential solutions segments. The Automation Solutions segment offers measurement and analytical instrumentation, industrial valves and equipment, and process control software and systems. The AspenTech segment provides asset optimization software for enhancing performance through a combination of modeling, simulation, and optimization capabilities. The Commercial & Residential Solutions segment offers residential and commercial HVAC products, system protector and flow control devices, and IoT thermostats.
Vektek LLC was founded in 1974, based in Saint Joseph, Missouri, US, and is a manufacturer and supplier of hydraulic clamping products. The ISO 9001:2015 certified company provides pneumatic, hydraulic, metric, and 1000psi/70bar/7MPa. Vektek LLC products are suitable for improving production and efficiency in heavy equipment, aerospace, and automotive industries. Its hydraulic clamping offers accurate and secure holding during assembly and machining. Also, it provides after-sales services, customized solutions, and technical support.
Enerpac, since 1910, has been a manufacturer of advanced industrial tools and a service provider located in MenomoneeFalls, Wisconsin, USA. The company produces power units, machine moving tools, pipe blenders, tension meters, and load cells. It also created cutters, gantries, presses, cylinders, and strand jacks used in aerospace, bridges, automotive, mining, and power generation industries. The firm offers rental products, training, hydraulic education, and services such as bolting, tool crib inspection, and calibration. It has 8 manufacturing facilities in The Netherlands, USA, Spain, UK, China, and India.
Hydac, established in 1963, is a global manufacturer and supplier, specializing in fluid technology, hydraulic and electronic equipment, and filtration systems, that is headquartered in Saar, Germany. Their product range includes hydraulic filters, accumulators, valves, cooling systems, and control systems for industries such as oil and gas, mining, construction, power generation, and automotive. This product are used to create energy-efficient and low-waste solutions. Hydac is certified with ISO 9001 for quality management and ISO 14001 for environmental management.
Ranking as of November 2024
Derivation MethodRank | Company | Click Share |
---|---|---|
1 | Milwaukee Cylinder |
6.6%
|
2 | Allenair Corp. |
5.0%
|
3 | PHD Inc. |
5.0%
|
4 | KOGANEI International America, Inc. |
4.5%
|
5 | Compact Automation Products |
4.3%
|
6 | Cunningham Manufacturing Company |
3.8%
|
7 | Danfoss Industrial Automation |
3.8%
|
8 | Sheffer Corporation |
3.6%
|
9 | Ortman Fluid Power, Inc. |
3.3%
|
10 | Yates Industries Inc. |
3.3%
|
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the cylinder page as of November 2024. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
Newly Established Company
Company with a History
*Including some distributors, etc.
*Including some distributors, etc.
Country | Number of Companies | Share (%) |
---|---|---|
United States of America | 16 | 57.1% |
Japan | 9 | 32.1% |
Canada | 2 | 7.1% |
France | 1 | 3.6% |
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