4

CHAPTER
Hydraulic and
Pneumatic
Actuators
 HYDRAULIC ACTUATORS
 It is a device used for converting hydraulic energy into mechanical energy.
 The pressurized hydraulic fluid delivered by the hydraulic pump is supplied to the
actuators, which converts the energy of the fluid into mechanical energy.
 This mechanical energy is used to get the work done.

TYPES OF HYDRAULIC ACTUATORS:

1. Linear Actuators (Hydraulic cylinders)
2. Rotary Actuators (Hydraulic motors)
a. Continuous rotary actuators
b. Semi rotary actuators
 HYDRAULIC CYLINDERS:
A hydraulic cylinder is a device, which converts fluid power into linear
mechanical force and motion. It usually consists of a movable element, a piston and a
piston rod operating within a cylinder bore.

TYPES OF HYDRAULIC CYLINDERS:

1. Single acting cylinders
2. Double acting cylinders
3. Telescoping cylinders
4. Double rod cylinder
5. Tandem cylinder
 1. SINGLE ACTING CYLINDER:
A single acting cylinder is designed to apply force in only one direction. It consists of a
piston inside a cylindrical housing called barrel. Attached to end of the piston is a rod
which extends outside. At the other end (Blank end) is a port for the entrance and the
exit of oil.
 A single acting cylinder can exert a force only in the extending direction, as fluid from
the pump enters through the blank end of the cylinder. Single acting cylinders do not
hydraulically retract. Retraction is accomplished by using gravity or by the inclusion of
a compression spring at the rod end.

Advantages and Disadvantages:

1. The single acting cylinders are very
simple to operate, and compact in size.
2. The single acting cylinders with
spring return cannot be used for larger
stroke length.
 2. DOUBLE ACTING CYLINDER:
A double acting cylinder is capable of delivering forces in both directions. The barrel is
made of seamless steel tubing, honed to affine finish on the inside surface. The piston
which is made of ductile iron contains U cup packing to seal the leakage between the
piston and the barrel. The ports are located in the end caps which are secured to the
barrel by tie rods. The load of the piston rod at the neck is taken by a rod bearing, which
is generally made of brass or bronze.  A rod wiper is provided at the end of the neck
to prevent foreign particles and dust from
entering into the cylinder along with the piston
rod.
 When the fluid from the pump enters the
cylinder through port 1, the piston moves
forward and the fluid return to the reservoir
from the cylinder through port 2.
 During the return stroke the fluid is allowed to
enter the cylinder through port 2 and fluid from
the other side of the piston goes back to the
reservoir through port 1.
 3. DOUBLE ROD CYLINDER:
It is a cylinder with single piston and a piston rod extending from each end. This
cylinder allows work to be performed at either or both ends.
 It may be desirable where operating speed and return speed are equal.
 4. TANDEM CYLINDER:
It design has two cylinders mounted in line with pistons connected by a common
piston rod. These cylinders provide increased output force when the bore size of a
cylinder is limited. But the length of the cylinder is more than a standard cylinder
and also requires a larger flow rate to achieve a speed because flow must go to both
pistons.
 5. TELESCOPING CYLINDER:
They are used where long work strokes are needed. A telescoping cylinder provides
a relatively long working stroke for an overall reduced length by employing several
pistons which telescope into each other.

 Since the diameter A of the ram is relatively large,

this ram produces a large force for the beginning of
the lift of the load. When ram A reaches the end of
the stroke, ram B begins to move. Now ram B
provides the required smaller force to continue
raising the load. When ram B reaches the end of its
stroke, then ram C moves outwards to complete the
lifting operation. These three rams can be retracted
by gravity acting on the load or by pressurized fluid
acting on the lip of each ram.
 TWO STAGE DOUBLE ACTING TELESCOPING CYLINDER:
Retraction stroke: During the retraction stroke, the fluid is fed into the first stage
annulus via retract port A. therefore the first stage piston is forced to the left until it
uncovers the fluid ports connecting this with the second stage annulus. This, in turn,
moves the larger piston to the left until both the pistons are fully retracted into the
body of the cylinder.
Extension Stroke:
During the extension stroke, the fluid is
fed through the extend port B. Now the
fluid forces both pistons to the right until
the cylinder is fully extended.
 HYDRAULIC MOTORS:

A hydraulic motors converts fluid power into mechanical power in the form of
rotational motion.
 Motors perform the opposite function of the pump, which converts mechanical
power from an electric motor or engine into fluid power. Motors take pump flow
and pressure as their input and output rotational motion and torque.
 Motor displacement is the volume. Pump displacement is the volume of the pump
outputs per revolution of the pump shaft, a similar concept. Like pump motors can
be fixed or variable displacement.
 Increasing the displacement of a motor decreases its speed because it requires
more fluid to turn it each revolution. Increasing displacement increase torque
output because more area within the motor is subjected to pressure. Decreasing
motor displacement increases speed and decreases torque.
 HYDRAULIC MOTORS:
Hydraulic motors are most commonly gear, vane or piston type.
All have a construction similar to the hydraulic pump of the same type.

They also have similar properties.

 Gear motors are the least efficient, most dirt tolerant and have the lowest pressure
ratings of the three.
 Piston motors are the most efficient, least dirt tolerant and have the highest pressure
ratings.
 Vane and piston motors can be fixed or variable displacement like vane and piston
pumps.
 Gear motors like gear pump are not available with variable displacement.
 GEAR MOTOR:
The operation of gear motor is shown in the figure. One of the gears is keyed to an
output shaft, while the other is simply an idler gear. Pump flow and pressure are sent to
the inlet port of the motor. The pressure is then applied to the gear teeth, causing the
gears and the output shaft to rotate.
The pressure builds until enough torque is generated to rotate the output shaft against
the load. Most gear motors are bi-directional the direction of rotation can be reversed
by simply reversing the direction of flow.
 VANE MOTORS:
In this type of motors the pump flow and pressure are applied to the vanes and the
output shaft is rotated. The figure shows the balanced vane type motor. Recall from the
discussion on vane pumps that balanced means that pressure is applied on both sides of
the shaft resulting in no net force on the bearings.

 This increases the maximum operating

pressure and drive speed at which the motor
can operate.
 The vanes extent and retract twice per
revolution of the rotor, which necessitates
the use of two inlet and two outlet chambers.
 These chambers are combined into one
common inlet and one common outlet within
the motor housing.
 Most of the vane motors are bidirectional.
 PISTON TYPE MOTORS:
Piston motor develops an output torque at its shaft by allowing hydraulic pressure to act
on pistons. Piston designs may be either axial piston type or radial piston type.
 RACK AND PINION SEMI ROTARY ACTUATOR:
In this design, the cylinder drives a pinion gear and the rack is an integral part of the
piston rod. The angle of rotation depends upon the stroke of the cylinder, rack and the
pitch circle diameter of the pinion. The start and finish of the stroke is adjusted by
means of an internal shop.
 PNEUMATICS ACTUATORS

Pneumatic actuators are the devices used for converting pressure energy of
compressed air into the mechanical energy to perform useful work.
 In other words, Actuators are used to perform the task of exerting the required
force at the end of the stroke or used to create displacement by the movement of
the piston.
 The pressurized air from the compressor is supplied to reservoir. The pressurized
air from storage is supplied to pneumatic actuator to do work.

TYPES OF PNEUMATICS ACTUATORS

Pneumatic cylinders can be used to get linear, rotary and oscillatory motion.
There are three types of pneumatic actuator:
i) Linear Actuator or Pneumatic cylinders
ii) Rotary Actuator or Air motors
iii) Limited angle Actuators
 TYPES OF PNEUMATIC CYLINDERS /LINEAR ACTUATORS
Pneumatic cylinders are devices for converting the air pressure into linear mechanical
force and motion. The pneumatic cylinders are basically used for single purpose
application such as clamping, stamping, transferring, branching, allocating, ejecting,
metering, tilting, bending, turning and many other applications.

The different classification scheme of the pneumatic cylinders are given below

1. Based on application for which air cylinders are used

i) Light duty air cylinders
ii) Medium duty air cylinders
iii) Heavy duty air cylinders
2. Based on the cylinder action
i) Single acting cylinder
ii) Double acting cylinder
Single rod type double acting cylinder
Double rod type double acting cylinder
3. Based on cylinder’s movement
i) Rotating type air cylinder
ii) Non rotating type air cylinder
4. Based on the cylinder’s design
i) Telescopic cylinder
ii) Tandem cylinder
iii) Rod less cylinder
 Cable cylinder,
 Sealing band Cylinder with slotted cylinder barrel
 Cylinder with Magnetically Coupled Slide
iv) Impact cylinder
v) Duplex cylinders
vi) Cylinders with sensors
 Single acting cylinders.

Single acting cylinders

(Diaphragm cylinder)
 ROLLING DIAPHRAGM CYLINDER
They are similar to diaphragm cylinders. Schematic diagram of Rolling diaphragm
cylinder is shown in Figure. They too contain a diaphragm instead of piston, which is
this instance rolls out along the inner walls of the cylinder when air pressure is applied
to the device, thereby causing the operating stem to move outwards.
 Compared with the standard diaphragm type, a rolling diaphragm cylinder is capable
of executing appreciably longer operating strokes (averaging from 50 mm to 800
mm) .
 CUSHIONING IN PNEUMATIC CYLINDERS
The inherent capability of all air cylinders to perform rapid reciprocating motion also
supplies a disadvantage in that considerable kinetic energy is dissipated in the form
of shock at the completion of the stoke.
 This can set up severe stresses in cylinders itself or end covers, or on frame
work of the machines to which it is attached. This can be overcome by
providing cushioning to produce gradual deceleration of the piston as it
approaches the end of its stroke.
 Need for cushioning
 When the pressurized air is supplied at the inlet port of the cylinder, piston
accelerates and travels inside the cylinder.
 Piston has to be slowed down at the end of the stroke to prevent excessive
impact on the end caps.
 These shock loads arise not only from the fluid pressure, but also from the
kinetic energy of the moving parts of the cylinder and load.
 These end travel shock loads can be reduced by decelerating the piston at the
end of stroke by cushioning.

 For the prevention of shock due to stopping loads at the end of the
piston stroke, cushion devices are used. Cushions may be applied
at either end or both ends.
 They operate on the principle that as the cylinder piston
approaches at the end of stroke exhaust fluid is forced to go
through an adjustable needle valve which is set to control the
escaping fluid at the given rate.
 There are two types of cushioning is possible in pneumatic cylinder
1. Fixed cushioning
2. Adjustable cushioning

1. Fixed cushioning:
This type of cushioning is used for small bore cylinder. These cylinders make use of
synthetic rubber buffers to give a simple fixed cushion effect. These shock absorbent
disks placed into the end-covers suction the impact of the piston.
2. Adjustable cushioning:
As a rule, cushions are applied to cylinders whose piston speed exceeds 0.1 m/s.
Cushion can be applied at one end or both ends of the cylinder. Adjustable
cushioning is possible with two methods
1. Using the cushion seal
2. Using the piston with the plunger
 SYNCHRONIZING HYDRAULIC CYLINDERS
There are many industrial applications require nearly perfect synchronization of
movement of two or more cylinders in order to complete some phase of operation.
 To accomplish the identical task from the cylinders at the same rate, synchronizing
circuits are employed.
 This is achieved by using double-end cylinders in series, by using mechanically
linked pistons, by using hydraulic motors as metering devices and by using flow
control valves.
This circuit uses a solenoid operated, spring-offset
4/3 DCV and two double acting cylinders.
 When the 4/3 DCV is shifted to the left envelope
flow path configuration, oil flows from the pump to
the blank end of cylinder 1 and thus the cylinder 1
extends.
 At the same time, oil from the rod end of cylinder 1
is forced to the blank end of cylinder 2 and thus the
cylinder 2 also extends. Now the oil returns to the
tank from the rod end of the cylinder 2 through
DCV.
 Once full extension of cylinder 1 and 2 are over the
DCV is shifted to the right mode. When the 4/3 DCV
is shifted to the right mode, oil flows from the
pump to the rod end of cylinder 2 and thus the
cylinder 2 retracts. As the same time, oil from the
blank end of cylinder 2 is forced to the rod end of
cylinder 1 and thus the cylinder1 also retracts.
Thank you