Extend and retract forces in (lbs)pounds is a function of the bore diameter in inches and the piston rod diameter in inches. This calculation is discussed in detail in our video series segment bore size on the video page. The extend force is calculated by taking the area of the bore multiplied by the operating pressure of the system. The retract force is calculated by taking the area of the bore minus the area of the piston rod then multiplied by the operating pressure of the system. These calculations are theoretical maximums and other factors in the design may need to be taken into consideration when specifying your custom cylinder. This is why it is important if you are close to a maximum you chat with us and speak with and cylinder expert. We have years of experience in the custom cylinder design industry and have created many unique solutions for our customers.

The tool below can be used to calculate multiple items. For instance if your system is already built, you can use it to determine the cycling speed of the cylinder in you design. It will show the trade off in cycling speed between different bore sizes and piston rods. It can even help you figure out approximately how many gallons per minute your hydraulic system should provide if you already know what size cylinder you need and how fast you need it to cycle. This tool again is purely theoretical and no critical decisions should be made without speaking to an engineer to determine if the custom cylinder system you are designing will work in more than just theory.