Cylinders and buffers in industrial automation: an important role in protecting machinery

In the field of industrial automation, the cylinder is a common actuator, widely used in a variety of machinery and equipment. Rodless cylinders, as a type of cylinder, have unique designs and functions. Generally speaking, the rodless cylinder is equipped with a gas buffer device of about 10mm. The function of this gas buffer is to prevent the piston from involuntarily moving back and forth due to the thrust and inertial motion of the air pressure when the cylinder stops working.

Without this gas buffer, the piston may collide directly with the end cap, resulting in damage to the end cap. Therefore, the gas buffer device plays the role of protecting the end cap and effectively prolongs the service life of the cylinder. In addition, the gas buffer device can also reduce the noise and vibration generated by the cylinder during operation, and improve the stability and reliability of the equipment.

However, some people may think that since the cylinder itself already has an air buffer, there is no need to install other buffers, which can save costs. But in fact, this is wrong. Although the gas buffer device of the cylinder mainly relies on the gas to play a buffer role, its buffer force is relatively small. When the workpiece bearing capacity is large or the cylinder running speed is very fast, the role of the gas buffer device is very limited.

In this case, if there is no other buffer to protect the mechanical equipment, the cylinder may be damaged by impact, resulting in a shortened service life. Therefore, in order to protect mechanical equipment and reduce maintenance costs, the installation of oil buffer is necessary. Oil buffer can effectively absorb shock energy, reduce noise and vibration, thereby protecting mechanical equipment and extending its service life.

In addition, it is important to note that cylinder buffering usually occurs inside the rodless cylinder, while the workpiece is operated on the outside. When the workpiece is in contact with the mechanical equipment, it will inevitably produce an impact sound. At this time, the gas buffer device has no effect on this external noise. Therefore, in order to reduce noise, protect equipment and improve the production efficiency of the enterprise, it is necessary to install an external oil buffer. The external oil buffer can absorb the impact energy between the workpiece and the mechanical equipment, reduce noise and vibration, and improve the running stability and accuracy of the equipment.

In summary, although the gas buffer device inside the rodless cylinder can play a certain protective role, in practical applications, it is still necessary to consider whether other buffer devices need to be installed according to the specific situation. For some high load, high speed application scenarios, installing oil buffer is a more reliable solution. Through reasonable selection and use of buffer devices, it can effectively protect mechanical equipment, extend its service life, reduce maintenance costs, improve production efficiency and improve the working environment.