Why Choose Pneumatic Cylinder Repair Over Replacement

Allen and Webb have been the go-to cylinder repair shop for decades, serving South Carolina and Georgia with cost-effective pneumatic cylinder repair solutions.

Pneumatic cylinders are highly versatile and widely used in a number of industries. They are designed to provide powerful force and movement, and as such, they are an essential component of pneumatic systems. However, because of their design, pneumatic cylinders are also prone to breakage. When a pneumatic cylinder breaks, it can bring production to a halt, costing the facility time and money. Pneumatic cylinder repair should be a top priority when a problem occurs in order to minimize downtime and keep profits up. Pneumatic cylinder repair experts can quickly diagnose the problem and get your system up and running again in no time.

Often when a cylinder is in very bad shape, the immediate thought is to replace it. However, repairing the cylinder may still be the best option. We are able to fabricate parts and remanufactured a cylinder according to specifications which many times is less expensive than purchasing a new cylinder. Our team of experienced and highly trained technicians has carried out many successful pneumatic cylinder repairs and rebuilds in the most cost-effective solution.

Pneumatic Cylinder Repair Services

Each repair service is unique and may require a different process to restore your cylinder. Allen and Webb may one or a combination of the cause some of the capabilities below:

Welding
Honing
Grinding
Pressure Testing
Turning
Polishing
Re-Chroming
Straightening
Re-Sealing

To talk with one of our sales representatives, you may call us at 843-747-7321

What are Pneumatic Cylinders?

A pneumatic cylinder is a type of mechanical actuator that uses compressed air to produce linear motion. Pneumatic cylinders are used in a wide variety of applications, including manufacturing, construction, and automotive. Pneumatic cylinders use compressed air to create linear force. Pneumatic pressure acts upon the piston of the cylinder at a level equal to that pressure times the area of the piston.

Pneumatic systems rarely provide much more than a hundred pounds per square inch of pressure to the piston. The nature of compressed air allows for quick acceleration and rapid velocity, especially if back pressure is low.

What is the difference between a Pneumatic Cylinder and a Hydraulic Cylinder?

Hydraulic cylinders are used instead of pneumatic cylinders for two major reasons. The first reason to choose hydraulic over pneumatic is force. Hydraulic cylinders are capable of anywhere from 1,500 to 10,000 psi, which can be ten to 100 times the force of a pneumatic cylinder. As an example, a 2-in. bore pneumatic cylinder will produce 314 lbs. of force at 100 psi, but a 2-in. bore hydraulic cylinder will produce 9,420 lbs. at 3,000 psi.

Hydraulic cylinders are also built stronger, to handle their extra force capability. An NFPA hydraulic cylinder will have a larger standard rod diameter, thicker barrel wall, thicker cap and head, and thicker piston, compared to a pneumatic cylinder. This is not to say an NFPA pneumatic cylinder isn’t strong, because they sometimes only differ from a medium-duty hydraulic cylinder by employing an aluminum rather than steel barrel, and the medium-duty hydraulic cylinder is rated for 1500 psi.

Hydraulic cylinders are used instead of pneumatic cylinders also because of their superior controllability. Because air is compressible, load-induced pressure changes will consistent velocity difficult. Accurate positioning is also difficult due to this compressibility, as the chamber of air in the cylinder can act as a spring.

Hydraulic fluid is nearly incompressible, so it can be accurately metered and the cylinder will move at the rate of fluid flow regardless of load-induced pressure, as long as the valves controlling the cylinder are sophisticated enough. Accurate positioning within thousandths of an inch is also possible, especially with the use of electronics and linear position transducers. Also, hydraulic cylinders have less internal leakage and are capable of load holding when the machine is shut down, something very difficult for pneumatics.