Stretching rodless pneumatics to new lengths
Extreme stroke rodless cylinders have been developed by Hoerbiger Origa in response to increasing demand from a wider variety of potential users.
Based on the company’s standard OSP range, the new long-stroke cylinder models can be up to 41m in length, and will typically be used in materials handling duties and as transfer mechanisms. The long-stroke cylinders are available in 40mm, 50mm, 63mm and 80mm diameter options, using the same barrel extrusion as other OSP units. Similarly, they use the same componentry and can be fitted with optional extras, including end stops; brakes; and displacement measuring systems. Therefore, they provide all the advantages of the conventional OSP actuators.
In addition, a major benefit of pneumatic technology is that control of the actuating force and operating speed is readily achieved by simple adjustments to the air supply. “The long-stroke cylinders are an absolutely seamless extension to the OSP range,” said Ray Barnes, managing director of Hoerbiger Origa in Gloucester. “This is in keeping with the company’s philosophy of keeping all products completely modular and interchangeable so that systems design and build in the field is as efficient as possible.”
It is not practical to produce barrel extrusions of such great lengths as are required for the long-stroke cylinders, so research and development engineers at Hoerbiger developed joining technology that enables the actuator to be modular in length. While, theoretically, any length of stroke is possible, the maximum stroke length achieved in testing was limited by the available 45m length at the company’s R&D facility near Stuttgart in Germany.
Hoerbiger Origa has long been aware of a latent market demand for long stroke actuators, and has produced several with stroke lengths between 6m and 12m. However, transportation of such long lengths has always been a practical problem when reviewing potential applications.
The new long-stroke cylinder has been designed to address this emerging need, and to capitalise on the existing market for simple, fully integrated, transport devices. The concept is extremely forgiving in respect to the linearity of the installation and will tolerate a relatively high degree of curvature.
“Compared to alternative conveyors and other conventional materials handling solutions (e.g chain drives), a long-stroke cylinder is going to have obvious size, cost and maintenance advantages,” added Mr Barnes. “Significantly, they are also going to be easier to integrate into machine/plant control systems, as they are in effect just another axis of motion rather than being another separate system which is typical of conveyor installations.”
Further non-traditional markets for the long-stroke cylinder include stage sets, special effects for film studios, models for museums and visitor attractions, retail displays and municipal art.
