Hydraulic Cylinders / Jacks

How Does a Hydraulic Cylinder Function?
Hydraulic cylinder is mechanical device providing power through linear movement. These cylinders find usage in wide variety of applications that include:

• Heavy duty vehicles
• Construction equipment
• Snow removal equipment
• Earth movers

With primary purpose of hydraulic cylinders in controlling movement of machine's linkages as well as attachments like snow plow/earth scoopers, typical hydraulic cylinder comprises:

• Barrel
• Cylinder cap
• Head
• Piston
• Piston rod

These cylinders also feature durable construction with use of contraction metals being:

• Nickel
• Chromium
• Stainless steel
• Another type of strong and durable metal

Mechanics of Hydraulic Cylinder:

• Hydraulic cylinders operate through pressurized fluid (usually oil)
• This gives hydraulic cylinder force
• Cylinder's driving force is piston that is attached to piston rod enclosed in cylinder's barrel
• Bottom of barrel is closed off by cylinder cap and top closed off by head Head contains round hole that allows piston rod to come out of barrel
• Inside of barrel contains oil and hydraulic pressure that oil creates acts on piston rod that causes it to move back and forth in linear fashion
• One end of piston attached to object/machine it is responsible for moving
• As hydraulic pressure of oil moves piston rod, piston rod moves piston that in turn moves attached object

There are two main types of hydraulic cylinders:
Tie rod hydraulic cylinders:

• These contain threaded steel rods attached to either end of cylinder barrel
• These threaded steel rods are extremely strong, thus making tie rod cylinders useful in heavy-duty industrial applications

Welded body cylinders:

• Welded body cylinders are main hydraulic cylinders used in construction machinery
• These have no steel rods and instead top end of barrel is welded directly to object it is designed to move
• As these have no steel rods, welded body cylinders are much smaller in size than tie rod cylinders and thus can be also used in smaller machinery