Calculate pneumatic cylinder force and FAD air consumption based on bore, pressure, and cycle rate.
Pneumatic cylinders convert compressed-air pressure into linear force at speeds and stroke lengths suited to clamping, sorting, packaging, and pick-and-place automation. This calculator sizes a single-acting or double-acting cylinder's push and pull force from bore diameter, rod diameter, and supply pressure, accounting for the rod side's reduced annulus area exactly like hydraulics — only with much lower working pressures.
Push force F = P × π × D² / 4 where P is supply pressure (usually 60–150 psi or 4–10 bar) and D is the bore diameter. Pull force uses the annulus F = P × π × (D² − d²) / 4 where d is the rod diameter. Because air is compressible, dynamic force depends on flow restriction and seal friction more than on hydraulics; cylinders are typically sized 20–30% above the static load to overcome breakaway friction. Speed is governed by exhaust flow rather than supply flow, so meter-out flow controls give smoother motion than meter-in. Spring-return single-acting cylinders deliver only 60–70% of the pneumatic force at end-of-stroke because the spring opposes motion.
A packaging-line engineer sizing a 25 mm pusher at 6 bar supply confirms 295 N push force and adds 30% friction reserve, then selects flow controls to time the 100 mm stroke to 0.4 s for the cycle window.
A fixture builder picks an 80 mm bore clamp at 7 bar, expects 3,520 N push, but measures only 2,800 N at the workpiece; calculator confirms the gap matches the 20% breakaway friction allowance for a non-lubricated rod seal.
An automation technician sizing a spring-return ejector verifies that air-stroke force exceeds load by 30% while accounting for the spring's 40% counter-force at the extended position, ensuring smooth retract on signal loss.
Pneumatic systems run at 6-10 bar while hydraulics run at 70-300 bar. Equal bore at 6 bar vs 200 bar gives roughly 1/30 of the force, which is why hydraulics dominate heavy presses.
Air is compressible, so mid-stroke positioning is poor without servo controls. Repeatability is ±2-5 mm without feedback, or 0.1-0.5 mm with servo-pneumatics.
Modern cylinders use self-lubricating seals and only need clean dry air. Adding inline lubricator can extend life on high-cycle (>10 Hz) duty, but is unnecessary on lower cycle counts.