SMC Cylinders Are Prevalent In A Range Of Industries
SMC cylinders are air cylinders which store pressurised gas in a canister. They are prevalent in a range of shapes, sizes and industries from Semi Conductors to Automotive, Packaging to Medical, and Food to Heavy Vehicles. SMC cylinders are available world-wide through a number of vendors. Standard features on the SMC cylinders include: a range of 16 inch and 18 metric bore sizes, multiple mounting configurations and auto switch capability and the cylinders are available in a wide variety of styles, including linear, guided, rotary, gripper, speciality, and for use with pneumatic, hydraulic and electric.
SMC is an authority in pneumatics. During the last twenty years pneumatics has grown exponentially and has become an intrinsic part in numerous industrial applications. Pneumatics – which is the use of pressurised gas to affect mechanical motion - are easy to use, clean, safe and relatively quiet - creating better working environments. Pneumatics, as used in SMC air cylinders, aids in energy conservation and makes minimal impact on the environment. Pneumatic power is used in industry, where factory machines are commonly plumbed for compressed air; other compressed inert gases can also be used. Pneumatics also has applications in dentistry, construction, mining, and other areas. Today, pneumatic components are found in virtually all industry sectors.
The main industries that SMC cylinders can be found in include the: Automotive Industry; Electronics Industry; Life Science; Food Industry; Photovoltaic Industry; Beverage Industry; and the Snack Industry. The range of SMC air cylinders available for purchase include: guided air cylinders, compact air cylinders, and rodless air cylinders. The different cylinders are all specifically designed to suit a range of purposes and in the following paragraphs we will briefly be discussing some of the SMC cylinders that are available.
The Guided cylinders use guide rods mounted parallel to the piston rod to provide stable, non-rotating, high side load performance. The compact cylinder functions in the same manner as a basic air cylinder, with both single and double acting, single or double rod, and non-rotating models. However, SMC compact cylinders minimize space requirements by allowing for precise, direct mounting in the least amount of space possible.
The Rodless cylinders differ from basic air cylinders in that no piston rod extends outside the cylinder body. Instead, the internal piston is connected to an external carriage, by means of a magnetic or mechanical coupling system. SMC rodless air cylinders are ideal for long stroke applications because they are unaffected by rod overhang, bending, piston binding, and uneven seal wear, and for use in confined areas where space is a premium. Miniature air cylinders usually follow this design.
Basic linear air cylinders are used to provide straight-line, in/out linear movement for a variety of applications. Basic air cylinders are available as single-acting and double-acting with single or double rod and non-rotating models. Body styles include crimped, round, or tie rod. Single-acting cylinders develop thrust in one direction and have lower air consumption compared with the equivalent size of double-acting cylinders. With a double-acting cylinder, air pressure may be alternately applied to provide force in both directions. SMC cylinders also include a range if the 3 position cylinders.
