Hydraulic Cylinder Design Guide: Optimization for Efficiency and ...

Designing hydraulic cylinders is a complicated process with many moving parts. You must consider many things when determining the best design for your hydraulic cylinders. Our team has created a hydraulic cylinder design guide to help you create the best solution for your application. 

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What to Consider When Designing Hydraulic Cylinders

Industry

Different industries require different hydraulic cylinder designs for different functions. When you consider the industry, you will need to be able to address the needs of your equipment. For example, you will need to consider the size of your equipment, if they need to pull, push, or lift, and the weight of the loads they will be responsible for moving. 

Working Conditions

Some applications also include challenging working conditions. For example, in construction, agriculture, and mining, hydraulic cylinders will be exposed to the natural elements and various weather conditions. This means that the materials used must be able to withstand these environments and the design may need to be altered in order to accommodate the working conditions. 

Customizing a Hydraulic Cylinder for Your Application 

There are many parts of your hydraulic cylinders that you can customize. Let’s explore each of these aspects in detail. 

Cylinder Type

Depending on the function needed for your hydraulic cylinder, there may be a few different types of cylinders that you can choose from: 

• Smart Cylinders: This type of cylinder consists of position sensors that give you valuable information about your system so you can improve safety and automation. 
• Single Acting: These cylinders only operate in one direction and are used for lifting, lowering, clamping, and punching. 
• Displacement: Oil displaces the cylinder rod to push on the outward stroke and the cylinder relies on the load or another force to return it to the closed position.  
• Rephasing: These cylinders contain built-in passages that allow fluid to bypass the piston when it is fully extended or retracted, allowing for multiple cylinders to be connected in a series.
• Double Rod: This cylinder type allows for two working areas of the same size for both extending and retracting.
• Cushion: Hydraulic cylinder cushions slow the speed of a cylinder piston before it reaches the end caps, preventing mechanical shock and reducing noise and vibration. 
• Telescopic: Often used in heavy-duty equipment with limited space, these cylinders can provide a long output from compacted retracted length. 

Cylinder Bore

The diameter of the cylinder tube is extremely important to the function of the hydraulic cylinder. The cylinder bore helps you determine the piston area, maximum operating pressure, and the force the cylinder can exert. At Aurelius, we offer cylinder bores from 1 to 10 inches. 

Rod Diameter

The rod diameter impacts the cylinder’s force and speed by reducing the effective piston area on the rod side of the cylinder. You can reduce the cylinder force on the pull of the cylinder by implementing a larger rod diameter and increasing cylinder force with a smaller rod diameter.  Aurelius Manufacturing offers a wide range of rod diameters from ⅜ to 5 inches. 

Stroke Length

The stroke length indicates the speed and size of the hydraulic cylinder. This is a measurement of how far the piston has to travel within its tube from the closed to open position. There are many stroke lengths on the market, and Aurelius offers a wide range from 0 to 20 feet. 

Operating Pressure 

Each hydraulic cylinder application requires different operation pressures. At Aurelius Manufacturing, we work with a wide range of operating pressures. Our team can work with operating pressures up to 500 PSI. 

Need Custom Hydraulic Cylinders? Contact Aurelius Today

At Aurelius Manufacturing, we have over 40 years of experience manufacturing various custom hydraulic cylinders for a wide range of industries. We can customize nearly any type of hydraulic cylinder to meet your exact specifications and needs. 

Cylinder Mount Types at a Glance

Before diving into details, let’s look at the five most common hydraulic cylinder mounting styles and where they shine:

The National Fluid Power Association (NFPA) standardizes these cylinder mounting options to ensure compatibility across manufacturers.

Key Selection Factors

Choosing between these mounts isn’t just about looks. Three critical factors should drive your decision:

Force Direction and Side-Load Risk

The biggest killer of cylinders isn’t pressure—it’s side-load! When force doesn’t travel straight through the cylinder centerline, problems stack up fast.

Side load happens when:

• Your cylinder pushes at an angle
• Loads shift during operation
• Mounts flex under pressure
• Poor alignment during installation

Some mounting types handle side loads better than others. Clevis mounts and side lug mounts with good spherical bearings might manage 5-8% side load, while a flange mount might fail at just 2% off-center force. The piston rod and cylinder tie rods often suffer first when side loads occur.

For example: A 3,000 PSI cylinder with just 3° of misalignment can create enough side-load to score your rod and destroy seals in weeks instead of years! Learn more about how this damages your equipment in our detailed article on rod scoring risks.

Available Space and Pivot Needs

Your mounting style must fit your machine’s space constraints and movement requirements:

• Stroke clearance – Will the extended cylinder hit anything? Some mounts add 30% more length to the overall package.
• Pin-to-pin distance – Crucial measurement for pivot mounts like clevis and trunnion.
• Pivot requirements – Does your application need movement at both ends, one end, or neither?

Tight on space? Side-lug mounts typically have the smallest envelope, while foot mounts often need the most room for proper support.

Maintenance and Swap Time

Some mounts make cylinder replacement a 15-minute job; others might take hours:

• Pivot wear points – Pins and bearings wear out. Can you access them?
• Seal access – Will you need to remove the entire cylinder for seal replacement?
• Alignment requirements – Some mounts forgive small misalignments; others need precise adjustment.

A well-chosen mount can cut maintenance time in half and double your cylinder’s service life!

Mount Style Profiles

Let’s break down each mounting style in detail:

Clevis Mount

Clevis mounts feature pivot pins at both the cap end and rod end of the cylinder. Think of them as the hinges on a door. These popular pivot mounts allow angular movement in the same plane.

Strengths:

• Great for applications requiring pivot at both ends
• Handles moderate misalignment through pin movement
• Usually the easiest mounting option to install and replace
• Works well for short stroke applications
• Allows the cylinder rod to swing freely

Weaknesses:

• Pin holes wear over time, creating slop
• Not ideal for high cycle-rate applications
• Limited side-load capacity
• Pin lubrication often forgotten during maintenance

Best used when: You need pivoting action at both ends of the cylinder, like on mobile equipment booms or agricultural implements.

Trunnion Mount

Trunnion mounts use fixed pins or lugs attached to the cylinder barrel. The cylinder body swings on these trunnion pins while the piston rod pushes in a straight line.

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For more Custom Hoist Cylindersinformation, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.

Strengths:

• Perfect for long stroke cylinders where the barrel needs to pivot
• Keeps the rod end free for attachments like a swivel ball end
• Handles higher pressures than clevis designs
• Works in both push and pull applications
• Available as standard or intermediate fixed trunnion

Weaknesses:

• Requires precise alignment of trunnion blocks
• Needs proper support to prevent barrel sag on long cylinders
• Trunnion pins must be well-lubricated
• Can be difficult to replace in tight spaces

Best used when: You need a pivot point somewhere other than the ends, such as on construction equipment or large machinery with space constraints.

Flange Mount

Flange mounts bolt directly to a flat surface, creating a rigid connection. They come in square flanges, rectangular flanges, and round flanges varieties.

Strengths:

• Handles very heavy straight-line pushing forces
• Creates the strongest fixed cylinder mounting option
• No pivot points to wear out
• Great for applications where absolute stability is needed
• Excellent for transmitting linear force in one plane

Weaknesses:

• Zero tolerance for side-load or misalignment
• Often requires machine work for proper installation
• Makes cylinder replacement more time-consuming
• Can transmit machine vibrations directly to the cylinder

Best used when: You need maximum force in a straight line, like on presses, compactors, or heavy manufacturing equipment.

Foot mounts use simple brackets welded or bolted to the cylinder barrel bottom. They’re the simplest hydraulic cylinder mounting style.

Strengths:

• Inexpensive and straightforward
• Easy to bolt down to any mounting surface
• Good for fixed cylinder mounts with minimal side load
• Makes plumbing connections accessible
• Ideal for mounting to the machine frame

Weaknesses:

• Prone to misalignment issues
• Feet can crack under side-loading
• Requires a perfectly flat mounting surface
• Not ideal for high-pressure applications

Best used when: Your application is simple, budget-driven, and primarily involves straight pushing or pulling, such as on small presses or material handling equipment.

Side-Lug Mount

Side-lug mounts feature attachment points welded to the sides of the cylinder barrel. They’re sometimes called “side ear” mounts.

Strengths:

• Saves vertical space in tight frames
• Can be positioned anywhere along the cylinder body
• Works well in push-pull applications
• Often allows for some pivot movement

Weaknesses:

• Lugs can break under extreme side-load
• Usually requires additional support for long cylinders
• Needs properly sized pins and bearings
• Limited to specific cylinder designs

Best used when: Space is at a premium and you need a compact mounting solution, common in off-highway equipment and specialized machinery.

Decision Matrix and Mount Selector

Not sure which mount is right for your application? Use this quick decision guide:

For more precise recommendations, use our interactive force calculator to determine your exact requirements.

For more precise recommendations, consider these application factors:

1. Fixed or pivoting? If completely fixed, choose flange or foot. If pivoting needed, select clevis, trunnion, or side-lug.
2. How much force? For forces over 10,000 pounds, flange mounts typically provide the best support.
3. Space constraints? Side-lug and trunnion mounts usually have the smallest footprint.
4. Maintenance access? Clevis mounts typically offer the easiest cylinder removal.

Installation and Alignment Checklist

Proper installation methods are just as important as choosing the right mount:

1. Measure cylinder centerline carefully before drilling or welding mount points.
2. Check for square using precision levels and straight edges on a plane perpendicular to force.
3. Shim mounting blocks to achieve precise alignment within ±0.002 inches.
4. Torque mounting bolts to proper specifications (usually 70-80% of yield strength).
5. Verify free movement at pivot points before connecting hydraulic lines.
6. Use thread locker on critical mounting bolts to prevent loosening.
7. Install spherical bearings or ball seat where any misalignment is expected.
8. Check tie rod torque on tie rod cylinders to ensure they can resist bending stresses.

Remember: Even the best mount will fail if poorly installed!

FAQs on Cylinder Mounting Styles

When to Call for Custom Mounts

Sometimes standard mounting options just won’t cut it. Consider custom hydraulic cylinder mounting solutions when:

• Forces exceed 20,000 pounds or heavy loads require special design
• Side loads cannot be eliminated and exceed 5% of main force
• Extreme temperatures affect standard mount materials
• Unusual installation space constraints prevent standard mounting
• Specialized industries (food processing, nuclear, marine) have unique requirements
• You need better performance through custom machine members

Conclusion

Picking the right mounting style for your hydraulic cylinder isn’t just about making it fit. It’s about aligning force paths, preventing premature cylinder failure, and simplifying maintenance. The perfect mount creates a straight line between your linear motion needs and cylinder performance.

Remember these key points:

• Match your mounting type to your force direction
• Consider certain space constraints and pivot requirements
• Factor in maintenance access before installation
• Proper alignment is critical for any cylinder mounting
• The right mount can double your cylinder’s service life

With the right mount, your hydraulic system will deliver power exactly where you need it, day after day.

Want to determine exactly how much force your application needs? Check out our hydraulic cylinder force calculator to size your next cylinder perfectly.

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