cylinders a rod seal / wiper can be incorporated to both stop contaminants from entering the inner body of the cylinder , with the wiper removing larger particulates from the rod . For added protection the rod can be fitted with a rod bellow / gaiter which keeps contaminants away from piston rods .
For corrosive environments , including those where regular washdowns are conducted , the choice of rod material may need to be reconsidered . Standard rods are mostly manufactured from chrome , but swapping to stainlessexercised steel rods and fasteners , or even a stainless-steel rod , will provide extra protection against corrosion . This will impact the cost , usually by an additional 10 % of the overall cost of the cylinder . For complete corrosive protection , Matara offers a range of 100 % stainless steel pneumatic cylinders .
The other option is to stick with existing materials but use specialist coatings or epoxy paints . There are a good range of options here , including Armoloy TDC ® coating , which we use on our linear rail and ballscrews for maximum longevity in demanding applications and locations . Armoloy TDC ® is a hard ( 78Rc ), thin , dense chromium coating with a micronodular surface texture which provides corrosion protection equal to 440 series stainless steel .
Maintenance matters
Having selected the right cylinder type for your environment , it ’ s important to conduct basic preventative maintenance to a regular schedule . This should include the regular cleaning of external parts of the system so that visual inspection of seals and other parts is straightforward ; inspection for wear and tear ; draining of air line filters and checking that the water traps are operating as they should ; lubrication of the cylinder , rod seal , piston seals and surfaces ; checking for air leaks and resealing where required ; and last , but not least , replacement of air filters .
Harsh environments make for difficult operating conditions , but by selecting quality pneumatic cylinders customised to your specific site , you can costeffectively prolong the service life of a cylinder and reduce costly downtime .
Matara designs and manufactures pneumatic and linear automation products , which are available from stock or can be custom built to order .
www . matara . com sales @ matarauk . co . uk
01684 850000
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