Parker Hannifin Corporation Parker Hannifin Corporation Service Bulletin 0800.

01-T1
Industrial Cylinder Division Motion and Control Division
500 South Wolf Road 160 Chisholm Drive Cylinder Safety Guide
Des Plaines, IL 60016 Milton, Ontario Issued: March, 2013
(847) 298-2400 Canada L9T 3G9
Supersedes: April, 2011
www.parker.com/cylinder (905) 693-3000

Safety Guide for Selecting and Using Hydraulic, Pneumatic Cylinders and Their Accessories
WARNING: FAILURE OF THE CYLINDER, ITS PARTS, ITS MOUNTING, ITS CONNECTIONS TO OTHER OBJECTS,
OR ITS CONTROLS CAN RESULT IN:
• Unanticipated or uncontrolled movement of the cylinder or objects connected to it.
• Falling of the cylinder or objects held up by it.
• Fluid escaping from the cylinder, potentially at high velocity.
THESE EVENTS COULD CAUSE DEATH OR PERSONAL INJURY BY, FOR EXAMPLE, PERSONS FALLING FROM
HIGH LOCATIONS, BEING CRUSHED OR STRUCK BY HEAVY OR FAST MOVING OBJECTS, BEING PUSHED INTO
DANGEROUS EQUIPMENT OR SITUATIONS, OR SLIPPING ON ESCAPED FLUID.
Before selecting or using Parker Hannifin Corporation (the Company) cylinders • Failure of the pressurized fluid delivery system (hoses, fittings, valves,
or related accessories, it is important that you read, understand and follow the pumps, compressors) which maintain cylinder position.
following safety information. Training is advised before selecting and using the • Catastrophic cylinder seal failure leading to sudden loss of pressurized
Company’s products. fluid.
1.0 General Instructions • Failure of the machine control system.
1.1 Scope – This safety guide provides instructions for selecting and using Follow the recommendations of the “Piston Rod Selection Chart and Data”
(including assembling, installing, and maintaining) cylinder products. This in the publication for the series of cylinders of interest. The suggested piston
safety guide is a supplement to and is to be used with the specific Company rod diameter in these charts must be followed in order to avoid piston rod
publications for the specific cylinder products that are being considered for buckling.
use.
Piston rods are not normally designed to absorb bending moments or loads
1.2 Fail Safe – Cylinder products can and do fail without warning for many which are perpendicular to the axis of piston rod motion. These additional
reasons. All systems and equipment should be designed in a fail-safe mode loads can cause the piston rod to fail. If these types of additional loads are
so that if the failure of a cylinder product occurs people and property won’t be expected to be imposed on the piston rod, their magnitude should be made
endangered. known to our engineering department.
1.3 Distribution – Provide a free copy of this safety guide to each person The cylinder user should always make sure that the piston rod is securely
responsible for selecting or using cylinder products. Do not select or use attached to the machine member.
the Company’s cylinders without thoroughly reading and understanding this On occasion cylinders are ordered with double rods (a piston rod extended
safety guide as well as the specific Company publications for the products from both ends of the cylinder). In some cases a stop is threaded on to one
considered or selected. of the piston rods and used as an external stroke adjuster. On occasions
1.4 User Responsibility – Due to very wide variety of cylinder applications spacers are attached to the machine member connected to the piston rod
and cylinder operating conditions, the Company does not warrant that any and also used as a stroke adjuster. In both cases the stops will create a pinch
particular cylinder is suitable for any specific application. This safety guide point and the user should consider appropriate use of guards. If these
does not analyze all technical parameters that must be considered in select- external stops are not perpendicular to the mating contact surface, or if debris
ing a product. The hydraulic and pneumatic cylinders outlined in this catalog is trapped between the contact surfaces, a bending moment will be placed
are designed to the Company’s design guidelines and do not necessarily on the piston rod, which can lead to piston rod failure. An external stop will
meet the design guideline of other agencies such as American Bureau of also negate the effect of cushioning and will subject the piston rod to impact
Shipping, ASME Pressure Vessel Code etc. The user, through its own loading. Those two (2) conditions can cause piston rod failure. Internal stroke
analysis and testing, is solely responsible for: adjusters are available with and without cushions. The use of external stroke
adjusters should be reviewed with our engineering department.
• Making the final selection of the cylinders and related accessories.
The piston rod to piston and the stud to piston rod threaded connections are
• Determining if the cylinders are required to meet specific design require- secured with an anaerobic adhesive. The strength of the adhesive decreases
ments as required by the Agency(s) or industry standards covering the with increasing temperature. Cylinders which can be exposed to tempera-
design of the user’s equipment. tures above +250°F (+121°C) are to be ordered with a non studded piston
• Assuring that the user’s requirements are met, OSHA requirements are rod and a pinned piston to rod joint.
met, and safety guidelines from the applicable agencies such as but not
limited to ANSI are followed and that the use presents no health or safety 2.3 Cushions – Cushions should be considered for cylinder applications
hazards. when the piston velocity is expected to be over 4 inches/second.
• Providing all appropriate health and safety warnings on the equipment on Cylinder cushions are normally designed to absorb the energy of a linear
which the cylinders are used. applied load. A rotating mass has considerably more energy than the same
mass moving in a linear mode. Cushioning for a rotating mass application
1.5 Additional Questions – Call the appropriate Company technical service should be reviewed by our engineering department.
department if you have any questions or require any additional information.
See the Company publication for the product being considered or used, or 2.4 Cylinder Mountings – Some cylinder mounting configurations may have
call 1-847-298-2400, or go to www.parker.com, for telephone numbers of the certain limitations such as but not limited to minimum stroke for side or foot
appropriate technical service department. mounting cylinders or pressure de-ratings for certain mounts. Carefully review
the catalog for these types of restrictions.
2.0 Cylinder and Accessories Selection Always mount cylinders using the largest possible high tensile alloy steel
2.1 Seals – Part of the process of selecting a cylinder is the selection of socket head cap screws that can fit in the cylinder mounting holes and torque
seal compounds. Before making this selection, consult the “seal information them to the manufacturer’s recommendations for their size.
page(s)” of the publication for the series of cylinders of interest.
2.5 Port Fittings – Hydraulic cylinders applied with meter out or decelera-
The application of cylinders may allow fluids such as cutting fluids, wash tion circuits are subject to intensified pressure at piston rod end.
down fluids etc. to come in contact with the external area of the cylinder.
These fluids may attack the piston rod wiper and or the primary seal and The rod end pressure is approximately equal to:
must be taken into account when selecting and specifying seal compounds. operating pressure x effective cap end area
Dynamic seals will wear. The rate of wear will depend on many operating effective rod end piston area
factors. Wear can be rapid if a cylinder is mis-aligned or if the cylinder has
been improperly serviced. The user must take seal wear into consideration in Contact your connector supplier for the pressure rating of individual
the application of cylinders. connectors.

2.2 Piston Rods – Possible consequences of piston rod failure or 3.0 Cylinder and Accessories Installation and Mounting
separation of the piston rod from the piston include, but are not limited to are: 3.1 Installation
• Piston rod and or attached load thrown off at high speed. 3.1.1 – Cleanliness is an important consideration, and cylinders are
• High velocity fluid discharge. shipped with the ports plugged to protect them from contaminants enter-
ing the ports. These plugs should not be removed until the piping is to
• Piston rod extending when pressure is applied in the piston
be installed. Before making the connection to the cylinder ports, piping
retract mode.
should be thoroughly cleaned to remove all chips or burrs which might
Piston rods or machine members attached to the piston rod may move have resulted from threading or flaring operations.
suddenly and without warning as a consequence of other conditions
occurring to the machine such as, but not limited to:
• Unexpected detachment of the machine member from the piston rod.
Cylinder Safety Guide
Service Bulletin 0800.01-T1
Page 2 of 2

3.1.2 – Cylinders operating in an environment where air drying materials Rod seal leakage could also be traced to gland wear. If clearance
are present such as fast-drying chemicals, paint, or weld splatter, or is excessive, replace rod bushing and seal. Rod seal leakage can
other hazardous conditions such as excessive heat, should have shields also be traced to seal deterioration. If seals are soft or gummy or
installed to prevent damage to the piston rod and piston rod seals. brittle, check compatibility of seal material with lubricant used if air
cylinder, or operating fluid if hydraulic cylinder. Replace with seal
3.1.3 – Proper alignment of the cylinder piston rod and its mating material, which is compatible with these fluids. If the seals are hard
component on the machine should be checked in both the extended and or have lost elasticity, it is usually due to exposure to temperatures
retracted positions. Improper alignment will result in excessive rod gland in excess of 165°F. (+74°C). Shield the cylinder from the heat
and/or cylinder bore wear. On fixed mounting cylinders attaching the pis- source to limit temperature to 350°F. (+177°C.) and replace with
ton rod while the rod is retracted will help in achieving proper alignment. fluorocarbon seals.
3.1.4 – Sometimes it may be necessary to rotate the piston rod in order 4.2.1.2 – Cylinder body seal leak can generally be traced to loose
to thread the piston rod into the machine member. This operation must tie rods. Torque the tie rods to manufacturer’s recommendation for
always be done with zero pressure being applied to either side of the that bore size.
piston. Failure to follow this procedure may result in loosening the piston
to rod-threaded connection. In some rare cases the turning of the piston Excessive pressure can also result in cylinder body seal leak.
rod may rotate a threaded piston rod gland and loosen it from the Determine maximum pressure to rated limits. Replace seals and
cylinder head. Confirm that this condition is not occurring. If it does, retorque tie rods as in paragraph above. Excessive pressure can
re-tighten the piston rod gland firmly against the cylinder head. also result in cylinder body seal leak. Determine if the pressure
rating of the cylinder has been exceeded. If so, bring the operating
For double rod cylinders it is also important that when attaching or pressure down to the rating of the cylinder and have the tie rods
detaching the piston rod from the machine member that the torque be replaced.
applied to the piston rod end of the cylinder that is directly attaching to
the machine member with the opposite end unrestrained. If the design Pinched or extruded cylinder body seal will also result in a leak.
of the machine is such that only the rod end of the cylinder opposite to Replace cylinder body seal and retorque as in paragraph above.
where the rod attaches to the machine member can be rotated, consult Cylinder body seal leakage due to loss of radial squeeze which
the factory for further instructions. shows up in the form of flat spots or due to wear on the O.D. or I.D.
3.2 Mounting Recommendations – Either of these are symptoms of normal wear due to high cycle
rate or length of service. Replace seals as per paragraph above.
3.2.1 – Always mount cylinders using the largest possible high tensile
alloy steel socket head screws that can fit in the cylinder mounting holes 4.2.2 – Internal Leakage
and torque them to the manufacturer’s recommendations for their size. 4.2.2.1 – Piston seal leak (by-pass) 1 to 3 cubic inches per minute
3.2.2 – Side-Mounted Cylinders – In addition to the mounting bolts, leakage is considered normal for piston ring construction. Virtually
cylinders of this type should be equipped with thrust keys or dowel pins no static leak with lipseal type seals on piston should be expected.
located so as to resist the major load. Piston seal wear is a usual cause of piston seal leakage. Replace
seals as required.
3.2.3 – Tie Rod Mounting – Cylinders with tie rod mountings are recom-
mended for applications where mounting space is limited. The standard 4.2.2.2 – With lipseal type piston seals excessive back pressure
tie rod extension is shown as BB in dimension tables. Longer or shorter due to over-adjustment of speed control valves could be a direct
extensions can be supplied. Nuts used for this mounting style should be cause of rapid seal wear. Contamination in a hydraulic system
torqued to the same value as the tie rods for that bore size. can result in a scored cylinder bore, resulting in rapid seal wear. In
either case, replace piston seals as required.
3.2.4 – Flange Mount Cylinders – The controlled diameter of the rod
gland extension on head end flange mount cylinders can be used 4.2.2.3 – What appears to be piston seal leak, evidenced by the
as a pilot to locate the cylinders in relation to the machine. After align- fact that the cylinder drifts, is not always traceable to the piston. To
ment has been obtained, the flanges may be drilled for pins or dowels to make sure, it is suggested that one side of the cylinder piston be
prevent shifting. pressurized and the fluid line at the opposite port be disconnected.
Observe leakage. If none is evident, seek the cause of cylinder drift
3.2.5 – Trunnion Mountings – Cylinders require lubricated bearing blocks in other component parts in the circuit.
with minimum bearing clearances. Bearing blocks should be carefully
aligned and rigidly mounted so the trunnions will not be subjected to 4.2.3 – Cylinder Fails to Move the Load
bending moments. The rod end should also be pivoted with the pivot pin 4.2.3.1 – Pneumatic or hydraulic pressure is too low. Check the
in line and parallel to axis of the trunnion pins. pressure at the cylinder to make sure it is to circuit requirements.
3.2.6 – Clevis Mountings – Cylinders should be pivoted at both ends 4.2.3.2 – Piston Seal Leak – Operate the valve to cycle the cylinder
with centerline of pins parallel to each other. After cylinder is mounted, and observe fluid flow at valve exhaust ports at end of cylinder
be sure to check to assure that the cylinder is free to swing through its stroke. Replace piston seals if flow is excessive.
working arc without interference from other machine parts.
4.2.3.3 – Cylinder is undersized for the load – Replace cylinder with
4.0 Cylinder and Accessories Maintenance, Troubleshooting one of a larger bore size.
and Replacement
4.3 Erratic or Chatter Operation
4.1 Storage – At times cylinders are delivered before a customer is ready to
install them and must be stored for a period of time. When storage is required 4.3.1 – Excessive friction at rod gland or piston bearing due to load
the following procedures are recommended. misalignment – Correct cylinder-to-load alignment.
4.1.1 – Store the cylinders in an indoor area which has a dry, clean and 4.3.2 – Cylinder sized too close to load requirements – Reduce load or
noncorrosive atmosphere. Take care to protect the cylinder from both install larger cylinder.
internal corrosion and external damage. 4.3.3 – Erratic operation could be traced to the difference between static
4.1.2 – Whenever possible cylinders should be stored in a vertical posi- and kinetic friction. Install speed control valves to provide a back pres-
tion (piston rod up). This will minimize corrosion due to possible conden- sure to control the stroke.
sation which could occur inside the cylinder. This will also minimize seal 4.4 Cylinder Modifications, Repairs, or Failed Component – Cylinders
damage. as shipped from the factory are not to be disassembled and or modified.
4.1.3 – Port protector plugs should be left in the cylinder until the time of If cylinders require modifications, these modifications must be done at
installation. company locations or by the Company’s certified facilities. The Industrial
4.1.4 – If a cylinder is stored full of hydraulic fluid, expansion of the fluid Cylinder Division Engineering Department must be notified in the event of
due to temperature changes must be considered. Installing a check a mechanical fracture or permanent deformation of any cylinder component
valve with free flow out of the cylinder is one method. (excluding seals). This includes a broken piston rod, tie rod, mounting acces-
sory or any other cylinder component. The notification should include all
4.1.5 – When cylinders are mounted on equipment that is stored outside operation and application details. This information will be used to provide an
for extended periods, exposed unpainted surfaces, e.g. piston rod, must engineered repair that will prevent recurrence of the failure.
be coated with a rust-inhibiting compound to prevent corrosion. It is allowed to disassemble cylinders for the purpose of replacing seals or
seal assemblies. However, this work must be done by strictly following all the
4.2 Cylinder Trouble Shooting instructions provided with the seal kits.
4.2.1 – External Leakage
4.2.1.1 – Rod seal leakage can generally be traced to worn or
damaged seals. Examine the piston rod for dents, gouges or score
marks, and replace piston rod if surface is rough.

Parker Hannifin Corporation Parker Hannifin Corporation

Industrial Cylinder Division Motion and Control Division
500 South Wolf Road 160 Chisholm Drive
Des Plaines, IL 60016 Milton, Ontario
(847) 298-2400 Canada L9T 3G9
www.parker.com/cylinder (905) 693-3000