The high pressure networks of 12 bar in the plants are used to generate high forces with standard pneumatic cylinders s. a. in welding application. Especially with a view to energy efficiency, high pressure networks are met with criticism, as the costs of the preparation of compressed air rise exponentially with the pressure.

If, for the reasons given, high pressure networks are to be dispensed with, the only alternatives for this power source are hydraulic, pneumohydraulic or multi-force cylinders.

As to multi-force cylinders, the force applied by the cylinder in the working area of 4 – 10 mm is mechanically intensified by the factor 8 via a toggle-joint wedge system. Arithmetically the cylinder diameter can therefore reduced by 60 % with the end force remaining the same. For comparison: an increase of pressure from 6 to 12 bar only results in a reduction of the diameter by 30 %!

Example for cylinders of the same power:
1. Conventional cylinder (6 bar) -> 140 mm diameter
2. High-pressure cylinder (12 bar) -> 100 mm diameter
3. Multi-force cylinder (6 bar) -> 50 mm diameter

These examples show that the use of multi-force cylinders also contributes to a more efficient use of the valuable energy compressed air in body-in-white production.

Please refer to the attachment for technical details and some implemented current application examples. 

Multi-force cylinder [PDF 240 KB]