Custom-Built Hydraulic Rams

The desired cylinder bore size and piston rod diameter is calculated from information supplied by the customer. The ram is then designed to meet the customers’ requirements of stroke length, closed centre length, and mounting style.

We retain stocks of piston rod and cylinder tube materials, also standard ram mounts and internal components. This allows us to produce custom-built rams quickly.

Bore sizes from 40mm to 300mm are available from our standard range. Larger sizes are available as custom-designed rams.

Our hydraulic rams are available in the following generic types (see below):

Single-acting hydraulic rams

Single-acting rams can exert force in only one direction. Under the influence of hydraulic pressure, the piston rod of a single-acting ram will either extend or retract.

The diagram shows a typical ‘out stroking’ single-acting ram. Pumping fluid under pressure into port A (full bore) will extend the piston rod. The force exerted will depend on the cylinder bore diameter and the fluid pressure. The piston rod can only be retracted by the influence of some external force (usually the weight of the load or the machine itself).

‘In stroking’ single-acting rams are similar to the double-acting ram except that fluid is supplied to the annulus port only. The force exerted is dependent on the cylinder bore diameter, the piston rod diameter and the fluid pressure.

Single-acting rams generally only have one service port. The non-pressure side of the cylinder must be vented to allow air to pass in and out as the piston moves. In arduous conditions, single-acting rams can tend to suffer from rusting or pitting of the bore as moist air passes in and out of the non-pressure side of the cylinder.

High pressure shear hydraulic rams

Our design capability allows us to produce special rams to suit an exact special requirement of load stroke length or mounting style.

This example was produced for a high-pressure heavy-duty application on a metal shearing machine.