Force

Section:
Basics
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The amount of force a hydraulic cylinder can generate is equal to the hydraulic pressure times the “effective area” of the cylinder.

Force (F) = Hydraulic Working Pressure (P) x Cylinder Effective Area (A)

Example 1:

An RC106 cylinder with 2.24 in2 effective area is operating at 8,000 psi. What force is being generated? Force = 8,000 psi x 2.24 in2 = 17,920 lbs

Example 2:

An RC106 cylinder has to lift 14,000 lbs of force. What pressure is required? Pressure = 14,000 lbs ÷ 2.24 in2 = 6,250 psi

Example 3:

An RC256 cylinder with 5.15 in2 effective area is required to produce a force of 41,000 lbs. What pressure is required? Pressure = 41,000 lbs ÷ 5.15 in2 = 7,961 psi

Example 4:

Four RC308 cylinders each with 6.49 in2 effective area are required to produce a force of 180,000 lbs. What pressure is required? Pressure = 180,000 lbs ÷ (4 x 6.49 in2) = 6,933 psi (Remember, since four cylinders are used together, the area for one cylinder must be multiplied by the number of cylinders used).