KEVOS® MAKEOS · Hydraulics
Hydraulic Cylinder Force and Speed
What ideal force and stroke time follow from pressure and flow?
Calculate double-acting cylinder forces with return pressure, plus ideal extension and retraction times.
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How this tool works
Inputs, units and where to find them
| Input | Unit | Typical source |
|---|---|---|
| Bore diameter | mm | Cylinder drawing or manufacturer datasheet. |
| Rod diameter | mm | Rod diameter at the working piston. |
| Supply pressure | bar gauge | Pressure at the active cylinder port under load. |
| Return pressure | bar gauge | Opposing-port pressure under the relevant return flow. |
| Inlet flow | L/min | Actual flow delivered to the active chamber. |
| Stroke | mm | Travel between the analysed positions. |
Method and formulas
- Piston area A = π × bore² / 4; annular area B = π × (bore² − rod²) / 4.
- Extension force (N) = 0.1 × (supply bar × A − return bar × B). Retraction uses 0.1 × (supply × B − return × A).
- Speed (mm/s) = inlet flow × 10⁶ / (60 × active area). Time (s) = stroke / speed.
- For 50/25 mm, 100/5 bar and 10 L/min, extension force is about 18.899 kN and extension time is 1.1781 s over 100 mm.
Limitations
- Theoretical port forces only; seal friction, leakage, acceleration and pressure losses are excluded.
- No rod buckling, mounting, load holding or pressure-rating check. Regenerative circuits need a different model.
- Example values are illustrations. Replace them with values for your actual task.
Typical uses
- cylinder force
- hydraulic ram
- stroke time
Who it is for
- Hydraulic engineers
- Maintenance teams
What you get
- Ideal extension force
- Ideal retraction force
- Extension speed
- Retraction speed
- Extension time
- Retraction time
Interpreting the result
- Use measured port pressures and verify return-flow capacity and load control.
References
- Machinery’s Handbook, 29th edition (Industrial Press, 2012), printed pp. 365–368; CD pp. 3416–3420. Topic reference; no source tables or recommended settings are reproduced.
- Parker: Basic Hydraulic Formulas — https://www.parker.com/content/dam/Parker-com/Literature/Accumulator---Cooler-Division---Americas/Catalogs---Bulletins/GAD-HY10-1630-5-2012/ACD_CoolerCatalog_HY10_1700.pdf
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