Hydraulic Cylinders — Specialty / Test Cylinders

Specialty cylinders are offered by Hänchen. Hänchen has renown for top quality hydraulic cylinders for many years:

Hänchen is a supplier and hydraulic cylinder manufacturer for various applications including construction, mechanical, technological, and industrial.

What are Test Cylinders? 

Test cylinders are used extensively in the testing sector and can be used for checking the functional safety of systems, component parts or products, for structural testing of airplanes, refrigeration compressors, automobile exhaust systems, or for simulating loads and movements, such as operational profiles and flight profiles.

Advantages

How are Test Cylinders Used?

Automotive

Servo hydraulic lifecycle tests are the current industry standard for automobile components that are used far beyond safety-related structural elements. Users can depend on hydraulic test actuators for high positioning accuracy and reliability in applications for test systems and real time control. A test cylinder with a dynamic lift of up to 35 mm (1.3 in.), speed of 1.3 m/s (51.2 in/s), and acceleration of up to 50 m/s (1968.5 in/s) could be used for a test load requiring up to 28 kN (6,294 lbf) and a frequency up to 20 Hz.

Aerospace

System tests that simulate loads and environmental conditions in different flight phases are particularly demanding. To test the landing flaps and slats, servo hydraulic cylinders could be used here to replicate the airflow that involves rapidly changing forces with irregular parameters. For example, a servo cylinder with a bore between 40 to 160 mm (1.5 to 6.2 in.) could be used for a test stand with a holding force between 140 – 300 kN (31.4 to 67.4 lbf) and a stroke requirement of 300 to 1,670 mm (11.8 to 65.7 in.). 

Fluid Power

To determine the characteristic values of a seal, seal test benches are suitable for simulating a wide range of operating conditions. Double rod cylinders could be used here for fatigue tests focused on examining the frictional force of the seals, tightness on rods and shafts. 

Choosing a Testing Cylinder

Dynamic Movement

First, determine if the cylinder will be used in highly dynamic applications, such as torque/torsion testing of axial loads and other drive line components. If so, seal protection is important to have, along with a servo valve that can be mounted to the actuator to offer more control to the device. It is important to know the application including the speed, pressure, loads, and any forces acting on the cylinder. 

Frequency

What frequency will your cylinder require? Industrial applications and dynamic testing typically have higher frequency ranges, with some frequencies greater than 100 Hz.

Seals

It’s important to pay attention to the conditions your cylinder will be in. Conducting tests in conditions like salt spray fog, in climate chambers, or in a lab require individualized protection. Seal factors to pay attention to include temperature ranges, types of movement (simple, sensitive, controlled), outdoor stress, stick resistance, and type of medium, etc. 

Load Holding

If loads need to be held in position for extended times, a rod lock can be included which allows a load to be held in a precise position and without power/pressure being applied.