Pneumatic cylinders are workhorses in industrial automation, but premature failures cost manufacturers thousands in downtime and replacement costs. Here's what's really causing the problem and how to fix it.

Pneumatic cylinders fail prematurely most often due to poor air quality, moisture contamination, improper lubrication, and mis-specification for the operating environment rather than defects in the cylinder itself.

Why This Happens in Real Plants

• Moisture enters compressed air lines through condensation

• Inadequate air drying and filtration

• Temperature swings cause internal corrosion

• Seals degrade faster than expected

What Most People Get Wrong
Most teams replace the cylinder repeatedly without addressing upstream air quality issues, which guarantees the same failure cycle.

What Actually Works

• Proper air dryers

• Multi-stage filtration

• Seal material matched to environment

• Reviewing duty cycle and side loading

When to Involve a Partner
If failures persist after air quality is corrected, the actuator is usually mis-specified, and application review is required. Common mis-specifications include incorrect bore size, inadequate stroke length, or improper mounting configuration.

Experiencing repeat cylinder failures?
Our team can review your air quality and application specs to identify the root cause.