What is the task of pneumatic end position cushioning and how does it work?
Kinetic energy is calculated as the product of mass and speed (J = 0.5 m x v²). A cylinder in end position must be capable of transforming this energy without incurring damage. The mass that a cylinder needs to be able to move cannot usually be influenced. An attempt is therefore made to keep the speed at the end position as low as possible. Depending on the cylinder diameter, the exhaust air is blocked off in the last few centimetres of the stroke and is only released via a flow control point (with adjustable flow control). This causes a significantly higher back pressure to be built up for a short time, counteracting the movement The speed of the cylinder is greatly reduced within a short space of time and, if the end position cushioning is set correctly, the residual kinetic energy remains below the maximum permissible limit. Cylinders with pneumatic end position cushioning are indicated by the letters PPV in their type designation.
