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Rodless Air Cylinder

Rodless Air cylinder

In the world of industrial automation and motion control, space is often at a premium. That's where the pneumatic rodless cylinder comes into play — a compact, efficient alternative to traditional rod-type cylinder actuator type.

With the increasing demand for compact automation equipment, high efficiency, and long-stroke motion control, the rodless air cylinder has become a key solution in modern industrial systems.


The structure of a rodless cylinder is quite different from that of a typical pneumatic actuator. It uses an internal slider to drive the load, replacing the extension and retraction of a piston rod. In addition, the slider operates under multiple guide rails and supports, giving the rodless cylinder a very smooth motion, which greatly reduces issues such as torque and deflection that are often encountered with piston rods in other cylinders.


Rodless cylinder offers space-saving advantages, provides symmetrical force in both push and pull directions, and ensures stable response and output precision. As a result, rodless pneumatic cylinder is widely used in applications such as load-driving automation, material handling, and gripping systems.



What is a rodless air cylinder?


Rodless air cylinder is a kind of linear motion pneumatic cylinder type without the need for external piston rods. Samely,the internal piston moves in the direction of the cylinder through changes in air pressure inside the cylinder,eapecially practical for modern industrial automation and manufacturing systems that require long travel distances


This allows the external carriage to move synchronously with the piston, enabling long strokes and a much more compact footprint than rod-type cylinders.


Rodless cylinders are especially suitable for applications requiring:


(1)Long travel distances

(2)Space-saving layouts

(3)Smooth and stable motion

(4)Low bending, no rod deflection

(5)Symmetrical force output


Rodless air cylinder

Key Characteristics of Rodless Cylinders


When selecting a rodless cylinder, it is important to consider parameters such as temperature, pressure, speed, and load capacity. Typical characteristics include:


No External Piston Rod


The piston rod does not protrude from the cylinder, reducing total installation length and improving safety.


 Space-Saving Structure


The overall installation size is small, and the axial space is small, which saves about 44% of the axial space than the standard regular cylinders.


 Suitable for Ultra-Long Strokes


Magnetic coupling rodless cylinders can achieve very long travels with stable and consistent performance.



 The magnetic coupling type has a small shape and has mounting threads and nuts at both ends, which can be directly installed on the equipment.


 The magnetic coupling rodless cylinder has a relatively small load and is suitable for loading small workpieces or manipulators to move.


The use of rodless pneumatic cylinder requires consideration of its structural characteristics and mechanism of action in order to better leverage its advantages and functions.



Advantages of using rodless air cylinder


Space saving design:The most worth talking advantage is that without an external piston rod, rodless air actuator provides a more compact and streamlined form, allowing for long strokes even in limited spaces


Reduce bending and improve stability:Another advantage of rodless cylinders is that the slider or slide rail runs along the guide rail or through magnetic or mechanical coupling mechanisms, providing better lateral stability compared to rod cylinders.


Cleaner operation and easier maintenance:The cleaning and maintenance of cylinders are crucial for their sustainable use. Since the external slider or magnetic coupling sleeve of a rodless cylinder is relatively enclosed and has a smooth overall profile, wiping and cleaning it is much easier compared to the piston rod structure,however, cleaning the internal sealing system and performing maintenance are more challenging.



Types of rodless air cylinder


Fescolo specializes in providing the following four types of rodless pneumatic cylinder actuator, which have different structures and characteristics and have their own application industries.


CY1B Series:Suitable for light-duty pushing, simple slide tables, and space-saving conveyor lines; ideal for low load, low precision, and non-side-load linear transfer applications.


CY1R Series:Equipped with a direct mounting base, offering improved guidance without a slider rail; suitable for space-limited environments that require quick installation.


CY1S Series:Fitted with a slide bearing guide, with relatively high friction; suitable for medium-load transfer, jig actuation, and conveying mechanisms.


CY1L Series:Equipped with a ball bushing bearing guide structure, offering high positioning accuracy; suitable for automated assembly lines, robotic sliders, and applications requiring repeated precision positioning.


types of rodless air cylinder



Rodless air cylinder how does it work ?


The working principle of a cylinder without rod relies on the piston rod to transmit force, while a rodless cylinder transmits force through a magnetic coupling mechanism that connects an external load bearing slider and an internal piston.We take the mechanically coupledrodless cylinder as an example. Learn the specific working mode of rodless cylinder.


Construction of Rodless pneumatic Cylinder

A cylinder barrel

An internal piston

A slider that moves along the cylinder

A magnetic coupling mechanism 

End caps and air ports

Sealing ring


rodless air cylinder working principle

Working Principle Of Rodless pneumatic Cylinder

Whether with or without rods, the prerequisite for rodless cylinder operation is to maintain the sealing state of the cylinder, maintain air pressure, and prevent pollutants from entering.Here are its four working steps.


Internal piston movement


Carriage Movement


External transportation


Mobile carriage



The rodless design can help users consider application industries with limited space more, as long travel and stability can greatly improve the efficiency of application industries.



Rodless air Cylinder vs Rod-Type



Rod Type Cylinder: It pushes the load through the piston rod, with a simple structure but high rigidity and strong guidance, suitable for working conditions with high requirements for repeatability and stability. The total length is equal to the stroke+cylinder length+piston rod length, occupying a large amount of space.


Rodless air Cylinder: No piston rod, requires additional guide rails or slider support, slightly lower accuracy. The piston operated by compressed air to drive the external connecting slider to move, and the entire load runs on the side cylinder with a long stroke. The stroke is basically the same as the length of the cylinder body, saving installation space and making it very suitable for automated equipment with limited space.



Rodless air slide.jpg


Rodless air cylinder applications


Pneumatic rodless actuator is not affected by rod overhang, bending, piston binding and uneven seal wear, rodless cylinders are ideal for applications in confined areas and long strokes where space is limited.


◆ Horizontal or vertical handling

◆ Linear sliding table drive

◆ Paper box push/docking

◆ PCB board handling

◆ Drug packaging/sorting equipment

◆ Car door/window testing platform



Quality Assurance


Every rodless cylinder from Fescolo is manufactured in strict accordance with international quality management standards. Each unit undergoes multiple quality inspections and performance tests to ensure stable, precise, and durable operation even under demanding conditions such as high-speed motion, heavy loads, and frequent start-stop cycles. 


Fescolo adhere to the philosophy of “quality first, precision manufacturing,” and are committed to providing customers with pneumatic rodless cylinder that offer longer service life and higher operational efficiency, helping to ensure reliable system performance and reduce maintenance costs.



Service Commitment


Fescolo is a indusrial rodless pneumatic cylinder actuator manufacturer who supplies comprehensive, one-on-one technical and service support throughout the entire process:Include pre-sale application consultation and in-sale installation guidance to after-sales maintenance and troubleshooting.


We offer customized designs and fast turnaround services to help customers accelerate project progress, enhance system compatibility, and boost production efficiency, ensuring a perfect match between product and application.


If you're interested in rodless cylinder or require more pneumatic products information, please visit our pneumatic cylinder catalogue or contact us for The latest product prices and the most complete product catalog.

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