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SMC Ups Pneumatic Offerings With CXS2 Series of Dual Rod Cylinders

April 13, 2023 by Shawn Dietrich

SMC has added to its CXS product family with the CXS2 series of pneumatic actuators. The new series of dual rod cylinders is faster and has a higher kinetic energy capacity than SMC's previous offerings.

SMC Corporation of America is a well-known, worldwide name in the world of pneumatic components. SMC manufactures various products, from pneumatic cylinder actuators, vacuum generators, and directional control valves, to sensors. Adding to its offerings, SMC has unveiled its CXS2 series of dual rod cylinders with six different bore sizes.

 

SMC's CXS2 series of dual rod pneumatic cylinder actuators

SMC's CXS2 series of dual rod pneumatic cylinder actuators. Image used courtesy of SMC

 

Dual Rod Cylinder

Pneumatic components are essential to most automation equipment, with pneumatic cylinders providing a cost-effective solution to motion or clamping applications. Most pneumatic actuators on the factory floor will have a single rod that moves tooling or components within the work cell. Not all pneumatic actuators are created equally. There are many different kinds, from single rods, to rodless to dual rods.

With a single rod, the mounting face can and will rotate under normal use. Clamping or locating applications need to be accurate, so having an actuator that doesn’t rotate is very important. A dual rod cylinder has two smaller rods that are connected together so that they work in parallel. One of the benefits of dual-rod construction is reduced rotation of the mounting face. With two rods, the mounting face cannot rotate.

 

The CXS2's non-rotating accuracy of +- 0.1° keeps any tooling or feature mounted to the actuator from rotating

The CXS2's non-rotating accuracy of +- 0.1° keeps any tooling or feature mounted to the actuator from rotating. Image used courtesy of SMC

 

CXS2 Series

The CXS2 has a non-rotating accuracy of +- 0.1°, so any tooling or feature mounted to the actuator will not rotate. Each rod has its own bearing housing of either ball bushing or slide bearings. This makes for a smooth motion between retracted and advanced.

Each CXS2 model is also equipped with a stroke adjustable stop. The stop can be adjusted up to 5 mm. The mounting face has mounting features on three faces, and the body of the actuator can be mounted in four different configurations. Having multiple options for mounting tooling or the actuator itself allows for many different designs.

There are three different stroke lengths at three different bore sizes.

  • A 6 mm bore has a 10-100 mm stroke
  • A 10 mm bore has a 10-150 mm stroke
  • A 16 to 32 mm bore has a 10-200 mm stroke

The body of the CXS2 also has mounting features for the SMC Auto Switches that detect a fully retracted or extended actuator. Piping ports are possible in two directions on the side or from the back of the actuator. The new CXS2 allows for higher kinetic energy of up to 0.16 J, which is seven times higher compared to a similar CXS product. The maximum speed has also increased from 300 mm/s with previous models up to 800 mm/s with the latest CXS2 model.

 

SMC CXS2 fit for applications that require accurate positioning or non-rotating movements

The CXS2 is fit for use in applications that require accurate positioning or non-rotating movements from the actuator. Image used courtesy of SMC

 

Actuators In Automation

There are a few different ways to move or clamp components within automated equipment. Actuators can be electrical, servo driven, or pneumatic. Out of all the options, pneumatic is the most cost-effective and easiest to control. Pneumatic actuators can be controlled with as few as one discrete output and one directional control valve.

The dual rod design of the CXS2 works great for applications that require accurate positioning or non-rotating movements from the actuator. A real-world application would be locating a component when placed in a nest or pushing a part to a pick location. A dual-rod actuator can be used in many applications, and with the CXS2’s mounting features, it won’t be difficult to include this cylinder in your designs.