The load and speed of the cylinder are key factors in determining the buffer stroke. When the cylinder load is large, the moving parts have greater inertia force, and a larger buffer distance is required during the stopping process to consume this energy and avoid violent impact. For example, in the pneumatic system of heavy machinery, the load of the cylinder carrying heavy objects may reach several tons, and its buffer stroke design must fully consider this high load situation. As for speed, a higher operating speed means that the moving parts have more kinetic energy in the same time, and a correspondingly longer buffer stroke is required to achieve smooth deceleration.
In order to reasonably determine the buffer stroke, the energy of the cylinder load movement must be calculated first. According to the kinetic energy formula $E_k=\frac{1}{2}mv^2$ (where $m$ is the load mass and $v$ is the speed), the kinetic energy of the load can be obtained. At the same time, considering the work done by other forces such as friction and gravity that the load may be subjected to during the deceleration process, the total energy that needs to be consumed by the cylinder buffer sleeve is comprehensively calculated. This step provides the energy data basis for the subsequent determination of the buffer stroke.
There is a specific relationship between the buffer force generated by the cylinder buffer sleeve during operation and the buffer stroke. Generally speaking, the buffer force gradually increases with the increase of the buffer stroke, but it is not a linear relationship. At the beginning of the buffer stroke, the buffer force is small. As the stroke advances, the buffer medium (such as rubber, hydraulic oil, etc.) is compressed to a greater extent, and the buffer force rises rapidly. By testing and analyzing the mechanical properties of the cylinder buffer sleeve, the buffer force-buffer stroke curve can be obtained.
According to the calculated total energy and the buffer force-buffer stroke curve, the appropriate buffer stroke can be determined. The cylinder buffer sleeve can effectively absorb and transform the kinetic energy and other energy of the load within the stroke, and the buffer force will not exceed the bearing limit of the cylinder and related mechanical structures. For example, if the calculated total energy is $E$, and the buffer force-buffer stroke curve is $F(x)$ (where $x$ is the buffer stroke), the value of the buffer stroke $x$ is determined by solving the integral equation $\int_{0}^{x}F(x)dx = E$.
In practical applications, the buffer stroke needs to be corrected considering the complexity of the working conditions. For example, changes in the working environment temperature may affect the performance of the buffer medium, thereby changing the buffer force characteristics; different installation angles of the cylinder will cause the load gravity component to have different effects on the buffer process. Therefore, the buffer stroke initially determined should be appropriately adjusted according to factors such as the temperature range and installation conditions of the actual working conditions.
After the design is completed, actual testing must be carried out. The rationality of the buffer stroke design is evaluated by monitoring parameters such as speed, acceleration, and buffer force during the operation of the cylinder. If the buffer effect is not good, such as excessive impact or long buffer time, the buffer stroke needs to be optimized and adjusted, recalculated and tested until the ideal buffer effect is achieved.
Finally, the impact of the buffer stroke design on the long-term reliability of the cylinder buffer sleeve should be considered. An excessively long buffer stroke may cause excessive wear or fatigue damage to the cylinder buffer sleeve, while an excessively short stroke cannot achieve good buffering, affecting the service life of the entire cylinder system. Therefore, when determining the buffer stroke, it is necessary to comprehensively weigh the buffer effect and long-term reliability to ensure that the cylinder operates stably throughout its service life.
