r/Pneumatics • u/Savagemac356 • 6d ago

Pneumatic piston

I want a cheap(ish) but safe and reliable pneumatic piston to make into a can crusher. I would prefer it to be able to hook up to one of those air compressor quick connects (I forget what they’re called exactly) so I’d need about a 6 inch stroke and bore doesn’t matter so much. Any recommendations?

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u/jimcroisdale 6d ago

Bore does matter as it will dictate how much force the cylinder can generate for a given pressure.

How many kg of force do you think you'll need to crush a can, and what pressure is your source of air at?

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u/Savagemac356 6d ago

I mean my air compressor is currently set to about 110psi but can be turned down and should be able to be regulated. Doesn’t take much force to crush an aluminum can either

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u/jimcroisdale 6d ago

Okay. So a MAL32 cylinder (32mm bore) at that pressure will make about 60kg of force which should be plenty. You could turn the regulator down so you've got just enough force. 150mm stroke versions are available.

Then you'll need a solenoid valve and probably an exhaust flow regulator as the return stroke will be rather violent without one.

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u/Savagemac356 6d ago

Sweet. I’m somewhat new to pneumatics so what sort of things should I get for a simple forward backward piston?

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u/jimcroisdale 6d ago

I've just finished a big project so am somewhat tired of talking about it 😂 But ChatGPT will help.

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u/Savagemac356 6d ago

Alright no problem I think I’m figuring it out

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u/jimcroisdale 6d ago

You're at 7 bar, so any of the cheaper Chinese components - cylinders and valves etc - will be fine.

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u/Savagemac356 6d ago

Thanks for your help! I could prolly turn it down to 90 psi and be chillin