Clamping cylinders hold or clamp a workpiece either directly using a pneumatically operated clamping element or using kinematics. The clamping element is swivelled out of the working area when it is inactive. They can realise very high holding forces with low energy input thanks to kinematics. At Festo, we differentiate between clamping modules, linear/swivel clamps and hinge cylinders.
In welding and clamping processes, confirmation signals protect quality and safety. Add cylinder sensors as pneumatic actuator limit switches. These cylinder end position sensors, often used as limit switches for pneumatic cylinders, detect the piston magnet—typically via a reed switch for pneumatic cylinder—and report the clamp position clearly. They act as pneumatic cylinder end-of-stroke sensors and a dependable cylinder limit switch for sequencing.