Rodless Cylinders

Festo Rodless Cylinders

Festo Rodless Cylinders are engineered for applications requiring long travel, compact installation, and efficient linear motion. Unlike traditional piston-rod cylinders, rodless cylinders transmit force through an internal piston to an external slide or carriage, eliminating rod extension and drastically reducing required installation space.

This makes them especially suitable for multi-axis gantries, high-speed automation lines, pick-and-place systems, and long-stroke industrial machinery.

⭐ Important: Rodless cylinders offer extremely long stroke capability, shorter overall length, and direct load mounting, making them the ideal solution when machine space is limited or when long linear travel is required.

Design & Functionality

• Rodless cylinders move a slide/carriage externally while the piston travels inside the cylinder profile.
• The design reduces machine footprint and enables installation in very tight spaces.
• They are available in two core technologies:
  • Mechanically coupled cylinders — slide connected to piston through a slot and sealing band.
  • Magnetically coupled cylinders — contactless force transfer with fully sealed housing.
• They feature integrated mounting slots for sensors, brakes, guide units and accessories.
• With optimized seals and guidance systems, they deliver long service life even under high cycle rates.

⭐ Important: Rodless cylinders enable direct load mounting, eliminating the need for external guiding components in many applications.

Total Crossed Beams

(Concept adapted: complete stroke coverage and carriage guidance)

• Full usable stroke without external rod extension.
• The piston-carriage linkage ensures stable and accurate motion throughout the entire length.
• Allows long-distance movement with minimal deflection or bending.

Beam Pitch Options

(Translated as: variations in bore sizes, stroke lengths, and guide variants)

• Wide range of bore diameters: typically 8 mm up to 63 mm or higher, depending on model.
• Stroke lengths range from 100 mm to several metres.
• Guide options include:
  • Plain bearing slide
  • Ball-bearing guide
  • Heavy-duty reinforced guide units
• Multiple carriage versions available for different load capacities and speed requirements.

⭐ Important: The wide selection of bore sizes, guides, and strokes ensures the cylinder fits light-duty long-travel movement as well as heavy-load industrial systems.

Intrinsic Synchronism

• Internal coupling (mechanical or magnetic) keeps the slide and piston perfectly synchronized.
• Eliminates the need for external alignment devices.
• Ensures high repeatability and consistent, smooth linear movement—ideal for multi-axis automation.

Operational Advantages

• Space-saving design with much shorter installation length.
• Extra-long strokes supporting multi-metre travel.
• Smooth, precise motion due to low-friction construction.
• Flexible integration through standardized mounting slots.
• High reliability with robust sealing and guiding systems.
• Applications: Gantry robots, pick-and-place systems, conveyors, packaging machinery, material handling units, and automation lines requiring extended linear travel.