203-846-2021
sales@airpot.com
35 Lois Street, Norwalk, CT 06851
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TRC ISO
  • Home
  • Company
    • About
    • Blog
    • Quality
  • Product Lines
    • Low Friction Air Cylinders
    • Dashpots and Shock Absorbers
    • Piston Cylinder Sets
    • Airpel – FFR (Filter-Filter Regulator)
    • GramForce® Grippers
    • Position Sensors
  • Applications
    • Damp Motion
    • Actuate with Air or Vacuum
    • Piston Position Sensing
    • Apply a Precision Force
    • Pump or Pulse Air
    • Sense / Indicate / Relieve Pressure
    • Make Your Own Low Friction Device
    • Filter & Regulate Air Supply
    • Ventilators
  • Support
    • Terms Of Sale
    • Engineering Guides
    • Videos
    • FAQs
    • Decipher Part Number
  • Contact
    • Airpot
    • Distributors
Home / Applications / Apply a Precision Force
  • Low Friction Air Cylinders
    • Airpel
    • Airpel Plus
    • Airpel-AB
    • Compact Actuators
  • Dashpots and Shock Absorbers
    • Airpot Air Dashpots
    • Snubbers (Pneumatic Shock Absorbers)
  • Piston Cylinder Sets
    • Stock
    • Custom
  • Airpel – FFR (Filter-Filter Regulator)
    • Compact Systems
    • High Flow Systems
  • GramForce® Grippers
    • Sensor Ready Gripper
    • Sensors for Grippers
  • Position Sensors

APPLY A PRECISION FORCE

Airpot Corp. manufactures four basic families of pneumatic actuators (as shown below). All employ our unique combination of a Pyrex® glass cylinder and either a graphite or specially shaped stainless steel piston and have outstanding performance properties with respect to friction, cleanliness, and temperature range. The major differences are in the level of friction, actuation direction capabilities, outer construction, mounting features, and dimensions. The air cylinder force control and other performance properties of each product family are vastly superior to those of conventional cylinders. The chart below offers a quick comparison of our four basic designs.

Click on the product line below to learn more about that product and link to its model selector and specification details.

  • Airpot Self Aligning Actuator
  • Airpel
  • Airpel Plus
  • Airpel –AB Air Bearing Cylinders

AIRPEL AND AIRPOT ACTUATOR COMPARISON

Airpel Plus
Airpel
Airpel-AB
Compact Actuators
Double Acting
Available?
No (Air Extend Only) Yes No (Air Extend Only) No (Air Extend Only)
Friction Very Low

(0.5% of Load MAX)
Low

(2% of Load Typical)
Zero

(Small Friction in Rod Joints)
Low

(1-2% of Load Typical)
Output Force 0.04 N to 1086 N

0.008 lbf to 244 lbf
0.24 N to 573 N

0.053 lbf to 128.8 lbf
2 N to 581 N

0.45 lbf to 130.6 lbf
0.03 N to 1070 N

0.008 lbf to 240.5 lbf
Best Applications Z-Axis
Counterbalancing

Dancer Arm Tensioning
Back and Forth
Movement

Spring Return Needed
Clean Rooms

Matched with Air
Bearing Slide
Very Low
Supply Pressure

Tight Spaces
Limitations Straight-Line
Motion Only

Load Must be Guided
Not Suitable for
Counterbalancing

Not Suitable for
Dancer Arm Tensioning
Straight-Line
Motion Only

Higher Minimum
Pressures
Less Rugged

Load Must be Guided

WHY USE THEM?

APPLY A PRECISE FORCE

  • Provide a precise, repeatable motive or counterbalancing force
  • Apply a gentle or precise holding or squeezing force (as low as a few grams)

ACTUATION WITH UNIFORM MOTION

  • Move something slowly and smoothly-even over distances less than 0.1 inch
  • Cycle at very high speeds- up to 100 cps

MAIN FEATURES:

  • They will respond to as little as 0.2 psi pressure or vacuum
  • They are unaffected by temperature extremes from –55 C to + 150 C
  • They use no lubricants and run clean
  • They have ultra low hysteresis
  • They will not deteriorate, stick, or change properties from any duration of non-use

For more information on precision air cylinder force control, contact us today!  See us for all your damping force needs as well.

Airpot offers four product families in our line of customizable pneumatic actuator.
GET FREE SAMPLE
Get a free sample

CONTACT

sales@airpot.com
203-846-2021
Airpot Corporation 35 Lois Street, Norwalk, CT 06851, US

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HOURS OF OPERATION

Monday-Friday:
8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. ET
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Design and Development by Noble House Media Group
© 2025 Airpot. All rights reserved
Airpot®, Airpel®, Airpel Plus®, Airpel-AB®, and Gramforce® are registered trademarks of Airpot Corp.

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