Home › Pneumatics & Hydraulics › Pneumatics
Pneumatics & Hydraulics

Pneumatic cylinder force calculator

Extend and retract force from bore, rod and pressure.

Switching units does not convert values already entered
mm
mm
bar
%
Usable force as % of theoretical

Calculating…

How it's calculated

Extend: F = P × π × D² ÷ 4 Retract: F = P × π × (D² − d²) ÷ 4 Metric: F [N] = P [bar] × 0.1 × A [mm²]

Retract force is lower because the rod takes up part of the piston area. Use the pressure actually available at the cylinder: FRLs, valves and long hoses all drop pressure.

For moving loads, many designers keep the load at 50–70% of theoretical force, leaving margin for acceleration and friction. Check rod buckling on long strokes.