For a fraction of the capital outlay, the Impact Cylinder provides in itself a power unit capable of motivating an infinite variety of press work applications, conventionally carried out on machinery such as fly presses, kick presses, drop stamps, crank presses etc. In fact many applications benefit from Impact working as the high tool velocity and rate of energy application can produce results such as cleaner edges when cutting, and improved grain structure when forging.

The construction and principle of operation is extremely simple, inherently giving reliability and long life, the only moving part being the piston rod assembly, coupled to one of the simple control circuits, an Impact cylinder will operate from a normal factory or garage air line, and can either mounted on a suitable frame to form a self-contained press, or build in to form part of a special purpose machine, and pneumatically interlocked with automatic feed and eject mechanisms. For special purpose applications or to double up on energy output, two impact cylinders can be used vertically in opposition, and operated together. With this arrangement reaction in the framework is neutralized and the closing tool/component velocity doubled.

An Impact Cylinder gives an output rated in energy i.e. thrust x distance. This energy is realized by rapidly accelerating the piston rod and tool assembly over a free stroke of approximately 65 mm. before contacting the work. The rapid acceleration is produced by the differential area arrangement which suddenly exposes the full area of the piston to high pressure air built up in the reservoir at the rear end of the cylinder.