Pneumatic cylinder force calculator
Size a pneumatic cylinder from supply pressure, bore and rod diameter. Enter the pressure in bar, MPa or psi and the bore in mm — read theoretical push and pull force in newtons (and kgf) instantly.
Pneumatic cylinder force
Formula: F (N) = P (Pa) × π × (d/2)² — push uses the full bore area; pull subtracts the rod area. Pressure enters in bar, MPa or psi and is converted to Pa (1 bar = 1e5 Pa, 1 MPa = 1e6 Pa, 1 psi ≈ 6,895 Pa).
Theoretical force ignores seal friction, so real thrust is typically 5–15 % lower. The retract force is the figure that matters for pulling strokes — a thicker rod leaves less annular area. For the cylinders, valves and fittings on your pneumatic circuit, browse AO Ctrl's automation catalog:
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Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate the force of a pneumatic cylinder?
Use F (N) = P (Pa) × π × (d/2)², with the pressure converted from bar, MPa or psi into pascals. Push uses the full bore area; pull subtracts the rod area π × (d_bore/2)² − π × (d_rod/2)², so a thicker rod leaves less annular area for the retract stroke.
Why is the pull force less than the push force on a cylinder?
On the pull (retract) stroke the piston rod occupies part of the piston area, so the effective area is the bore area minus the rod area. With a 50 mm bore and a 20 mm rod at 6 bar, the push force is about 1178 N while the pull force drops to roughly 989 N.
How much does seal friction reduce the theoretical cylinder force?
The calculated force is theoretical and ignores seal friction, so real thrust is typically 5–15 % lower. Size the cylinder with that margin in mind, and pick a larger bore if your application needs reliable force on a pulling stroke.