Questions & Answers (FAQ)
The fluid in our products is sealed by a rolling diaphragm seal attached to the plunger rod and inner body wall, so there is no leak path. There are no sliding seals.
Cushioneers and
Kinecheks will operate for millions of cycles without the loss of a single drop of fluid.
The elastomer used in our rolling diaphragm seal was selected to provide a long flex life. At temperatures below 40º F the elastomer starts to stiffen and resists flexing. At temperatures over 130º F the elastomer starts to “cook” and artificially age.
Depending on the application and operating environment most units will last for millions of cycles. We consider one million to three million cycles a good service life but we know many users who average over 5 million cycles. However, there are some users who average only 500,000 cycles or less due to a severe application or a harsh environment.
They do more work for their size, require no maintenance, last longer, are more reliable, and we will service them for as long as you use the product.
Our products are designed to operate for millions of cycles without any maintenance. Construction materials are selected to provide a maximum service life with no wear. Each and every unit shipped is tested at 125% of its rated capacity to verify its load holding ability, constancy, and reliability. A 7 to 10 day non-leakage certification test is conducted where our test method is able to detect a leak of as little as .0005 cubic inch. Each and every unit shipped is subjected to these functional tests. We do not use sample or batch testing methods. As a result of these procedures we are able to provide you products that maintain their operational efficiency longer, require no maintenance, and keep your equipment running longer (reduced down time). When viewed over the life of our products you will find the value per dollar far exceeds comparable products.
With some exceptions you can purchase from us direct. However, many times a
distributor can supply you more efficiently, particularly if you are located outside the United States.
Yes. We accept Visa, Mastercard and American Express.
We try to keep a minimum number of standard models in stock at all times. However, if we are out of stock on a particular model we can still usually ship within 4 weeks.
Yes. Our repair service is excellent. Factory overhauled units will function like new and are guaranteed the same as new units. Overhaul charges are usually less than 50% of the cost of a new unit.
We recommend the use of a split mounting block clamped near the end of the unit on the rod end.
Yes. (Thread sizes: Slimlines M24x1, Super K 13/16 –20, Mini K ½ -40)
We do not recommend attaching anything to the rod because the diaphragm seal is attached to the inner body wall and the plunger rod. If the rod is twisted within the body the diaphragm seal will also twist causing it to wrinkle rather than rolling back and forth smoothly. A wrinkled diaphragm seal will pinch and rupture quicky.
Selectively, but please inquire if you have a special application.
Yes, but it depends on the application and the number of units that will be ordered.
The
Cushioneer uses an aluminum adjustment knob and electroless nickel plated steel body. The
Kinechek uses a brass adjustment knob and zinc plated steel body. Internally, the high pressure cylinder in both units is made of tool steel. The Cushioneer cylinder incorporates a series of variably sized and spaced ports to progressively dissipate the impact energy. The Kinechek cylinder has only a single adjustable orifice through which the fluid must pass thus maintaining a constant rate.
The adjustable
Cushioneer uses a flow regulation mechanism that controls the flow of the fluid after it has passed through an impact-dampening array of ports in the cylinder. This design allows adjusting the overall dampening characteristics of the unit to precisely fit the application. The
self-adjusting Cushioneer dampens the impact of an inbound load with an array of bypass channels inside the cylinder. The fluid dynamic characteristics of these channels are such that a wide range of impact loads can be gently decelerated.
Reciprocating slides, roll formers, flying die cut-off machines, robots, packaging equipment, any kind of fast moving mechanism that must be brought to a smooth precise stop.
Because of the multitude of variables (weight and velocity of load, power source, distance of travel before impact, etc.) a graph would not be meaningful unless we were able to exactly duplicate the parameters of your application.
We provide our adjustable shock absorbers with two different viscosity fluids for each stroke length. This provides an optimum adjustment range for each load rating.
No. Only the viscosity of the fluid changes.
Self feed pneumatic drills, pneumatic powered slides, mill tables, optic grinders, any device that requires a smooth, constant velocity motion.
To aid in the selection of the proper unit for an application. By showing the full stroke time for various loads with the unit set at the slowest setting and the force required to push the plunger at 1 in. per second and 4 in. per second at the fastest setting, users can bracket the unit best suited for their application.
A
PeckChek Control is a ball clutch device used in conjunction with a special Kinechek for use in peck drilling applications. The ball clutch prevents the plunger rod on the Kinechek from extending when the drill is retracted from and reenters the hole. It is a one way clutch allowing the Kinechek to control the drill it is used on to retract, clear the chips, and reenter the hole in the fastest manner possible.
A
Skipchek is a Kinechek used in drilling tubing or devices where a controlled feed rate is required while drilling through the first wall then allowing the drill to rapid advance (skip) and control the feed rate while drilling the second wall.
A
Cushion-Start Kinechek is a combination shock absorber and speed regulator. Approximately 25% of the beginning of the stroke is used for shock absorption before going into the controlled stroke mode.
A specific volume of fluid is required for proper function. This requires a defined area to store the fluid. If you make the unit shorter it will have to be larger in diameter.
There is little demand. A longer stroke unit could be manufactured but it would be quite large. A rod protrusion of 8" would require a larger diameter rod to prevent bending. A larger rod requires a larger piston, larger cylinder, larger fluid area, etc., etc.
Not yet. We are in development.
