When you look for hydraulic cylinders, you may wonder why there is such a big range in prices. The simple fact is that there are a lot of manufactures of hydraulic cylinders in the world, and any number of factors will affect the price you pay. Here at Ranger Caradoc, we have been manufacturing hydraulic cylinders for decades, and can give you some insight into the world of hydraulics. Hydraulic cylinders can be made in many different sizes, and come in two major end cap systems. There are some kinds of hydraulic cylinders that are more common than others, and for some applications you may need to have a cylinder custom fabricated. There are different way that cylinders are mounted or actuated, and all of these factors will play a role in the cost.
In recent years there has been an influx of hydraulic cylinders from the far east, and this has led to mixed messages when it comes to what quality costs. If you want to have a cylinder that performs to spec day in and day out, it would be wise not to cut corners with quality. Ranger Caradoc wants you to be an informed customer and understand the world of hydraulics, so let's have a look at what factors play into the cost of a hydraulic cylinder.
Size of Cylinder
What is true for high-performance car motors is also true for hydraulic cylinders; there is no replacement for displacement. All things being equal, the more force you need to exert, the bigger the cylinder you will need to buy. This means more material, and past a certain point, bigger machining equipment.
One of the biggest advantages that Ranger Caradoc can offer you is a helping hand when it comes to choosing a cylinder that will get the job done. We want your hydraulic cylinder to be as inexpensive as possible. Mechanical engineering and hydraulic engineering have overlapping areas, but are not the same. We are often able to offer innovative hydraulic solutions to your design team that they may not be aware of.
In the case of cylinder size, because engineers usually design from the standpoint of work needed, they may be overlooking a more efficient way to employ hydraulic systems. When we are involved in your design process in the early stages, we can help your staff make choices that will get the job done, and not require custom machining.
Here at Ranger Caradoc we have a wealth of knowledge when it comes to what can be bought off the shelf, and what has to be fabricated. Employing custom-made hydraulic cylinders in your designs can add to your costs, and sometimes this is avoidable. We can advise you of the best and most cost-effective option for your application.
Size and Speed of Delivery
The world of hydraulic cylinders is a somewhat specialised one. In some cases you can make use of standardised hydraulic cylinders, and this could help you roll-out your project faster. But even if you use standard cylinders, there may not be sufficient stock in the UK for larger orders.
This leaves you with two options. You can wait, and let availability catch up to your needs, or you can fabricate the cylinders you require. This is another area where getting us involved in your design process early makes a lot of sense, especially on larger jobs.
With more than 30 years of experience with everything hydraulic, we have a pretty good idea of what is available and where you would need to source it from. If you end up needing to have custom cylinders made, we have a fully equipped machine shop where we can fabricate cylinders to your specifications.
Quality Of Steel And Environment
For obvious reasons of safety, hydraulic cylinders have to be made from specific grades of steel. In addition to the pressure that they have to contain, in many cases cylinders are installed in unforgiving environments. When you buy cylinders that are manufactured in Asia, and bought via an intermediary, you are putting a lot of faith in a product that you don't know much about.
The fabrication of a cylinder is only part of the process when it comes to making quality hydraulic parts. If you aren't buying cylinders that have been well tested, you aren't getting your money's worth. Buying cylinders from a middleman can lead to bigger problems down the road. In many cases needing to use a warranty will lead to much higher costs for your business, and expensive downtime.
There are a lot of places that corners can be cut in the manufacturing process, and in our experience many manufacturers from the far east don't have a great record when it comes to quality standards. When you deal with Ranger Caradoc, you can be sure that you are getting the grade of steel that is fit for purpose, and that the cylinders you pay for have been extensively tested.
Take A Holistic View On Price
In our experience, buying cheaper, ready-made hydraulic components can lead to much higher costs in the long run. At Ranger Caradoc we have a lot of industry knowledge and work to provide our clients with the benefit of specialist knowledge that adds greater value to each project. We are more than happy to get involved with your hydraulic design project, and help you to design a solution that will be cost effective over the long haul. Please don't hesitate to call us and let our team show you what they are capable of.
Find out more about choosing high quality hydraulic components in our new Buyer's Guide To Hydraulic Cylinders. Click here to access your free copy today.
