Single-acting NE
Short-stroke cylinder ND/NE
Single-acting short-stroke cylinders NE extend under compressed air and return to the rest position via an internal spring. The series covers bore diameters from 12 to 100 mm, with typical strokes of 5-25 mm, making NE cylinders a space-efficient choice for short-stroke applications. Only one air connection is needed per cylinder, simplifying installation relative to double-acting designs. Variants such as the Airtec NE 63/15 M10 confirm that internal thread options on the piston rod are available within the standard range.
| Criterion | NE (single-acting) | ND (double-acting) |
|---|---|---|
| Air connections | 1 | 2 |
| Return force | Spring-based, constant | Pneumatic, adjustable |
| Safe position | Spring-retracted on pressure loss | Depends on valve/control |
| Available strokes | Limited by spring length | Longer strokes possible |
| Plumbing effort | Lower | Higher |
Typical applications: Single-acting NE cylinders are suited for latches and blocking slides requiring a spring-defined safe position, for one-directional clamping in assembly and test fixtures, for ejectors in injection moulding and stamping dies, and for shut-off elements where a defined rest state without control energy is required.