Hydraulic cylinder calculator
Calculate push and pull force, areas, oil volume, speed, and time, or find the standard piston diameter required for your load.
- Piston area
- 0 cm²
- Annulus (rod side) area
- 0 cm²
- Oil volume — extend / retract
- 0 / 0 L
- Speed — extend / retract
- 0 / 0 m/s
- Time — extend / retract
- 0 / 0 s
- Area ratio (φ)
- 0
Rod diameter depends on stroke length, mounting type and a buckling check — our team will do this calculation for you.
Results are theoretical; friction, seal losses (5–10%) and buckling must be assessed separately.
Formulas used
Piston area: A = π × D² / 4 · Annulus area: Ar = π × (D² − d²) / 4
Push force: F = p × A (1 bar = 0.1 N/mm²) · Pull force: Fr = p × Ar · 1 tonne-force ≈ 9.81 kN
Oil volume: V = A × S · Speed: v = Q / A · Time: t = S / v
Required bore: D = √(4 × F × k / (π × p)) — the result is rounded to ISO 3320 standard bores (25, 32, 40, 50, 63, 80, 100, 125, 140, 160, 180, 200, 220, 250, 280, 320, 360, 400 mm).
How do you calculate hydraulic cylinder force?
The force a hydraulic cylinder produces is the product of the working pressure and the area on which that pressure acts: F = p × A. In the extension (push) direction, the oil acts on the entire piston surface; in the retraction (pull) direction, it acts on the annular area, which is the piston area minus the area taken up by the rod. For this reason, at the same pressure, the pull force is lower than the push force.
Example: with a Ø100 mm piston, a Ø56 mm rod and 200 bar of pressure, the push force is approximately 157 kN (≈16 tons) and the pull force is approximately 108 kN (≈11 tons). For a 500 mm stroke, approximately 3.9 liters of oil are required for extension.
How do you find the required piston diameter?
The load to be moved is multiplied by a safety factor and divided by the pressure to find the required area; the diameter is calculated from that area and rounded up to the next standard ISO 3320 diameter. The rod diameter must be determined based on the stroke length, the mounting type and a buckling check.
How should you use the results?
The calculator gives theoretical values; actual force is usually 5–10% lower due to seal friction. For a cylinder design tailored to your application, you can transfer the dimensions to the quote form with a single click, or check out our guide on the dimensions required when ordering.
Frequently asked questions
How is the thrust force of a hydraulic cylinder calculated?
Why is the pull force lower than the thrust force?
How do I convert the force to tons?
Are the calculated values exact?
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Send us your calculated values and application details, and our team will get back to you about new manufacturing or revisions.
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