American Cylinder Co., Inc.
American Cylinder provides ISO 9001-certified non-repairable, stainless steel, aluminum, magnetic, corrosion-resistant, and three position pneumatic cylinders that are used in a variety of industries from medical and food & beverage, to agriculture and marine. American Cylinder offers a variety of these pneumatic cylinder products to satisfy your small bore air cylinder requirements. They are designed to meet buyers' demands for reliable, quality cylinders at an economical cost.
Available in both rotating and non-rotating rod designs, our stainless steel air cylinders meet industrial interchange standards — making them a reliable, drop-in-ready solution for OEMs and maintenance engineers alike.
Contact our team today to learn more about our stainless steel air cylinders.
Stainless Steel Cylinder Types
- Single
- Double Acting
- Reverse Acting
- Volume Chambers
Stainless Steel Mount Options
- Nose Mount
- Universal Mount
- Adjustable Stroke
- Non-Rotating Mount
- Non-Rotating Universal Mount
- Block Front Mount
- Block Front Trunnion Mount
- Block Rear Mount
- Block Rear Trunnion Mount
Available Options For SS Pneumatic Cylinders
- Bore Sizes From 5/16" to 3"
- Stroke Selection
- Bumper Option
- Seal Material
- Buna N
- FDA Approved
- FKM
- Rear Head Options
- Lubrication Type
- Rod End Options
STANDARD FEATURES AND BENEFITS
Stainless Steel Cylinder Body
Type 304 Stainless Steel manufactured to special mill specifications and tolerances to insure a long cylinder life.
Stainless Steel Rod
Ground & Polished Type 303 Stainless Steel rods are standard on the Stainless Steel Series. All rods 1/4" diameter and larger have wrench flats and stress relief grooves.
Piston Rod Assembly
Piston rods are threaded, anaerobically sealed, and machine staked into the piston for triple protection.
End Caps, Piston
High strength aluminum alloy.
Magnet for Sensing Switch Actuation
Optional, refer to American Cylinder's MFC catalog for details.
Springs
Springs for spring action cylinders are made from music wire and designed for millions of cycles. Special spring forces are available.
Rod Guide Bushing
Standard on all models. The oil impregnated sintered bronze bushing increases the life of the cylinder rod and provides a non-abrasive bearing surface.
Buna-N U-Cup Rod & Piston Seals
U-Cup seals provide low breakaway friction and maximize cylinder life expectancy. Standard Buna-N seals are recommended for operating temperatures of -20°F (-25°C) to 200°F (95°C). Fluoroelastomer seals are available for higher temperature applications. Additional special seal compounds and lubricants are available upon request.
Pivot Pin/Pivot Bushing
Stainless Steel Series cylinders are shipped with plated steel pivot pins as standard. Sintered bronze pivot bushings are available as an alternative standard option. (5/16", 1-3/4", 2" & 3" bores supplied with pivot bushing only.)
Rod Seal
Precision machined rod seal groove provides a smooth sealing surface while positively retaining the seal without requiring additional components and relying on press fit containment.
Pre-lubricated
All cylinders are factory lubricated with a special high endurance oil mixture.
Pre-Tested
The quality of each cylinder is assured by testing each unit for leakage prior to shipment. Quality control provides added value to American cylinders.
Stainless Steel Air Cylinder Applications
American Cylinder's Stainless Steel Series air cylinders are industrial-interchange, non-repairable cylinders built with a Type 304 stainless steel body and Type 303 stainless steel rod, trusted across a wide range of industries:
- Food & Beverage: Economical, FDA-approved (-35 lubrication option) cylinders suited for food and beverage production and distribution tasks such as packaging, labeling, and bottling.
- Medical & Life Sciences: Precision-manufactured, ISO 9001:2015-certified stainless steel cylinders suited for medical device and diagnostic equipment manufacturing.
- Marine: Durable Type 304 stainless steel body construction, available in a wide variety of configurations (single-acting, double-acting, volume chambers) for marine equipment applications.
- Agriculture: Non-repairable stainless steel cylinders engineered and tested to perform reliably in farm and agronomic environments.
- General Industrial Automation: Industrial interchange compatibility makes these cylinders a reliable choice for a wide range of machine-building applications.
With bore sizes from 5/16" to 3" and single-acting, double-acting, reverse-acting, and volume-chamber configurations, the Stainless Steel Series gives machine builders and OEMs a fully interchangeable, non-repairable air cylinder that performs reliably across food-grade, medical, agricultural, marine, and general automation applications.
Frequently Asked Questions: Stainless Steel Pneumatic Cylinders
What are stainless steel pneumatic cylinders used for?
Stainless steel pneumatic cylinders are used in applications where corrosion resistance, sanitary performance, or exposure to harsh environments is required. Common industries include food and beverage processing, pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturing, marine, agricultural equipment, and industrial washdown environments. Their Type 304 stainless steel construction resists rust, oxidation, and chemical exposure — making them ideal wherever standard steel or aluminum cylinders would degrade prematurely.
What is the difference between stainless steel and aluminum pneumatic cylinders?
Stainless steel pneumatic cylinders are built for environments with moisture, chemicals, or corrosive exposure — such as food processing lines, washdown areas, and marine applications. Aluminum cylinders, like the American Cylinder 76 Series, are lighter and more cost-effective for standard industrial automation where corrosion is not a primary concern. If your application involves regular cleaning, wet environments, or regulated industries, stainless steel is typically the right choice.
What bore sizes are available in the American Cylinder Stainless Steel Series?
The American Cylinder Stainless Steel Series is available in small bore sizes including 5/16”, 7/16”, 9/16", 3/4", 1-1/16", 1-¼”, 1-1/2", 1-¾”, 2", and 3" bore diameters. Both rotating and non-rotating rod configurations are offered. Use the CAD configurator on this page to build and download your exact part number, or contact the American Cylinder team to discuss custom bore or stroke requirements.
Are American Cylinder stainless steel air cylinders non-repairable?
Yes. The American Cylinder Stainless Steel Series cylinders are non-repairable, meaning they are designed for cost-effective replacement rather than maintenance-intensive repair. Each cylinder is factory pre-lubricated and individually pressure-tested prior to shipment — delivering reliable, long-life performance right out of the box. For repairable cylinder options, American Cylinder also offers the Low Profile LPC® and Tie-Rod Style series.
