What pneumatic actuator supports locate within the mechanism
Review this component together with its mating parts and delivered condition. The interfaces below define the drawing information needed to assess forming, finishing and inspection.
The available reference is support-body geometry, not proof of a complete gripper or pneumatic cylinder.
Supporting part, guide arrangement and mounting-pattern interfaces
Identify the exact supporting part, guide arrangement and mounting pattern.
Specify moving-member clearance and any interfaces that have a separate sealing role.
Why distinguish supporting and sealing interfaces?
A supporting face locates a member, while a sealing surface has a different role and acceptance requirement.
Both may exist in a pneumatic assembly without being interchangeable.
Identifying the actual function prevents pressure-related assumptions from being applied to unrelated support geometry.
Machining versus near-net forming for support geometry
Compare machining and near-net forming for the support geometry.
Critical bores, seats or mounting surfaces may need final machining according to the actual assembly.
The proposed route is confirmed for your drawing, material and quantity. An image does not establish a fixed tolerance or a complete process specification.
Compare manufacturing capabilities →Support component material, wear treatment and environment requirements
Define material and final treatment against load direction, wear and the operating environment.
Mark surfaces whose fit or contact changes after finishing.
Rated loads, pressure limits and operating life require their own agreed design and acceptance requirements.
Review material-selection information →Support bodies: guide alignment before mounting pattern
On a pneumatic actuator the support body holds two relationships that must not be confused: where the guides are relative to each other, and where the whole body sits on the mounting pattern. They fail differently and they are fixed differently.
| Link in the assembly chain | What it adds to the stack | Where to take it out of the chain |
|---|---|---|
| Guide arrangement | Two guides that are not parallel force the moving member to bind. The error does not appear as a dimension on either guide; it appears as friction in the assembly. | Tolerance the guides to each other, not each to an outside face. Parallelism between two features is a single callout and it is the only one that describes the failure. |
| Mounting pattern | The pattern positions the body in the machine. Its error is independent of the guide error, but both arrive at the same moving member. | Keep the pattern and the guides referenced to one datum so the two errors cannot diverge. Referencing them separately is the most common reason a body that measures well will not run smoothly. |
| Supporting faces against sealing interfaces | A supporting face only has to locate; a sealing face has to be flat and uninterrupted. Combining them in one note leaves the sealing surface with a locating tolerance. | Call the sealing face out separately with its own flatness and finish. It is the one face where a general tolerance is genuinely inadequate. |
| Wear surfaces | Wear treatment changes the surface the guide runs on. Applied to the whole part, it also changes the mounting faces, which then no longer seat the way they were measured. | Name the surfaces that receive the treatment and mask the rest. On a body with both locating and sliding faces, the distinction is functional, not cosmetic. |
| Working environment | Air lines carry moisture and oil, and both reach the support. Corrosion resistance is a link in the chain because it changes the clearance over time rather than at assembly. | State the environment as an operating condition rather than as a material preference. It decides the alloy, and the alloy decides what the clearance will still be in a year. |
Note. The links below describe how error accumulates in an assembly, not how to allocate tolerance for a specific drawing. Which link should carry the accumulation is a design decision that belongs to whoever owns the assembly; the supplier can only hold what the drawing names. Nothing here states an achievable tolerance for any dimension.
For actuator supports the useful order is guides, then datum, then mounting pattern. Starting from the pattern is intuitive and produces bodies that bolt on correctly and bind in service.
Mounting, guide alignment and non-interference checks
Check mounting, guide alignment and movement without interference.
Any pneumatic sealing or operating requirement must be defined for the relevant interfaces.
Specify the drawing revision and the condition in which each dimension is inspected. Record the agreed dimensional and functional checks before sample approval.
Quality documentation →Prepare a Product-Specific RFQ
- Component definition. Send the 2D drawing and 3D model, where available, with the drawing revision and the requested part or assembly scope.
- Mating information. Include the assembly references needed to define the interfaces discussed above.
- Delivered condition. State material, finishing and inspection requirements, identifying any items that need a manufacturing recommendation.
- Supply plan. Include sample needs, expected order and annual quantities, packaging requirements and target timing.
Product Questions
Does a support-body reference include pneumatic sealing performance?
No. Define which surfaces seal and provide their requirements; a mechanical support image does not establish leakage performance.
Why distinguish supporting and sealing interfaces?
A supporting face locates a member, while a sealing surface has a different role and acceptance requirement. Both may exist in a pneumatic assembly without being interchangeable. Identifying the actual function prevents pressure-related assumptions from being applied to unrelated support geometry.
How should the part be checked in the tool or mechanism?
Check mounting, guide alignment and movement without interference. Any pneumatic sealing or operating requirement must be defined for the relevant interfaces.
Technical Context
The product-specific notes above identify drawing-review questions. General process and material references are collected separately; they do not verify a material grade, production qualification or performance claim for the pictured part.
Manufacturing and material references →