Development and Use of a Pneumatic Linear Actuator Featuring Pressure-Resistant Metal Bellows

Abstract

The advancement of pneumatic technology has enabled the creation of a linear actuator that employs metal bellows designed to withstand high internal pressure. These specially engineered bellows are airtight and capable of significant axial expansion. However, traditional bellows tend to suffer from bending stresses at their folds, especially under high air pressure, which can lead to deformation due to the collapse of the curved sections. As a result, their typical operating pressure differential is limited to around 0.1 MPa.

To overcome this limitation, the pressure endurance of the bellows was enhanced by integrating viscoelastic support rings within the folds. These rings help reduce the bending stresses induced by internal pressure, particularly in the thin-walled inner regions. This design modification led to an improvement in pressure resistance of up to 0.7 MPa.

The study presents both theoretical analysis and finite element modeling to demonstrate the effectiveness of incorporating these viscoelastic rings. Moreover, the enhanced linear actuator is applied in vehicle systems to regulate posture and deliver damping forces within active suspension mechanisms.

Cite as:

Manjunath T.N. (2025). Development and Use of a Pneumatic Linear Actuator Featuring Pressure-Resistant Metal Bellows. Journal of Advanced Research in Industrial Engineering, 7(2), 46–60. 

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.16033823