Telescopic cylinder
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![pneumatic telescoping cylinder, 8-stages, single-acting, retracted and extended](/Images/godic/202502/15/8-stage_single-acting_air_cylinder,_Ergo-Help2246.jpg")
![Spider lift set up outside a building. This aerial platform vehicle uses a telescopic hydraulic cylinder to extend the platform](/Images/godic/202502/15/TSJ38_ChiswickPark_0082246.jpg")
![Pneumatic telescoping cylinder 5-stage, double-acting, demonstrating full extension and retraction](/Images/godic/202502/15/EHTC.5DPL_Cylinder,_5-Stage2246.jpg")
Telescopic cylinders are a special design of a hydraulic cylinder or pneumatic cylinder which provide an exceptionally long output travel from a very compact retracted length. Typically the collapsed length of a telescopic cylinder is 20 to 40% of the fully extended length depending on the number of stages. Some pneumatic telescoping units are manufactured with retracted lengths of under 15% of overall extended unit length. This feature is very attractive to machine design engineers when a conventional single stage rod style actuator will not fit in an application to produce the required output stroke.