The problem with steel
To detect piston position, many cylinders use a magnet on the piston and a sensor on the outside of the barrel. A steel barrel is magnetic and interferes with that field, which is why steel cylinders often need non-magnetic inserts or awkward workarounds.
Composite is transparent
Filament-wound composite is non-magnetic and effectively transparent to the magnetic field, as well as to x-ray, radio and television transmission. An external reed or Hall-effect sensor reads the piston magnet straight through the wall.
What this enables
Simple, reliable position sensing with no penetration of the pressure boundary; compatibility with automation lines that depend on end-of-stroke signals; and clean operation near sensitive electronics or instrumentation where a magnetic barrel would be a liability.
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Our engineers turn requirements like these into wound parts.