Hydraulic Cylinder Force Calculator
Find the force a hydraulic cylinder produces.
Results update as you type.
How it works
Hydraulic cylinders multiply force by applying fluid pressure over a piston area, and this calculator finds the push force they produce. You enter the system pressure in PSI and the bore diameter, and it returns the push force in pounds and tons along with the piston area. The core principle is Pascal's law: pressure applied to a confined fluid acts equally in all directions, so the force a cylinder delivers is the pressure times the area of the piston, with the area being pi times the bore radius squared. This is why hydraulics can generate enormous forces from modest pressures: a larger piston area multiplies the same pressure into a bigger force, which is how a small hydraulic pump can lift a car or a press can stamp metal. For example, 2000 PSI acting on a 3-inch bore produces over 14,000 pounds of force. This calculation is essential for sizing cylinders in machinery, presses, lifts, excavators, and countless industrial and mobile hydraulic systems, ensuring a cylinder can produce the required force at the available pressure. The force here is the extension (push) force on the full piston face; the retraction force is lower because the rod reduces the effective area on the rod side. Keep pressure in PSI and bore in inches for the result in pounds. Enter the pressure and bore diameter to find the cylinder force.
Force = pressure × piston area, area = π(bore/2)²
A hydraulic cylinder's force equals the fluid pressure multiplied by the area of the piston it pushes on. The piston area is pi times the bore radius squared. With pressure in PSI and area in square inches, the force comes out in pounds. A larger bore or higher pressure gives more force.
Source:Hydraulics (Pascal's law)
We review all our tools from time to time to ensure accuracy.
Worked example
How to use this calculator
- 1
Enter your values
Enter system pressure and bore diameter.
- 2
Adjust the options
Fine-tune any options to match your situation.
- 3
Read your result
Push force updates instantly as you type — no button to press.
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate hydraulic cylinder force?
Multiply the system pressure by the piston area. The piston area is pi times the bore radius squared. With pressure in PSI and area in square inches, the force is in pounds. For example, 2000 PSI on a 3-inch bore (about 7.07 square inches) gives roughly 14,137 pounds of push force.
Why can hydraulics generate such large forces?
By Pascal's law, pressure in a confined fluid acts equally everywhere, and force equals pressure times area. A large piston area turns a moderate pressure into a huge force. This force multiplication lets small pumps and modest pressures move very heavy loads, which is the basis of jacks, presses, lifts, and heavy machinery.
What is the difference between push and pull force?
The push (extension) force uses the full piston area, while the pull (retraction) force is smaller because the piston rod occupies part of the area on the rod side, reducing the effective surface the pressure acts on. This calculator gives the push force; retraction force is pressure times the piston area minus the rod's cross-sectional area.
How does bore diameter affect force?
Force is proportional to piston area, which grows with the square of the bore diameter. So doubling the bore roughly quadruples the force at the same pressure. This makes bore size a powerful design lever: a larger cylinder produces much more force, which is why heavy-duty applications use large-bore cylinders.
What units should I use?
This calculator uses pressure in PSI (pounds per square inch) and bore diameter in inches, giving force in pounds and tons. If you work in metric, convert pressure to pascals and area to square meters for force in newtons, since force equals pressure times area in any consistent unit system. Keep units consistent for a correct result.