The first decision is whether your impact conditions are fixed or variable. Self-compensating models — the MC33–MC64 MAGNUM series and the piston-tube SC33–SC45 — meter oil through a fixed orifice profile that adapts automatically to changing weight and speed from cycle to cycle, ideal when a line handles mixed loads and you don't want to retune. Adjustable models (MA/ML33–MA/ML64, SASL and SALD) let you dial damping in for a single, repeatable duty cycle to get the shortest possible stopping time.
The series in this collection: MC33–MC64 is the robust, general-purpose self-compensating workhorse (1,505–50,000 in-lbs/cycle). SC33–SC45 uses piston-tube technology to pack high energy absorption into a short stroke, suiting turntables, swivel units and robot arms. MA/ML33–MA/ML64 are the adjustable counterparts, reaching up to 60,008 in-lbs/cycle with front-and-rear adjustment, and the ML range handles very high effective weights. SASL covers adjustable low-velocity, high-force duty, while SALD adds an external positive stop for high-speed machines with a wide weight range. Strokes run roughly 0.9 to 6 in — for lighter loads or tighter envelopes, see our miniature shock absorbers, and for larger masses step up to heavy industrial shock absorbers.
Environment options: most MC families are also offered in V4A stainless steel for corrosion-prone or food-industry settings, and in HT (high-temperature) and LT (low-temperature) builds for extreme-cycle or extreme-climate use. Standard units operate 10°F to 150°F on ATF damping medium.
Typical applications: linear slides and carriages, gantry and portal systems, turntables, swivel and pivot units, robot arms, pneumatic cylinder end-of-stroke, and general machine and plant automation — anywhere a moving mass needs to stop quietly and repeatably without rebound. For emergency-stop and end-of-track protection, see our safety shock absorbers. Piedmont Technical Sales is an authorized ACE Controls distributor; send us the load, impact velocity, propelling force, and cycles per hour and we'll confirm the right model, or request a quote on any part above.
