Given multiple cylinders of different bore and stroke, which would be the best method to synchronize them?

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Synchronizing multiple cylinders with different bore and stroke comes down to matching their motion speeds so they reach their end positions at the same time. Flow control valves let you adjust how quickly each cylinder fills or dumps air (or fluid), so you can dial in the flow to each one until their extension and retraction times align. This direct control of travel speed works even when the cylinders have different displacements, keeping them in step.

Proximity sensors don’t drive timing; they only detect position and would require additional logic to coordinate motion. Cam timing mechanically links motions but would be awkward to implement with unequal cylinder sizes, needing complex linkages or different cams. Electrical timing could coordinate with a controller, but that adds complexity and hardware; flow control valves provide a simple, robust way to achieve synchronization directly in the hydraulic/pneumatic path.