What deceleration is acceptable?

Cranes: typically ≤ 2.5 g. Rail vehicles: per UIC. Lift: per SANS 1545 — usually 1 g for service buffers, 2.5 g for safety buffers.

Do buffers need maintenance?

Hydraulic buffers — yes, annual inspection for oil leaks and rod corrosion. Cellular — essentially maintenance-free.

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Resources

Selecting a Hydraulic Buffer — Inputs and Worked Example

Buffer sizing has three inputs: impact mass, impact velocity, allowable peak deceleration. Pick a buffer whose energy capacity envelope contains those numbers.

Energy

E = ½ × m × v². For a 250 t crane at 0.5 m/s, E = ½ × 250000 × 0.25 = 31.25 kJ per stop.

Peak force

F_peak = E / (s × η), where s is stroke and η ≈ 0.9 for a tuned hydraulic buffer.

Buffer vs cellular

Hydraulic — flat deceleration profile, lowest peak force, best for heavy / fast impacts. Cellular elastomer — simpler, maintenance-free, lighter duty.

Selection

Match the calculated E to the buffer datasheet's rated energy at the rated velocity. Always pick the next-larger size.

FAQs

What deceleration is acceptable?: Cranes: typically ≤ 2.5 g. Rail vehicles: per UIC. Lift: per SANS 1545 — usually 1 g for service buffers, 2.5 g for safety buffers.
Do buffers need maintenance?: Hydraulic buffers — yes, annual inspection for oil leaks and rod corrosion. Cellular — essentially maintenance-free.

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