Cylinder regeneration _____________.

• A. Slows the retraction of a cylinder
• B. Uses both pump flow and cap flow to retract faster
• C. May allow use of a smaller pump
• D. Is where you get something for nothing

Answer: (C)

Regeneration uses the oil from the rod end to supplement the flow entering the opposite end of the cylinder. When the cylinder extends, the fluid displaced from the rod end is redirected into the cap end, adding to the pump flow and increasing extension speed without needing a larger pump. Because you achieve the required speed with less pump capacity, you may select a smaller pump than you would without regeneration. This approach mainly improves extension speed; it isn’t about speeding up retraction in most setups.