FORT WORTH, TX, May 29, 2025 – RS provides a selection of IMI pneumatic actuators designed for industrial and process automation settings. These actuators are built to meet the operational requirements found across various industries. Alongside the products, RS offers technical support to assist customers in determining which pneumatic actuator best fits their specific application needs.
IMI is a company focused on fluid and motion control, providing solutions to address customer requirements in process automation, industrial automation, climate control, life sciences, and transportation industries with solutions that drive sustainable growth. Its portfolio of pneumatic actuators extends across two separate but unified brands, IMI Bimba and IMI Norgren, and serves both original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and end-users around the world.
Pneumatic actuators, also known as pneumatic cylinders or pneumatic drives, convert compressed air into linear and rotary motion and deliver amount of force and power for their size. Even low-pressure actuators still capable of moving hundreds of pounds. They’re also simpler and more durable than electric and hydraulic actuators, with lifecycles extending into the millions of cycles.
IMI Bimba and IMI Norgren offer single- and double-acting pneumatic actuators in a variety of different styles – including roundline, compact, NFPA (National Fluid Power Association), guided thruster, rodless, rotary, non-rotating, repairable, nonrepairable, and ISO – to solve automated motion challenges in industries with considerable differences in operating and regulatory environments and requirements. IMI pneumatic actuators are popular in the agriculture, automotive, food and beverage, material handling, packaging, medical, battery and hydrogen production, industrial process, commercial vehicle, rail transportation, and theme park industries.
Roundline pneumatic actuators, like the IMI Bimba Original Line, are well suited for light- to medium-duty, lower-force applications and are available with options including bumpers, magnets, or adjustable cushioning. The Original Line introduced the first nonrepairable air cylinders to market back in 1957 – enabling quick and cost-effective pneumatic motion control – and continues to set standards, offering sizes and options than comparable solutions with an service life of 3,000 miles of travel.
The IMI Bimba Original Line offers more than 150,000 different standard cylinders. The range includes an expansive selection of standard single-acting, reverse single-acting, and double-acting cylinders with 12 bore sizes extending from 5/16” to 3”, as well as a selection of specialty styles (e.g., three-position, non-rotating, Z-line, rod lock, and hole punch cylinders), all of which are available in a variety of stroke lengths and mounting styles and lubricated with a permanent semi-synthetic grease that eliminates the need for additional lubrication at any point in the product’s lifecycle.
The line also offers features:
- Type 304 stainless steel bodies made with a double rolled construction and a mirror-finish inside diameter (ID) for superior performance
- High-strength carbon steel or Type 303 stainless steel piston rods equipped with high-strength roll-formed rod threads
- Low breakaway frictional characteristics, including collapsible Buna N “U” cup rod and piston seals and oil-impregnated sintered bronze rod guide bushings
- Durable aluminum alloy pistons
- Secure piston-rod connections that are threaded, sealed, and riveted
- Robust aluminum or stainless-steel end caps machined for minimal breakaway during initial pressurization
- A 250psi rating
Additional options for IMI Bimba Original Line pneumatic actuators include magnetic pistons for position detection, bumpers for noise reduction, wipers for contamination, adjustable cushions to reduce energy, extra rod extensions, standard and heavy-duty springs, and high-and-low-temperature capabilities and heavy-duty materials for harsh environments.
Both IMI Bimba and IMI Norgren also offer a variety of components crucial to deploying pneumatic actuators in various industries and applications, including air preparation devices that filter, regulate, and lubricate the air, valves that control the directional flow of the air, and corresponding accessories, such as mounting solutions.
Source: RS
About IMI
IMI plc is a UK-based engineering company that develops and manufactures motion and fluid control technologies used in industrial and critical applications. Headquartered in Birmingham and established in 1862, the company operates through three divisions: IMI Precision Engineering, IMI Critical Engineering, and IMI Hydronic Engineering. These business units support industries such as energy, HVAC, life sciences, industrial automation, petrochemicals, and transportation. IMI’s product range includes valves, actuators, and control systems designed for performance in regulated and high-reliability environments. The company employs around 10,000 people and maintains manufacturing operations in 18 countries with a global service network. Its focus includes advancing digital capabilities and developing energy-efficient technologies to address evolving operational and regulatory demands. IMI’s engineering expertise is applied to support performance, reliability, and system optimization in fluid handling and motion control systems worldwide.
About RS
RS Group plc is a UK-headquartered distributor of industrial and electronic components, serving manufacturing, energy, transportation, healthcare, and automation sectors. Founded in 1937, the company supports over 1.1 million customers with a catalog of more than 830,000 stocked products and access to an extended range of five million items sourced from over 2,500 suppliers. RS operates in 36 markets and offers a combination of product supply, digital procurement services, and engineering support to customers involved in design, build, and maintenance workflows. Its product portfolio includes automation components, test and measurement tools, electronic parts, and industrial maintenance supplies. The company continues to invest in supply chain infrastructure, inventory management systems, and digital platforms to improve service efficiency. RS focuses on helping industrial clients enhance operational reliability and reduce downtime through its multi-channel service model and global logistics network.
About RS in the Americas
RS Americas, based in Fort Worth, TX, is a regional division of RS Group focused on distributing industrial and electronic components throughout North America. Operating in the U.S. market since the 1970s, the company was formerly known as Allied Electronics & Automation. It stocks over 250,000 products sourced from more than 700 suppliers, including RS PRO-branded items, across categories such as automation and control, interconnects, passives, actives, electromechanical devices, and test equipment. RS Americas serves industries including manufacturing, energy, transportation, food and beverage, utilities, and life sciences. In addition to product distribution, the company offers services like kitting, labeling, inventory management, and custom packaging, aimed at improving operational efficiency. RS Americas plays a key role in RS Group’s global supply network and contributes to the Group’s annual revenue of approximately £2.98 billion. Its operations are structured to support customers across engineering, procurement, and maintenance functions through both physical and digital channels.