Multi-stage scissor lift calculator
Design a two-stage or three-stage hydraulic scissor lift table with real numbers. Enter the arm length, the lowered and raised platform heights, the load and your hydraulic cylinder. The calculator gives the cylinder force and pressure at every platform height, the load the cylinder can lift at maximum pressure, and the position where it runs short. Free, in the browser, with print to PDF.
How a multi-stage scissor lift works
A multi-stage (double or triple) scissor lift stacks two or three scissor stages, so the platform rises two or three times as high as one stage of the same arm length. The cylinder force follows from the balance of work: F = W · dh / dl, where W is the load plus the moving weight, dh the platform rise and dl the cylinder extension. In the lowered position the arms are nearly flat and the cylinder extends little per millimetre of lift, so the force is highest there. The cylinder mount points therefore decide the cylinder size, and the calculator lets you drag them on screen to find a better layout.
What the free scissor lift calculator checks
- Cylinder force, pressure and liftable load over the whole lift, with pin friction, roller resistance and self-weight
- Gravity return of the empty platform
- Cylinder stroke, closed length and rod buckling screening
- Side view to scale, isometric view and pin coordinates for the drawing office
Free and Pro
| Free | Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Two- and three-stage scissor lifts, one cylinder | yes | yes |
| Two cylinder sets, telescopic cylinder, any mount | – | yes |
| Arm and pin strength to EN 1570-1 | – | yes |
| Power unit, calculation report, saved projects | – | yes |
The Pro version is in preparation.
From calculation to production drawings
The calculator sizes the cylinder and gives the pin positions; building the lift needs the full design. papacad.com offers scissor lift CAD projects: 3D assemblies, STEP files, 2D production drawings in DWG and PDF, and a bill of materials, ready for a fabrication workshop. Check the cylinder layout here, then use the drawings to cut, weld and assemble the table.