NCM Stainless Steel Repairable Cylinders
The SMC NCM is a stainless steel round body air cylinder offering space savings, high performance, and interchangeability with other stainless steel cylinders across the North American market. A wear ring extends seal life and a bronze rod bushing is standard on all bore sizes, making the NCM one of the most durable and service-life-conscious stainless steel cylinder designs in SMC's catalog. As an authorized SMC Corporation of America distributor, Automation Distribution stocks the NCM series in bore sizes from 7/16" to 2", covering double acting, double rod, non-rotating, single acting, direct mount, and all-stainless exterior variants along with a complete accessory line.
SMC NCM stainless steel cylinder overview
Where standard aluminum or carbon steel cylinders corrode prematurely in wet, chemical, or food-grade environments, the NCM's stainless steel construction provides a long-service-life alternative without the cost or complexity of fully custom cylinders. The stainless steel cylinder body, combined with a bronze rod bushing on all bore sizes and a wear ring that extends piston seal life, makes the NCM the preferred SMC round body cylinder for MRO buyers in food processing, pharmaceutical, beverage, wash-down, and outdoor automation applications.
The NCM is auto-switch capable without any change in cylinder outer dimension — the built-in magnet (NCDM prefix) adds position sensing capability without requiring a larger mounting envelope or different mounting hardware. This is a significant advantage over cylinder designs that require a separate switch rail or body modification for auto switch use.
NCM specifications
Bore sizes: 7/16", 9/16", 11/16", 3/4", 7/8", 1-1/16", 1-1/4", 1-1/2", 2" (part number codes: 044, 056, 069, 075, 088, 106, 125, 150, 200)
Standard strokes: 1/2" to 12" (double acting); 1/2" to 6" (single acting)
Mounting styles: 4 standard — front nose (B), double end (E), rear pivot (C), block/direct mount (R)
Rod bushing: Bronze, standard on all bore sizes
Wear ring: Standard — extends piston seal life over standard cylinder designs
Auto switch: Auto-switch capable without dimensional change; built-in magnet available (NCDM prefix)
Double rod: Available in 3/4" to 2" bore (NCM-W / NCDM-W)
Single acting: Spring return and spring extend available in 3/4" to 1-1/2" bore
Direct mount (block mount): Available in 7/16" to 1-1/2" bore
All-stainless exterior: Available in 2 mounting styles (front nose and double end)
Air cushion: Standard rubber bumpers; adjustable air cushion available in 3/4" to 2" bore
NCM series variants
NC(D)M — double acting, single rod (standard)
The base NCM configuration. Double acting, single rod, stainless steel round body with bronze rod bushing and wear ring. Available in bore sizes 7/16"–2", strokes 1/2"–12", three mounting styles (front nose, double end, rear pivot). The NCDM prefix indicates built-in piston magnet for auto switch use — always specify NCDM when position sensing is required or may be needed in the future.
NC(D)M with adjustable air cushion
Air cushion variant providing controlled deceleration at end of stroke, reducing impact noise and mechanical shock in higher-speed applications where rubber bumpers alone are insufficient. Available in bore sizes 3/4"–2" with three mounting styles.
NC(D)MW — double acting, double rod
Double rod variant providing equal push and pull force from both ends of the cylinder body. Available in bore sizes 3/4"–2" with standard strokes to 12". Suited for applications requiring symmetric load attachment, equal bidirectional force, or where the second rod provides a precision stop reference or anti-rotation guide.
NC(D)MK — non-rotating, double acting, single rod
Non-rotating rod version maintaining piston rod angular orientation throughout the stroke. Used wherever a tool, bracket, or fixture attached to the rod must remain angularly aligned — dispensing nozzles, stamping heads, label applicators, and any mechanism where rod rotation would cause misalignment or interference. Available in double acting single rod configuration.
NCM-S / NC(D)M-S — single acting, spring return and spring extend
Single acting NCM cylinders use air pressure for one direction of travel with a mechanical spring providing the return force. Spring return (rod retracts on air loss) and spring extend (rod extends on air loss) options are available for fail-safe positioning in stainless steel environments. Available in bore sizes 3/4"–1-1/2", strokes 1/2"–6", three mounting styles.
NCM-S-T / NC(D)M-S-T — single acting, temperature resistant
Temperature-resistant single acting variant for high-temperature or low-temperature environments where standard seal compounds are outside their rated range. Consult the specific operating temperature requirement when ordering — the NCM temperature option designations cover both high and low temperature seal packages.
NCMR-S / NC(D)MR-S — direct mount (block mount), single acting
The direct mount (block mount) NCM allows the cylinder body to be mounted directly to a machine surface or bracket through the body itself, eliminating the need for a separate mounting bracket or end-cap mounting hardware. Available in single acting spring return/extend, bore sizes 7/16"–1-1/2". The NCMR-S-T variant adds temperature-resistant seals to the direct mount single acting configuration.
NC(D)M — direct mount, double acting
Direct mount (block mount) variant in double acting single rod configuration. Bore sizes 7/16"–1-1/2", strokes 1/2"–12". The block mount style integrates the mounting interface directly into the cylinder body, providing a compact and secure attachment without additional hardware.
NC(D)M-S — all-stainless exterior
The all-stainless exterior version takes the standard NCM a step further — all external components including the cylinder body, rod, and end caps are stainless steel construction. Available in front nose and double end mounting styles. This variant is specified for the most demanding corrosion environments where even the standard NCM's external hardware is subject to attack.
NCM with stroke options
Stroke option variants including adjustable stroke, long stroke, and dual stroke (XC10, XC11) configurations allow the NCM to serve applications requiring intermediate stopping positions or strokes beyond the standard 12" range.
NCM environmental and port options
Environmental options available on the NCM include stainless steel rod (XC6), fluoro-rubber seals (XC22), and full stainless hardware packages (X114US, X103US) for maximum corrosion resistance in aggressive chemical or wash-down environments. Port options provide alternate port locations for applications where standard port placement creates piping interference.
NCM accessories
The NCM accessory line includes foot brackets, pivot brackets (for rear pivot mounting), and rod clevises — all sized by bore to match the NCM series. An NCM air tank accessory is also available for applications requiring a local air reservoir near the cylinder. All accessories are ordered separately and specified by bore size.
How to read an NCM part number
Example: NCDMC106-0800-XC6
N = new series; C = cylinder; D = built-in magnet; M = NCM series; C = mounting style (B = basic/front nose, E = double end, C = rear pivot, R = direct/block mount); 106 = 1-1/16" bore (bore expressed in hundredths of an inch: 044 = 7/16", 056 = 9/16", 069 = 11/16", 075 = 3/4", 088 = 7/8", 106 = 1-1/16", 125 = 1-1/4", 150 = 1-1/2", 200 = 2"); 0800 = 8.00" stroke (in hundredths of an inch); XC6 = stainless steel piston rod option.
NCM vs CM2-Z vs NCG — choosing the right stainless or corrosion-resistant round body cylinder
SMC offers three distinct corrosion-resistant round body cylinder families, each with a different primary advantage. The NCM is the North American inch-bore stainless steel cylinder with a bronze rod bushing and wear ring standard — the highest durability and longest seal life of the three, in bore sizes covering 7/16" to 2". The CM2-Z is the metric stainless steel round body cylinder covering ø20–ø40mm, with the unique feature of female rod end and boss-cut options for space savings, suited for metric machine designs. The NCG is an inch-bore repairable round body cylinder with environmental options available but without the inherent stainless steel construction of the NCM — it is the high-speed choice (up to 40 in/sec) in bore sizes up to 2-1/2" (63mm) where full stainless body is not required.