Guided air cylinders use compressed air to drive machinery and equipment. Guide rods are mounted parallel to the main rod inside the cylinder, which also houses a piston and stabilizes the air cylinder under high side loads. These guide rods prevent the uneven wearing of seals and piston bending and rotating. Guided air cylinders can be single acting, where the rod and piston are retracted via a spring action, or double acting. Double acting guided air cylinders have a compressed air port on either end of the cylinder, which pushes the piston and rod in opposite directions. Guided air cylinders are used in material handling, packaging, and conveyor applications.