Rodless cylinders are air cylinders that use a radial yoke instead of a longitudinal rod to connect the piston to the load. These cylinders have an extruded anodized aluminum barrel that is formed with a longitudinal slot, permitting the connection of the piston to the mounting carriage. A hardened stainless steel band pneumatically seals the cylinder, while a second stainless steel band on the exterior closes the slot and prevents contamination to the interior of the cylinder; a system of slide rails divides the two bands in the pressure-free zone between the two piston seals, which allows movement of the mounting carriage. Rodless is one of the many types of cylinder housing styles available for air cylinders.

A few of the main advantages of the rodless cylinder are its compactness and ease of installation, as it is not necessary to allow room for the full extension of the rod. Also, rodless cylinders have the ability to directly carry a load without the need for additional bearings and structures. Rodless cylinder variations have equal push and pull force, but higher output force than that of rod types for the same bore.

Rodless cylinders are useful in a variety of applications. For long-stroke applications, rodless cylinders are ideal because they are protected from bending, piston binding, and uneven seal wear. Rodless cylinders can also be used for material handling, lifting/loading, conveyors, feeding, cutting, spraying equipment, and many other applications.