In which arrangement does retraction speed become slower by restricting exhaust?

• A. Meter-in
• B. A shuttle valve
• C. Meter-out
• D. An exhaust restrictor

Answer: (C)

Speed in a pneumatic cylinder is set by how easily air can move into and out of the chambers. For retraction, air is pumped into the rod end and must exit from the opposite side. If that exhaust path is restricted, air can’t leave quickly, creating back pressure that slows the retraction motion. That’s why metering the exhaust—meter-out control—is the arrangement that makes retraction slower by restricting exhaust.

Meter-in would slow extension by restricting incoming air, not retraction. A shuttle valve shifts between sources and doesn’t directly control speed via exhaust. An exhaust restrictor is the component conceptually doing the restriction, but the control arrangement described here is the meter-out setup.