Valves & Manifolds

By Jeremy Beale The recent article, Design Concepts for Open-Circuit Architectures, discussed some options for power-limiting circuits. Now let’s consider flow amplification. One approach for reducing valve size and losses is to amplify flow between the directional valve and cylinder. Conceptually, a flow divider is used as a “step-down” transformer, using energy from a high-pressure…

For simple and inexpensive control of a proportional valve, Wandfluh, based in Frutigen, Switzerland, has developed the PD3 digital amplifier electronics unit. The device can mount directly on a solenoid coil or connect to a standard solenoid coil with a cable. The product has a standardized IO-Link interface. It permits digital communication, transmitting operating parameters,…

By Jeremy Beale A common problem in industrial hydraulics is the “high-low” cylinder application. It consists of two operating conditions. The first is a low-pressure, high-flow stage. The second is a high-pressure, low-flow stage. A typical example is the compacting cylinder used in recycling machines. As this cylinder extends, pressure slowly builds due to the…

Leslie Controls, a CIRCOR International brand. features Aeroflow High Performance Control Valves. The Aeroflow line integrates state-of-the-art aerodynamic/hydrodynamic flow design, “smart” valve technology, and a modular design concept to deliver one of the most accurate and reliable valves in the world. Aeroflow valves are ideal in combination with desuperheating systems and for power plant, industrial,…

Josh Cosford continues his series on hydraulic symbology, here with an in-depth look at flow control valves, See the rest here. By Josh Cosford, Contributing Editor The words flow control valves broadly describe any hydraulic component capable of diminishing fluid volume downstream of itself relative to upstream. It goes without saying a flow control valve…

The DCHP163 series from Doering is a cartridge-style hydraulic hand pump that offers twice the performance of comparable cartridge style hand pumps. It is perfect for primary, backup, emergency power, parking brakes for heavy equipment, and hydrostatic testing applications. This double-acting, high-pressure manual pump is designed for use with many fluid types including water glycol.…

Moog has received certification according to NEC 505 from FM Approvals for its full line of Digital Control Servo Valve products including the D636K to D639K, D671K to D675K and D941K to D945K series, which customers can use with onshore and offshore oil and gas drill rigs. This product family also holds the ATEX and…

By Josh Cosford, Contributing Editor Solenoid valves are electrically activated valves, typically used to control the flow or direction of air or liquid in fluid power systems. Used in both pneumatic and hydraulic fluid power functions, the spool or poppet design of most solenoid valves makes them perfect for various functions and applications. The spool…

Stainless steel ball valves from DMIC are available in a flexible size range. Its stainless steel ball valves in the BVH, BVAH, and BVHS series have had recent  product improvements to its stainless steel locking mechanism and handle. Standard crank handles are now made of 300 series stainless steel instead of zinc plated carbon steel.…

As far as directional valves go, the check valve is the simplest in both concept and function. They are designed to allow flow in one direction while blocking flow in the opposing direction — that’s it. Some valves get more complicated, such as the pilot-operated check valve, but the one most commonly used as a…

In Hydraulic Symbology 101 (read it here first), I covered the basic square used for pressure valves and also showed the most stripped-down versions of the two most commonly used pressure valve symbols, the relief valve and the pressure reducing valve. In this edition of Hydraulic Symbology, I’m going to cover the four primary pressure…

NIV series gradient valves feature multiple 2-Way, Normally-Closed solenoids connected around a central body. This unique design provides significant reduction in internal volume with enhanced mixing capabilities. Each actuator operates independently, allowing for flow of various media to be mixed or for one media to be split into multiple streams. These multi-channel gradient valves are…

This article is the third in my series on hydraulic symbology, this time going beyond the basics to discuss symbols in higher detail. If you haven’t read Hydraulic Symbology 101 and Hydraulic Symbology 102, please click the links and read them first to gain the basics required for this article. If your basics are sound,…

Winches are used for many applications on vessels both large and small, such as anchor hoisting, mooring of the vessel, and subsequent holding of the ship against the quay. To this end, Bosch Rexroth introduced the HIWCB, a control block developed specifically for high-pressure hydraulic winches, intended for deck mounting. Its modular design enables interoperability…

Moog has launched a new version of the D680 Series proportional valve. Its D680 series proportional valves are throttle valves for 2-, 3-, 4- and 5- way applications, suitable for electrohydraulic position, velocity, flow and force control in hydraulic systems. The D680 product range has integrated electronics, and is suitable for applications with high dynamic…

Power management company Eaton today announced the advancement of its AxisPro industrial valve platform, including new two-stage valve offerings and release of its all new Pro-FX Configure software. The latest capabilities are designed to offer ease of configuration, enriched user flexibility, enhanced reliability and improved diagnostics to a wider range of industrial machinery. Eaton’s AxisPro…

Marotta Controls has launched CoRe Flow Controls, a new series of commercially available, high-performance solenoid valves for today’s NewSpace generation of reusable launch vehicles. This new series enables system designers to quickly move through the development phase with minimal risk, and its versatility allows for integration into a wide variety of critical applications, including pressurization…

When developing a hydraulic system, selecting the proper valves is critical. But it’s only one small step in a much larger process. To help us gain some insight into best practices for valve selection and overall hydraulic system design, we spoke with Deltrol Corp. Director of Sales, Rick Guidish. The following is a Q&A edited…

Latching solenoid valve requires only a momentary pulse to switch to and remain in state, thanks to the incorporation of permanent magnets into the coil design. Design results in dramatic reduction of overall power consumption and heat generation. Suitable for battery-powered systems. Both 2- and 3-way designs are offered, and operating pressure is 3,000 psi.…

Elwood Corp. will be showcasing its ISO-Lock valve at this year’s Fluid Power Technology Conference at the Milwaukee School of Engineering. Attendees can learn more about this safety device at Elwood’s booth throughout the event. Elwood’s ISO-Lock valve was developed to lower the amount of disruption caused by full system shutdown in order to repair valve…

Wandfluh has completely reworked its range of NG10 spool valves and has launched a new portfolio of high-performance products onto the market. They feature an optimized cast body, which has improved performance-to-weight ratio, ΔP values, and maximum flow. Direct-operated valves The range is based on a cast body design, which is used both for direct-operated…

The Lee Company’s new 2-way Piloting Solenoid Valve draws on the design elements of our ultra compact and field proven 3-way valve and provides a simplified flow path for applications requiring only two ports. The incorporation of our MultiSeal radically simplifies port layout, offers significant space savings, reduces machining costs and provides superior reliability over…

By Linda Caron Global Product Manager, Factory Automation Pneumatic Div. Parker Hannifin Corp. As more companies increase their focus on machine safety, design engineers need a firm understanding of the Machinery Directive and how to comply with required safety levels. Installing a pneumatic safety exhaust valve can be a simple and cost-effective way to accomplish…

Muncie Power Products has expanded its valve line with a new post-compensated, sectional, load-sense valve—the L125. A 33 gpm nominal flow rate valve, the L125’s inlet is capable of a maximum of 40 gpm and its work sections a maximum of 26.4 gpm. The L125 features good flow sharing parameters and multiple spool flow options. […]

Contributed by Adrian Feuz, Wandfluh AG In industrial applications, a superordinate PLC often takes on the coordination of processes and the control of individual components. With hydraulic functions, for example, position control of a hydraulic axis or pressure control of clamping or pressing actions are controlled by the PLC and corresponding electronics. In this case, […]