Spartan Scientific, a manufacturer of high-quality fluid & pneumatic automation components, releases a newly engineered addition to its media-separated valve offerings. Manufactured with all-stainless steel working components along with a glass-filled nylon valve body, the 4DKR provides controlled flow in applications that require a separation of media flow within a direct-acting valve. The Series 4DKR […]

Learn how three manifold designs — the common hydraulic integrated circuit, stackable bar designs, and simple passageways for pressure or return — are manufactured for hydraulic designs. By Josh Cosford, Contributing Editor When discussing manifolds, your mind will go to one of two places — bar manifolds with sandwich valves mounted atop or integrated circuits with a…

A vertical 20-in. bore cylinder press with a logic valve setup started drifting down in the neutral position. Unfortunately, many technicians are not familiar with the schematics of how logic valves work. I always tell people that if they are piloted with a small directional valve then you should treat them like on-off valves. If…

One of my final stops at IFPE 2023 was a briefing with Gary Gotting, President & CEO, Wandfluh of America Inc., particularly about their newModifications, to and between them, can also be carried out quickly in the field. Due to the modular design, special solutions can also be created in a flexible manner. For example, […]

By Josh Cosford, Contributing Editor No matter how well engineered or manufactured, no product has infinite reliability, including hydraulic valves. Valves are critical components in hydraulic systems, responsible for controlling the flow, direction, and pressure of the hydraulic fluid circulating to transmit work. When a valve fails, it can cause system downtime, decreased productivity, and […]

HydraForce is launching its patent-pending electro-proportional boom lock valve, the EHBL, at the CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2023 show in Las Vegas as part of the International Fluid Power Exposition (IFPE). Taking place March 14-18, the valve will be on display at IFPE on HydraForce booth S80207. “We’re excited to showcase the latest in boom lock technologies,” said […]

Husco, a privately-owned company specializing in hydraulic and electro-mechanical control systems for the automotive and off-highway industries, announced that its off-highway division has been awarded $40 million in new projects to help several large global OEMs in the construction, agricultural, material handling and commercial equipment industries become automation ready. “Heavy equipment automation is growing across […]

Danfoss Power Solutions announced the launch of its SLP13 two-way two-position poppet-type solenoid valve, a low-power, low-pressure-drop solution for compact equipment. The SLP13 cartridge valve features patent-pending technology that significantly reduces power consumption while increasing flow rating, which can help original equipment manufacturers meet efficiency targets and reduce manifold size and cost. Danfoss’ SLP13 valve […]

Proportional valves are considered both flow and directional valves, to meter flow and control the direction in which flow is metered. When specifying a proportional valve for fluid power control, you need a driver to control the ramp rate and open the valve. Combining these two devices together allows you to have control flow precisely,…

Beswick miniature pinch valves are now available for 1/8-in. OD and 1/4-in. OD tubing. The PV series miniature pinch valve is designed to control fluid when it is advantageous to avoid fluid contact with mechanical components and elastomeric seals. Pinch valves achieve fluid control by clamping down on the outside diameter of the tubing in […]

Danfoss Power Solutions has introduced a counterbalance valve for its H1B bent-axis motor, expanding the motor’s application to open-circuit systems. Specifically designed for the motor, the counterbalance valve enables original equipment manufacturers to harness the benefits of the variable-speed H1B motor, including compact design and efficiency, in high-power drivetrain and winching applications while preventing overspeed […]

Contributed by Amit Patel • Senior Marketing Manager, Digital Transformation at Emerson Digital technologies along with pneumatics automation can transform a facility’s efficiency, productivity, and versatility. The digital transformation of processing and packaging operations is well underway. Manufacturers are integrating connected technologies into their operations and seeing significant results. Digital technologies have the power to […]

Moog’s new X700 Series Servo Cartridge Valves serve as robust throttle valves in electrohydraulic flow control systems, especially those requiring quick dynamic responses and high flows. Typical applications include die-casting, metal sheet forming, presses, and other heavy industrial equipment. The X700 Series Servo Cartridge Valves provide numerous advantages over other throttle valves. Their flow-optimized design […]

Helios Technologies Inc. announced this week the newest program launch from one of its operating companies, Sun Hydraulics. Developed to offer cross compatibility solutions, Sun Common cartridge valves are reliable, universal solutions for a broad variety of hydraulic systems from highly demanding applications requiring multidirectional fluid flow to simpler, lower pressure requirements. The Sun Common […]

When thinking of hazardous locations, one’s mind conjures an oil/gas drilling rig, refinery, or underground coal mine — all these locations have in the past utilized traditional pneumatics as risk reduction because they do not have a spark risk, which a solenoid’s electrical actuation requires and creates. Expanding our view of hazardous locations, we should […]

By Josh Cosford, Contributing Editor The lever-operated directional valves used to control the fore and aft movement of cylinders, or motors’ rotation, offer a performance advantage well above electric solenoid valves. Although inexpensive options are typical for either option, lever valves tend to flow more than their solenoid counterparts. In addition, because pressure and flow…

By Robert J. Sheaf, Contributing Editor I use the attached hydraulic circuit in most of my training classes to see how well the students understand what is going on when the press is in neutral, extending or retracting. The design was used by an OEM who builds several presses. One requirement this particular customer insisted…

The extreme pressures and volatile environments in oil & gas require all that hydraulics has to offer — precise control and safety at high pressures. By Josh Cosford, Contributing Editor I love the town of Ithaca in upstate New York. We discovered it years ago in a casual drive in and around the Finger Lakes.…

Flow dividers provide a unique solution to a specific problem in hydraulic applications — splitting flow while limiting its tendency to take the path of least resistance. Without a flow divider, any time you wish to split flow to two or more downstream subcircuits, the path with the lowest pressure will steal most (if not […]

Emerson has announced that its Aventics Series Advanced Valve (AV) valve system with Advanced Electronic System (AES) Profinet and Ethernet/IP is now available with preinstalled Open Platform Communications Unified Architecture (OPC UA) functionality, making it the first and only valve system to offer this directly integrated capability. The AES helps users solve interoperability challenges and […]

By Josh Cosford, Contributing Editor Environmentally friendly fluids, corrosion resistance, and fire- and explosion-proof technologies are just some of the design options necessary in offshore use. Offshore oil and gas applications are one of the most demanding environments for a machine of any name, let alone hydraulic equipment. Offshore describes the open water, of course,…

HYDAC is pleased to announce the introduction of the new HPK16SE/SF piloted directional control valve. The valve is currently available for size 16 cavities. Additional features include: Hardened body and spool for maximum service life Innovative damping features to extend service life Internal leakage less than 100 cc/min @ 3,000 psi Multiple preload pressure settings…

The new directional control valve type ROLV from HAWE Hydraulik is a directional valve and shut-off valve in one. With a CETOP 3 standard connection pattern it can be integrated directly into valve banks as a flexible control block. Connection blocks for direct pipeline installation are also available. In use, the machine designer and plant…

Pressure valves use a poppet, ball or (rarely) a spool pushed offset by a spring, and that description you’ll find accurate for nearly every pressure valve ever made. This is because a pressure valve simply resists hydraulic pressure until the force to overcome its spring rises above the value of that spring — common sense. […]

In the most traditional sense, a directional control valve simply dictates the direction of hydraulic flow in some regard. The inline check valve is generally regarded as the most basic version of a directional valve, and simply allows flow in one direction while blocking flow in the opposing direction. Their advantage lies in their simple, […]