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Automotive Lift Repair Tampa Florida | All About Electronic Valves

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What Are Directional Control Valves and How Are They Used?

Directional control valves manage the flow of hydraulic oil by directing it through various paths from one or more sources. They ensure the oil follows a predetermined route, typically controlled by a spool within the valve body that either permits or restricts flow, depending on its movement. This is how these valves get their name—directional control valves.

Types of Automotive Lift Repair Tampa Florida Directional Control Valves:

1. Hydraulic Check Valves – These are the simplest and most commonly used directional control valves in hydraulic systems. They allow fluid to flow freely in one direction while preventing it from flowing in the opposite direction. 

2. Directional Spool Valves – These valves feature a moving spool inside the valve body. The spool is actuated by a force, which connects or disconnects channels within the valve housing.

Types of Power for Automotive Lift Repair Tampa Florida Directional Control Valves:

1. Manual – Operated by levers or paddles that the operator moves manually.

2. Mechanical – Use cams, wheels, rollers, and other mechanisms to apply force, which makes them prone to wear over time.

3. Hydraulic – Operate under higher pressures compared to pneumatic valves.

4. Solenoid – Common in the hydraulics industry, these valves use electromechanical solenoids to slide the spool.

Valve Function

The function of a valve describes the number of flow paths it has and the positions it can assume. The flow paths, also known as ports, are referred to as “ways” in the valve function, while the number of positions indicates the various states the valve can occupy.

2/2 Valves

A typical example is a ball valve, which has two ports (inlet and outlet) and two positions (open or closed).

3/2 Valves

A 3-way, 2-position valve is termed a 3/2 valve. An example is the pilot valve, such as the E310A-1W012 from Clippard. This valve sends a pressure signal when actuated and exhausts it when de-actuated. It features 3 ways (supply, output, and exhaust) and 2 positions (closed—pressure blocked with the outlet vented to atmosphere, or open—pressure connected to outlet with the exhaust blocked).

4/2 Valves

A 4-way, 2-position valve, or 4/2 valve, is commonly used in double-acting cylinder applications. It supplies pressure to one side of the cylinder while venting the opposite side to the atmosphere.

5/2 Valves

A 5-way valve operates similarly to a 4/2 valve but includes separate exhaust paths for each output port. This is often referred to as a fully ported four-way valve, which allows specific control over the exhaust paths for extending and retracting. While some manufacturers might not differentiate between 5/2 and 4/2 valves, understanding these distinctions can be crucial for specific applications.

6/2 Valves

Less common but used in specific applications, a 6-way valve functions like two 3-way valves combined within a single unit. It is ideal for applications requiring fail-safe features, ensuring both valves actuate simultaneously.

3-Position Valves

Some Automotive Lift Repair Tampa Florida valves have 3 positions, allowing all ports to be either blocked or open to the atmosphere. These can be electronic or manually controlled valves with a spring-centered design. Though not very common, they are used for particular applications, such as locking a cylinder in a specific position or opening paths to the atmosphere for manual or mechanical positioning.

Valve Porting

Automotive Lift Repair Tampa Florida Valve porting refers to how ports are utilized and the direction of flow through the valve in various positions. Key aspects include:

1. Fully Ported – A “fully ported” valve allows all ports to be physically connected or plumbed. This does not imply that all ports are threaded, but it means the flow path can be accessed via a specific method rather than a simple vent hole. Fully ported valves are ideal for applications requiring complete media routing, such as clean rooms. For example, Clippard’s ET-2-12 is considered fully ported as it has threaded ports, while the ET-3-12 is not fully ported due to its exhaust path being vented through holes in the valve cap.

2. Bi-Directional – A bi-directional valve, or bi-stable valve in Europe, is a 2/2 valve that functions regardless of which port is the inlet or outlet. An example is a common ball valve, which operates equally well in either direction. In contrast, a check valve only permits flow in a single direction.

3. Universally Ported – A universally ported valve, with more than two ports, can be fully ported and bi-directional. For instance, a 3-way universally ported valve can be configured for multiple functions, such as 3/2 normally-closed or 2/2 normally-open. Not all fully ported 3/2 valves are universally ported.

Automotive Lift Repair Tampa Florida Electronic Valve Actuation Types

Actuation determines how a valve shifts between positions, and there are two popular types:

1. Direct Acting – Direct acting valves have a straightforward design, where the actuation directly translates to a change in valve position, typically using a magnetic coil. Clippard’s EV Series valves are direct acting, offering benefits like no minimum pressure requirements, fast response times, and durability due to fewer moving parts. An example is the Clippard EVO-3-12, a universally ported valve that operates with low pressure.

2. Pressure Assisted – Pressure assisted valves are commonly used in automation, relying on the supplied pressure to assist with actuation. They require less electrical power because the pressurized media helps shift the valve. While they are efficient in flow and pressure applications, they need a minimum pressure and don’t offer universal porting unless the pilot pressure is externally applied. An example is the Clippard Maximatic MME-41PES-D012, which uses pressure to shift the spool when the coil is energized.

Understanding the various fluid power technologies is crucial for designing efficient, cost-effective, and energy-saving systems. Historically, traditional hydraulic systems relied almost exclusively on directional control valves.

These Automotive Lift Repair Tampa Florida directional valves, often called “switching” or “bang-bang” valves, manage flow direction, volume, and pressure. They can be operated with either AC or DC power.

 Automotive Lift Repair Tampa Florida Proportional Valves

To address the complexity of such circuits, proportional valves have been developed. These advanced valves offer infinite spool positioning, allowing for continuously adjustable flow volumes. They use either stroke-controlled or force-controlled solenoids for precise spool positioning.

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