MD_Fluid Power Monthly_: Cartridge valves offer versatility and efficiency

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The latest information on hydraulic and pneumatic motion control.

June 1, 2009

Just a week away!

Our Fluid Power Conference & Expo is just one week away in fabulous Las Vegas! This time, we're co-locating with Waste Expo on June 8-11, and will once again offer an extensive conference program with sessions on hydraulic troubleshooting, safety, servo and proportional valve installation, accumulators, cylinders, and more.

Attendees can see all exhibits in both shows, plus attend any and all Fluid Power Conference & Expo seminar sessions. The cost is only $75 for one day, and $150 for two days! Register here and click on “Non-Member Registration” to get started. (To get the $75 or $150 price, be sure to register for “Fluid Power Conference & Expo.”) For more information on the Fluid Power Conference and Expo, contact Pat Wroblesky or call (216) 931-9424. For more information on WasteExpo, contact Rita Ugianskis or call (813) 994-4654.

Also, now's your last chance to submit paper abstracts for the 7th International Conference on Fluid Power (IFK), which will be held in Aachen March 22-24, 2010. The scientific conference highlights advances in hydraulic and pneumatic drive and control systems. The theme will be “Efficiency through Fluid Power.” Papers can cover application- and technology-oriented topics, including: pneumatics, fundamentals, automation and control, mobile hydraulics and mobility, tribological contacts and fluids, stationary drives, and new applications.

Interested authors may send an abstract in English or German to: papers@ifk2010.de by June 12. Visit www.ifk2010.de for details.

- Mary C. Gannon

Articles

Web Exclusive - Avoiding and eliminating leaks in the car and car supplier industries
Finding the origins of leaks is the just the first step in permanently eliminating them. In many cases, cutting ring connections are not properly assembled, which eventually leads to slow leaks and safety issues. A tube connection system, such as the ES-4 or the new VOSS FormSQR, can achieve or exceed the mechanical characteristics of cutting ring connections and help the assembly meet required specifications. Tube forming systems simplifies installation, so even unpracticed fitters can easily use it in the field, and ensure their safety as well as that of the system.

Cartridge valves offer versatility and efficiency
Valve cartridges can be thought of as "bodyless" — valves without an integral housing — because they consist of only the internal moving elements of the valves. After a cartridge is inserted into a cavity, such as a manifold with appropriate flow passageways, the resulting valve performs like any conventional valve. Slip-in cartridges are held in the cavity by a cover plate, Figure 1; screw-in-type cartridges mate with threads in the cavity, Figure 2. Another type of insertable cartridge has circumferential grooves. After it is inserted into the cavity, it is held in place by swaging internally with a tapered pin that expands the cartridge diameter into interference contact with the bore.

Direct-acting valves

Compact, 10- and 15-mm solenoid valves are available in twoor three-way configurations, as normally open or normally closed. They are rated for flows from 0.5 to 3.0 scfm depending on the orifice size. Standard features include highly visible LED indicator light and manual override, quick response time, and multiple mounting and voltage options. They come with five connector styles.

www.clippard.com/catalog-h

Little things mean a lot in manufacturing

In specifying a transfer machine for a cylinder block machining line at General Motors’ Duramax Diesel engine plant, designers at DMAX Ltd. assumed the hydraulic power unit would be adequately sized for the job. Initially it was. However, engineering design margins and the possibility of future expansions were overlooked. So when a power unit kept overheating and shutting down the cylinder block line, they needed to solve the problem. The immediate fix turned out to be surprisingly simple, and was discovered by using an infrared (IR) thermography camera to reveal some fundamentals of heat transfer and engineering design.

Open-center valves in mobile equipment - Part 2
Standard schematic drawings provide useful construction details of hydraulic circuits and complete systems, but they do not convey even the slightest insight into proportionality. A more descriptive representation combines a schematic line drawing, such as the two figures from last month, with a cutaway drawing. A valve cutaway shows the spool and valve body parts in realistic relationship to one another, and the schematic line drawing indicates how the multiple sections within a valve stack are interconnected.

New Products

Brass fittings
Brennan Industries Inc. recently introduced its newly expanded line of brass fittings for pneumatic, hydraulic and instrumentation applications. The new line of brass fittings includes over 500 products and continues to grow. The line includes: JIC, NPT and ORB brass adapters, push-on fittings, twin ferrule and hose barb fittings. It compliments its hydraulic product lines, and now allows for service of low-pressure, pneumatic and copper tubing applications.

Flow diverters
Line of flow diverter valves from Bosch Rexroth Corp. offer flows to 60 gpm and pressures to 5000 psi. They are modular, allowing up to five additional circuits with minimal pressure drop. Zinc-plated steel bodies and IP69-rated coils withstand severe operating conditions. They are available as 3- or 6-way single valves, with the option of creating up to 14-way flows using modular diverters. Standard ports allow for electric, manual, or pilot pressure operation, and flow diverters can be positioned next to the control cylinders, making pipe connections easier and more cost-effective. Diverters provide an economical means of “multiplying” hydraulic controls by allowing an operator to select from two distinct operations under control of one directional valve.

Pressure sensors
PT4400 pressure sensor series from Turck are designed for intrinsically safe locations. They use a media isolated stainless steel diaphragm for use in pneumatic and hydraulic systems and are rated for UL/cUL 913 (CSA 157) Class I, Division 1, Groups C and D when installed with an approved barrier. Constructed without welds or O-rings, they operate in pressure ranges to 10,000 psi and burst pressure ranges to 20,000 psi. They are manufactured using MEMS (microelectromechanical systems) technology, and offer a high life cycle and high overload and burst pressure cycles.

Venturi vacuum pumps
Line of compact, air-powered single stage vacuum generators from Anver Corp. are offered in a wide range of configurations for pick-and-place applications. JB Series single-stage vacuum pumps are air-powered venturi style pumps that incorporate one-piece anodized aluminum bodies, brass internal nozzles, and achieve a 27 in.-Hg vacuum with low flow rates from 1.2 to 9 cfm. They feature an energy-saver version that has an air-supply control valve, check valve and a fast-acting switch to maintain a programmed vacuum level. They can be configured with electric or pneumatic pilots, supply and blow-off control valves, dual ports, mufflers, vacuum port extensions, gauges, and other accessories.

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UPCOMING WEBCASTS

Understanding Key Power Transmission Technologies:
Comparing Belt, Chain & Gear Drives for OEM Projects
Sponsored by Rexnord
DATE: May 28th, 2009
TIME: 2:00pm ET/11am PT

OEM design teams are under pressure to juggle technologies with specifications with the outcome always being a great new or improved product. Many of these projects have Power Transmission components at their core and the wrong technology can really hurt the end product.
Dennis Missun and Nick Derus from Rexnord have gathered information about the critical issues that need to be considered when deciding between belt, chain and gear drive technologies for applications requiring 5 lbs – 100 lbs of force.

The course will cover

Torque Density: comparing key rating systems AGMA & ISO
Application considerations: impact of thermals, friction and vibration
Basics of sizing & selection: information to right-size components
Other Project/End Customer Considerations
Live question/answer session with presenters

Click here learn more and to register!

ARCHIVED WEBCASTS AVAILABLE FOR FREE VIEWING

Click Here for a list of archived Machine Design webcasts.