Our hydraulic blog features cartridge valve application tips, circuit techniques, and industry news.
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Common Uses for Load Sensing Priority Valves |
There are many uses for Load Sense Priority Valves. Generally, they are used to provide priority flow or pressure to certain components depending upon need. In this post, I will discuss various common ways to utilize these versatile valves, including examples of combined steering and lift circuits, combining a manual valve with a priority valve, and a pressure control.
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Leveraging Proportional Technology |
Are you ready for Proportional Valve Control but many of your customers aren't? There is some pretty slick new technology that can make most equipment more efficient, safer, lighter, smaller, and even greener, but getting the end users and industries to adapt is quite another issue. Manual levers may never completely go away, but for those of you building equipment that is already electro-hydraulic, moving from on/off to proportional can be quite simple.
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Coils Get Hot |
Besides pressure, flow rate and pressure drop considerations, there is another important variable to consider when choosing the proper components to optimize your electro-hydraulic system. This parameter is the temperature of the coils. By understanding the duty cycle of your coil, and its impact on coil temperature, you can better protect your machine from undesired failures such as shortened coil life and lack of valve responsiveness.
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Cause and Effect: |
In the case of an integrated hydraulic circuit, the smaller, the better. Among the many benefits of a made-to-order block is the ability to achieve a smaller size through a more intelligent design. In this post I will discuss the common pricing modifiers that will affect the cost of a hydraulic manifold.
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Weighing the Benefits |
Pressure compensators maintain a constant pressure drop regardless of the load-induced pressure on the function. The are only two types of compensation methods used in hydraulic flow control functions: Pre- and Post-style. Given the many nuances of designing a hydraulic system, the tricky part is knowing when to apply which style of compensator. Here are a couple of guidelines on the advantages and disadvantages of each . . .
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“Multi-Purpose” Heroes in Disguise:
10 Ways You Can Apply Spool-Type
Logic Valves
by Scott Parker
Someone recently joked with me that I’ve never created a circuit that didn’t have at least one Logic Valve in it. After thinking about this for a while, I started to think about all the different ways we use spool-type logic valves in our cartridge valve circuits. Continue reading for some tips on applying spool-type logic valves . . .
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Diagnosing Polarity Issues |
In some very rare cases, certain system criteria may have an impact on the shifting of dual-coil, 3-position, 4-way and 5-way valves. If your valve is shifting slowly, sluggishly, or in extreme cases, not at all, there may be a very simple solution. Keep reading to learn a few tricks that will help you diagnosis your system.
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The “Lee Iacocca of the Hydraulics Industry”: HydraForce turns 25 years old. |
For over 25 years, HydraForce has produced the highest quality cartridge valves in the industry while providing exemplary customer service. For the 25th anniversary of HydraForce, we decided to interview our Founder and President, Jim Brizzolara, CFO Joe Reifenberg, and VP of Sales and Marketing, Tony Casale to get a history lesson on what it took to succeed in this market, and what they see in the future for HydraForce.
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Mixed Nuts: Improper Torquing |
Over-zealous and improper torquing is one of the more common start-up or post-service issues. However, these issues can be easily prevented by following a couple of general rules and guidelines.
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The Easy way to create a 3D Manifold model |
Often times, when manifold designers download 3D cavity models for use in their CAD/3D modeling software, they recreate it in 2D format in order to generate a usable 3D model. This process is time consuming, and it involves several unnecessary steps. Cut out the middle man and avoid rework by following our recommendation for creating a 3D drawing from a 2D DXF file.
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Optimizing Orifices in a Cartridge Valve Manifold |
The proper performance of a hydraulic system is usually attributed to major components such as the motor, pump and valves. However, there is another unsung component that contributes equally to a system's overall performance: the orifice. In a cartridge valve manifold, you start with a blank sheet of paper, so it is important to know where and when an orifice can change the performance of your system.
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Proportional Valve Drivers in the Hot Seat |
How many times have you dialed in your Valve Driver to perfection only to find everything out of whack the next time you use the machine? If this sounds familiar, then you have probably experienced the effects of temperature-induced coil variations coupled with the use of a Voltage Controller that lacks current feedback.
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Three Often-Overlooked Benefits |
Most people are aware of the common benefits of cartridge valves. However, there are several key benefits routinely overlooked or misunderstood throughout the industry. HydraForce has gone to great lengths to innovate cartridge valve technology. Let’s talk about the benefits that go along with these improvements.
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Daniel Bernoulli: Friend or Foe??? |
The Bernoulli Principle has various influences on the proper operation of a Solenoid Operated cartridge valve in your system. Following these general rules of thumb can help you avoid the headaches of improper design and aid you in the development of your machine.
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Cleanliness is next to Goodliness |
It is a well-known fact that particle contamination reduces the service life of hydraulic components. In his book, Charlie Papazian emphasizes that “Cleanliness is next to Goodliness”, which applies to hydraulic fluid. Goodliness in this case is not the flavor of the hydraulic fluid; instead it is the trouble-free operation of a clean hydraulic system.
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Proper Sizing of Sense Valves Prevents Poor Performance in a Load Sensing Type System |
System performance can suffer when under-sized sensing valves are used in a load sensing circuit. Proper sizing of the load sensing components can avoid having to turn up the pump compensator, or changing out to a heavier spring, in your by-pass compensator.
More articles coming soon. Check back often.
Disclaimer: Nothing in this document constitutes an implied warranty of merchantability or of fitness for a particular purpose. The information contained in this document is provided for technical illustration purposes only and may not be used as a statement of suitability for use in any particular application. Each application is unique and prospective purchasers should conduct their own tests and studies to determine the fitness of HydraForce’s products for their particular purposes and specific applications.
