--- title: HydraForce Insider Blog | post compensated hydraulic systems description: post compensated hydraulic systems | Our hydraulic valve blog features cartridge valve application tips, circuit techniques, and industry trends. --- [![logo-1](https://info.hydraforce.com/hs-fs/hub/84685/file-1401344043.jpg)](http://www.hydraforce.com/) - [Home](http://www.hydraforce.com/) - [Contact Us](http://www.hydraforce.com/About_HF/global_locations.html) - [Careers](http://www.hydraforce.com/Employ/Emp-World.htm) - [News](http://www.hydraforce.com/News/Newprds.htm) - [Find Valve by Model No.](http://www.hydraforce.com/Modelnos.htm) # HydraForce Insider Blog ## [Weighing the Benefits of Pre- and Post- Style Pressure Compensators](https://info.hydraforce.com/hydraforceinsiderblog/bid/36688/Weighing-the-Benefits-of-Pre-and-Post-Style-Pressure-Compensators) Posted by [David Price](https://info.hydraforce.com/hydraforceinsiderblog/author/david-price) on Thu, Mar 10, 2011 @ 08:03 AM - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) | ### A [pressure compensator](http://www.hydraforce.com/Flowcont/Fcpc.htm) maintains a constant pressure drop across a metering device regardless of the load induced pressure on the function. There are only two types of compensation methods used in hydraulic flow control functions. These are pre- and post-style compensation. Pre and Post refer to the position of the pressure compensating element relative to the metering element. A pre-style pressure compensator is positioned upstream of the metering element (a proportional valve) and a post-compensator is positioned downstream of the metering element. There is also a sub-category of these, which adds load sharing (this is sometimes called flow sharing). Using current cartridge valve technology, load sharing is limited to post-compensation circuits. | ![Tesla](http://www.hydraforce.com/HFinsider/Pre_or_Post-Comp/Weighing_pre-post-comp_sml.jpg) | | --- | --- | [Read More](https://info.hydraforce.com/hydraforceinsiderblog/bid/36688/Weighing-the-Benefits-of-Pre-and-Post-Style-Pressure-Compensators) 0 Comments [Click here to read/write comments](https://info.hydraforce.com/hydraforceinsiderblog/bid/36688/Weighing-the-Benefits-of-Pre-and-Post-Style-Pressure-Compensators#comments-listing) Tags: [cartridge valves](https://info.hydraforce.com/hydraforceinsiderblog/topic/cartridge-valves), [proportional valves](https://info.hydraforce.com/hydraforceinsiderblog/topic/proportional-valves), [pressure control valve](https://info.hydraforce.com/hydraforceinsiderblog/topic/pressure-control-valve), [directional control valve](https://info.hydraforce.com/hydraforceinsiderblog/topic/directional-control-valve), [hydraulic cartridge valves](https://info.hydraforce.com/hydraforceinsiderblog/topic/hydraulic-cartridge-valves), [pressure compensators](https://info.hydraforce.com/hydraforceinsiderblog/topic/pressure-compensators), [pressure compensation](https://info.hydraforce.com/hydraforceinsiderblog/topic/pressure-compensation), [Piloted](https://info.hydraforce.com/hydraforceinsiderblog/topic/piloted), [Spool-Type Logic Element](https://info.hydraforce.com/hydraforceinsiderblog/topic/spool-type-logic-element), [proportional directional valves](https://info.hydraforce.com/hydraforceinsiderblog/topic/proportional-directional-valves), [pre-compensated hydraulic systems](https://info.hydraforce.com/hydraforceinsiderblog/topic/pre-compensated-hydraulic-systems), [post compensated hydraulic systems](https://info.hydraforce.com/hydraforceinsiderblog/topic/post-compensated-hydraulic-systems) [All posts](https://info.hydraforce.com/hydraforceinsiderblog/all) ### Subscribe by Email ### Other related info [![Sign up for Product news.](https://info.hydraforce.com/hs-fs/images/C--Documents%20and%20Settings-dp2-Desktop-Email-Signup-resized-156.jpg?width=171&height=72&name=C--Documents%20and%20Settings-dp2-Desktop-Email-Signup-resized-156.jpg)](https://info.hydraforce.com/HydraForceProductUpdates/) [![describe the image](https://info.hydraforce.com/hs-fs/images/k--sales-training-image%20library-request%20a%20catalog_2-resized-156.jpg?width=172&height=152&name=k--sales-training-image%20library-request%20a%20catalog_2-resized-156.jpg)](http://www.hydraforceleads.com/form/catalogForm.php) [![describe the image](https://info.hydraforce.com/hs-fs/images/K--SALES-TRAINING-Image%20Library-Download%20a%20copy%20of%20i-Design-resized-156.jpg?width=176&height=152&name=K--SALES-TRAINING-Image%20Library-Download%20a%20copy%20of%20i-Design-resized-156.jpg)](https://info.hydraforce.com/download-your-free-copy-of-i-design-v3-today/) [![K SALES TRAINING Image Library Custom Manifold Consultation resized 156](https://info.hydraforce.com/hs-fs/images/K--SALES-TRAINING-Image%20Library-Custom%20Manifold%20Consultation-resized-156.jpg?width=175&height=145&name=K--SALES-TRAINING-Image%20Library-Custom%20Manifold%20Consultation-resized-156.jpg)](https://info.hydraforce.com/Free-Custom-Circuit-Consultation/) ### Follow Me ### News Ticker **[Click Here ](http://www.hydraforce.com/News/News_tickr.htm)to see the latest HydraForce News.** ### Latest Posts ### Posts by category - [cartridge valves (25)](https://info.hydraforce.com/hydraforceinsiderblog/topic/cartridge-valves) - [proportional valves (11)](https://info.hydraforce.com/hydraforceinsiderblog/topic/proportional-valves) - [pressure control valve (8)](https://info.hydraforce.com/hydraforceinsiderblog/topic/pressure-control-valve) - [HydraForce (7)](https://info.hydraforce.com/hydraforceinsiderblog/topic/hydraforce) - [manifold design (7)](https://info.hydraforce.com/hydraforceinsiderblog/topic/manifold-design) ### OTHER RELATED INFO [![describe the image](https://info.hydraforce.com/hs-fs/images/k--sales-training-image%20library-request%20a%20catalog_2-resized-156.jpg?width=172&height=152&name=k--sales-training-image%20library-request%20a%20catalog_2-resized-156.jpg)](http://www.hydraforceleads.com/form/catalogForm.php) [![describe the image](https://info.hydraforce.com/hs-fs/images/K--SALES-TRAINING-Image%20Library-Download%20a%20copy%20of%20i-Design-resized-156.jpg?width=176&height=152&name=K--SALES-TRAINING-Image%20Library-Download%20a%20copy%20of%20i-Design-resized-156.jpg)](https://info.hydraforce.com/download-your-free-copy-of-i-design-v3-today/) [![K SALES TRAINING Image Library Custom Manifold Consultation resized 156](https://info.hydraforce.com/hs-fs/images/K--SALES-TRAINING-Image%20Library-Custom%20Manifold%20Consultation-resized-156.jpg?width=175&height=145&name=K--SALES-TRAINING-Image%20Library-Custom%20Manifold%20Consultation-resized-156.jpg)](https://info.hydraforce.com/Free-Custom-Circuit-Consultation/)