Craft Your Control: Choosing the Right Custom Valve Manufacturer

From oil and gas to pharmaceuticals, custom valves are used in many industries that require specialized solutions for fluids and gases with very specific temperature, pressure, or flow requirements.

Engineers and designers prefer customized valves because they offer tailored solutions without compromising system performance, efficiency, or durability.

What's the key to a custom valve solution? It lies in the design and manufacturing process.

While basic “off-the-shelf” valves are nothing new, customizing valve components—like actuators, seals, and body materials—offers system designers and integrators an edge. 

Due to the variety of operating environments and fluid characteristics, each component in a custom valve can be tailored to improve performance, longevity, and compatibility. Let's explore what to look for when choosing a custom valve manufacturer.

The Basics of a Custom Valve

A valve is a mechanical device that regulates, directs, or controls the flow of fluids (liquids, gases, slurries) by opening, closing, or partially blocking multiple passageways. In industrial processes, valves play an important role in piping systems—they’re necessary components that provide control over the flow of fluids or gases.

The basic function of a valve is to control the flow and pressure within a system. They achieve this by manipulating the medium's passage through the device. A valve can: 

1. Stop flow altogether
2. Allow flow in one direction
3. Regulate flow rate or pressure
4. Throttle flow, depending on the design.

One of the most common examples is the water faucet. Industrial applications often use valves to manage the release of heated gas pressure, like steam in a power plant, or to control the dispensing of chemicals in a pharmaceutical production line.

Valves can be manually operated or, alternatively, automated using electromagnetic, hydraulic, pneumatic, or mechanical actuators to open or close valves. The choice of operation depends on how accurate, safe, and efficient it needs to be for the specific use.

The valves' adaptability and practicality make them essential components, guaranteeing the secure and effective operation of piping and fluid control systems.

Related Resource: Valve Manufacturing 101: An In-Depth Guide

Valves come in different designs, each tailored to specific applications and operational needs. By understanding the distinct features and benefits of each type of valve, engineers can ensure the longevity and reliability of their systems and select the most suitable one for their needs. The most commonly used valves in industrial applications include:

• Ball Valves: These valves use a spherical disc to control fluid flow. With a hole through its center, the ball rotates to allow or block flow. Ball valves are known for their durability, good sealing properties, and quick operation, making them ideal for shutoff applications. They are most commonly used in the HVAC industry.
• Gate Valves: Featuring a sliding gate that opens to allow flow and closes to block it, gate valves are often used in applications where a straight-line flow of fluid and minimal restriction are desired. They are not suitable for regulating flow due to the potential for damage when partially open.
• Check Valves: This type of valve allows fluid to flow in only one direction and automatically prevents backflow. It operates without human intervention, making it invaluable for systems where backflow could cause damage or contamination. It is most commonly used in the HVAC industry.
• Globe Valves: Ideal for throttling purposes, globe valves have a movable disk-type element and a stationary ring seat in a spherical body. They provide precise flow control and are widely used in industries requiring regular fluid flow modulation.
• Butterfly Valves: Butterfly valves, which utilize a rotating disc to allow, block, or regulate flow, are compact and lightweight. They offer quick operation and are often used in large-scale applications like water distribution and treatment facilities. They are most commonly used in the HVAC industry.
• Diaphragm Valves: Suitable for corrosive or viscous fluids, diaphragm valves use a flexible diaphragm to regulate flow. Due to their sanitary design and ease of cleaning, these valves are commonly seen in the pharmaceutical and food industries.
  
  

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[Overview] The Steps in Custom Valve Manufacturing

Custom valve manufacturing is a careful process that ensures each valve meets the specific requirements of its intended application. As an engineer, when selecting a custom valve manufacturer for your upcoming valve project, consider following these four steps to guide your decision-making process:

1. Design Process
2. Material Selection
3. Production 
4. Quality Control
   
   

1. Design Process

• Initial Consultation: Collaboration begins with awareness of the client's needs, including the operating environment, fluid characteristics, and desired valve performance.
• Conceptual Design: Engineers develop preliminary designs based on the specifications gathered, focusing on essential parameters such as flow rate, pressure relief ratings, and temperature ranges.
• Detailed Design: Using advanced CAD software, the initial concepts are refined into detailed engineering drawings. This step includes simulations to predict performance under various conditions.
  
  

2. Material Selection

• Base Materials: Choosing materials for the valve body and internal components is essential when selecting your project. Materials are chosen based on their strength, corrosion resistance, and compatibility with the operating medium. Common materials include:
  • Stainless steel
  • Brass
  • Plastics
  • Exotic alloys
• Seals and Gaskets: Materials for seals and gaskets are chosen to ensure leak-tight performance and durability. Options include PTFE, elastomers, and advanced composites. It is essential to check with a pressure relief manufacturer to ensure there are no leaks due to different water pressure levels.
• Actuators and Controls: Depending on the level of automation required, various actuators (pneumatic, electric, hydraulic) and control systems are specified to optimize valve operation and responsiveness.
  
  

3. Production Methods

• Fabrication: Components are manufactured using precision machining, casting, or forging techniques. Advanced manufacturing processes like CNC machining ensure high accuracy and repeatability.
• Assembly: All components are meticulously assembled by skilled technicians, following strict procedural guidelines to ensure proper fit and function.
• Surface Treatment and Coating: To enhance durability and performance, valves may undergo treatments such as anodizing, galvanizing, or applying specialized coatings.
  
  

4. Quality Control 

• Inspection: Every custom valve should undergo rigorous inspection at various stages of production. This includes dimensional checks, material verification, and surface quality assessments.
• Testing: Comprehensive testing such as hydrostatic pressure relief tests, leak tests, and operational cycling is conducted to validate performance under real-world conditions. Typically, a pressure relief manufacturer performs these tests. 
• Certification: The pressure relief manufacturer certifies valves to meet industry standards and client-specific requirements, ensuring compliance with regulations and exceeding performance expectations.

Custom valve manufacturers can create solutions that perfectly meet the needs of industrial applications, covering everything needed for running smoothly and efficiently and lasting a long time.

Testing Applications and Validation Methods

To ensure that valves can handle the harshness of the application, manufacturers use various testing and validation methods. These include:

• Hydrostatic pressure tests: These tests assess the valve's ability to withstand high-pressure fluids by applying a pressure greater than its maximum operating pressure. This ensures that the valve can handle the extreme pressure and its conditions without compromising its integrity and pressure relief valve materials.
• Leak tests: This test verifies the integrity of seals and gaskets under various conditions, including pressure, temperature, and vibration. They help identify potential leakage paths and ensure that the valve maintains a tight seal, preventing fluid leakage and contamination that the materials can withstand.
• Operational cycling tests: Operational cycling tests evaluate the valve's performance over extended periods of use. These tests simulate real-world operating conditions, such as repeated opening and closing cycles, to ensure that the valve can withstand the demands of continuous operation.
• Material compatibility testing: Material compatibility testing ensures that the valve components are designed for handling the fluid. This testing involves exposing the valve materials to the fluid under various conditions to assess potential chemical reactions or degradation. By ensuring material compatibility, manufacturers can prevent corrosion, erosion, and other material failures.
  
  

Valve Materials

Selecting suitable materials for valve manufacturing is essential to ensure valves' durability, reliability, and performance in various operational conditions. The most common materials used for check valve components, along with their fundamental properties and the specific operational requirements they meet, are:

Focusing on Custom, Niche Applications in Custom Valve Manufacturing,

The demand for custom valves for niche applications is growing exponentially. These valves often require specialized materials, innovative designs, and rigorous testing protocols to meet the unique challenges of their intended environments:

Aerospace Industry: Aerospace applications demand valves that can withstand extreme temperatures, high pressures, and intense vibrational forces, all while maintaining minimal weight. Custom valves in aviation and space exploration are engineered precisely to meet these stringent requirements, ensuring performance and safety. For example, fuel control valves in jet engines must operate flawlessly under varying pressure and temperature conditions to prevent catastrophic failure.

Deep-Sea Exploration: Valves used in deep-sea environments must endure high pressures and corrosive conditions due to saltwater exposure. Custom valves designed for submersibles and underwater robots are crafted from materials that resist fatigue and corrosion, ensuring reliability at great ocean depths. These valves play a critical role in scientific research and underwater resource extraction, where failure is not an option.

Semiconductor Manufacturing: The semiconductor industry requires ultra-high purity valves to prevent contamination in producing microchips and electronic components. Custom valves used in semiconductor fabrication are engineered to precise tolerances, utilizing materials that prevent chemical interactions and particulate release. This ensures that the manufacturing process remains uncontaminated, preserving the integrity of sensitive electronic devices.

Nuclear Industry: Valves in nuclear power plants must handle radioactive fluids and operate under high radiation and temperature conditions. Custom-manufactured valves for the nuclear industry are designed to provide leak-proof performance and withstand radiation-induced material degradation. The stakes are high, and these valves ensure safe operation and containment of hazardous substances.

Pharmaceutical and Food Industries: Valves in these sectors must meet stringent sanitary standards to prevent contamination and ensure product integrity. Custom valve solutions designed for pharmaceutical and food processing applications often feature easy-to-clean designs and materials that resist the buildup of bacteria and biofilms. This ensures compliance with health regulations and guarantees that products are safe for consumption.

Custom valve manufacturing addresses these and other niche applications' unique needs through meticulous design, material selection, and testing. By tailoring valves to the specific demands of each industry, manufacturers can provide reliable, efficient, and safe solutions that standard valves cannot match.

Elevate Your Operations: Partner with a Custom Valve Manufacturer

In the correct application and with the right expertise, choosing the proper custom valve manufacturer can be the perfect solution for optimizing efficiency, enhancing performance, and achieving long-term cost savings. 

What's more, partnering with a custom valve manufacturer allows you to tailor the valve to your specific requirements, a level of precision not possible with off-the-shelf options.

In the Market for a Custom Valve?

Contact us today to see if we can be a match.