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Producing near-perfect fluid check valves

Aug. 1, 2003
VALVE MANUFACTURERS CAN NOW inspect parts during assembly rather than after thanks to an electromechanical assembly press (EMAP) from Promess Inc., Brighton, Mich. The process lets check-valve companies make nearperfect valves at ±2-psi tolerances.

According to Promess, its electromechanical assembly press produces check valves with ±2-psi tolerances.

VALVE MANUFACTURERS CAN NOW inspect parts during assembly rather than after thanks to an electromechanical assembly press (EMAP) from Promess Inc., Brighton, Mich. The process lets check-valve companies make nearperfect valves at ±2-psi tolerances.

EMAP uses no pneumatics or hydraulics — instead, press motion is initiated by a servomotor and ballscrew. A computer monitors ram position and pressing force and accepts data from additional monitoring devices. To make a check valve, the EMAP is equipped with an attachment that pumps fluid through the valve at 1.2 liter/min while it is in the press.

Sensors relay information on fluid flow and valve-release pressure to the EMAP's controller. While the valve is assembled, the system monitors the valve-release pressure. To compensate for variations in the valve components that affect release pressure, EMAP compresses the ring inside the valve to increase its resistance. It uses a press-measurepress cycle to force the insert into the valve body until it reaches the targetrelease pressure of 1,000 psi.