Glossary · Pneumatics and hydraulics
Pneumatic valve
Also known as: Air valve
German: Pneumatikventil
In pneumatics, a pneumatic valve is a component that controls the direction, pressure or flow of compressed air in a pneumatic system, actuated manually, mechanically, pneumatically or electrically.
- Fluid power
In one sentence
A pneumatic valve controls the direction, pressure or flow of compressed air, operated manually, mechanically, by air or electrically.
Example
The machine's pneumatic valves include a soft-start valve, 5/2 solenoid valves for the cylinders and throttle-check valves for speed control.
How it applies
- Engineering: Valves are chosen by function, flow rate (often given as a standard nominal flow or C value), actuation and mounting. Safety-related valves with monitoring exist for safety functions.
- Commissioning: The pneumatic circuit is checked against the diagram, including behavior on de-energizing.
- Maintenance: Contaminated or wet air is the main cause of valve malfunction.
- Documentation: Provide the pneumatic circuit diagram (ISO 1219-1 symbols) with component labels matching the labels on the machine. For each actuator, state behavior on loss of power or air. Don't present a standard valve as a safety component unless it is designed and used as one.
Pneumatic valve vs. hydraulic valve
Both follow the same functional categories, but hydraulic valves are built for much higher pressures and incompressible oil; they are not interchangeable.