Managing the Hydraulic Characteristics of Control Spool Valves Through Simplified Manufacturing Process

Abstract

This communication proposes an original method to define a low-cost manufacturing process for hydraulic spool valves in the case of very low production rate. A valve is usually completely defined by three characteristic curves obtained by two tests: a pressure gain test and a flow gain test. The aim is to limit the number of tests and in particular to avoid the flow gain test that is quite long to achieve. The method only uses a single metrology operation and the pressure gain curve to manage the spool flanks grinding while ensuring the specified hydraulic characteristics. The method is established by a model-based approach. It is then validated by experimental tests on two different valves.