Intermediate plate pressure valves

A sandwich-type pressure relief valve is an essential component in hydraulics used for the precise control and limitation of system pressure. It is characterized by its unique design, which allows for direct installation between a directional control valve and a mounting plate or another hydraulic component. This design optimizes the layout of hydraulic systems by reducing piping and increasing compactness.

Design and Function of Interplate Pressure Valves

Interface plate pressure valves are designed to be integrated directly into the valve block. They typically consist of a housing that accommodates the pressure-regulating elements—such as valve seats, cones, or pistons—as well as springs and adjustment screws.

The Role of Pressure Limitation

The primary function of a split-plate pressure relief valve is pressure relief. It protects the hydraulic system from overload by limiting the pressure to a preset maximum value. If this value is exceeded, the valve opens and diverts excess hydraulic fluid back to the tank. This prevents damage to pumps, actuators, and other components.

Pressure Control Functions

In addition to pure pressure limiting, split-plate pressure valves can also be used for other pressure control tasks. These include pressure reduction, in which a constant, lower pressure is maintained in a subsystem, or pressure sequencing, in which a specific pressure must be reached before a subsequent work cycle begins.

Advantages of the split-plate design in hydraulics

The split-plate design offers a number of significant advantages that make it attractive for modern hydraulic systems.

Compactness and space savings

By integrating the valves directly into the valve block, external piping and fittings are eliminated. This leads to a significant reduction in space requirements and enables more compact system designs. This is a decisive advantage, especially in confined installation situations.

Reduction of Leakage Points

Every pipe connection and fitting represents a potential leak point. The sandwich plate design minimizes the number of these connections, which improves the system’s leak-tightness and reduces the risk of leaks as well as the associated maintenance costs and fluid loss.

Simplified installation and maintenance

The modular design facilitates the installation and removal of the valves. In the event of maintenance or replacement, the affected valve can be easily removed from the stack without requiring extensive piping work. This shortens downtime and optimizes serviceability.

Flexibility and expandability

Spacer plate pressure valves can be flexibly combined with other spacer plate valves to form complex valve assemblies. This allows for easy adaptation and expansion of hydraulic systems to meet different requirements without the need for fundamental changes to the piping.

Applications of split-plate pressure valves

Spacer plate pressure valves are used in a wide variety of hydraulic applications.

Machine tools

In machine tools, such as CNC machines or presses, precise pressure control is essential. Here, spool-type pressure valves ensure that the required pressures are maintained for clamping devices, feed movements, and tool changes.

Construction machinery

Construction machinery such as excavators, wheel loaders, or cranes requires robust and reliable hydraulic systems. Spacer-type pressure relief valves contribute to the safety and efficiency of these machines by preventing overpressure and ensuring the proper functioning of the working cylinders.

Agricultural machinery

Spool valves are also used in agricultural machinery, such as tractors or harvesters. They regulate pressure in systems for attachments, steering, or brakes, thereby contributing to performance and safety.

Industrial plants

Hydraulic systems are widely used in industrial manufacturing facilities, such as in plastics processing, metalworking, or material handling. Here, spool-type pressure relief valves enable the precise control of movements and forces in production processes.

Standards for spool-type pressure valves

The compatibility and interchangeability of sandwich-type pressure valves are ensured by international norms and standards.

CETOP Standards

The CETOP standards (Comité Européen des Transmissions Oléohydrauliques et Pneumatiques) are particularly relevant. These standards define the interfaces and dimensions of hydraulic components, including sandwich-plate valves, to ensure cross-manufacturer compatibility. This significantly simplifies the planning, design, and maintenance of hydraulic systems.

ISO Standards

In addition, there are various ISO standards that address the design, testing, and marking of pressure valves. Compliance with these standards ensures that the valves meet technical requirements and demonstrate high quality and reliability.

Selection Criteria for Spool-Type Pressure Valves

When selecting the appropriate split-body pressure valve, various technical parameters must be taken into account.

Maximum operating pressure

The valve’s maximum operating pressure must be rated for the highest pressure occurring in the system to ensure safe operation.

Maximum flow rate

The maximum flow rate specifies how much hydraulic fluid can pass through the valve per unit of time without causing unacceptable pressure losses or cavitation.

Pressure adjustment range

The pressure adjustment range defines the range within which the pressure at the valve can be adjusted. This must meet the requirements of the respective application.

Response

The response characteristics describe how quickly the valve reacts to pressure changes. A fast response is often critical in dynamic systems.

Leakage

The internal leakage of the valve is an important factor for system efficiency. Low leakage is desirable to minimize energy losses.

Size and connection diagram

The valve size and connection pattern must be compatible with the existing components and the system’s CETOP standard.

Conclusion

Spool-type pressure valves are indispensable components in modern hydraulic systems. Their compact design, reduced leakage points, and easy integration into modular valve blocks make them an efficient and reliable solution for a wide range of applications in the B2B sector. Compliance with international standards such as CETOP also ensures high compatibility and flexibility, which significantly simplifies the planning and maintenance of hydraulic systems.

  • What is an intermediate plate pressure valve and what is it used for?
    An intermediate plate pressure valve is an important component in hydraulics that is used to precisely control and limit the system pressure. Its special design allows it to be mounted directly between other hydraulic components, such as directional control valves and sub-bases, which reduces piping and increases the compactness of the system.
  • How does an intermediate plate pressure valve work and what functions does it have?
    The main function of an intermediate plate pressure valve is to limit pressure. It protects the system from overloading by limiting the pressure to a preset maximum value and discharging excess hydraulic fluid into the tank as soon as this value is exceeded. In addition, these valves can also be used for pressure reduction (maintaining a constant, lower pressure) or for pressure sequencing (triggering a cycle only when a certain pressure is reached).
  • What are the advantages of the intermediate plate design of pressure valves?
    The intermediate plate design offers several advantages: It enables greater compactness and space savings by eliminating external piping. It also reduces potential leakage points, which improves the tightness of the system. Installation and maintenance are simplified as valves can be easily removed from the compound, which reduces downtimes. It also increases the flexibility and expandability of hydraulic systems.
  • In which application areas are sandwich plate pressure valves used?
    Sandwich plate pressure valves are widely used in various B2B areas, including machine tools (e.g. CNC machines, presses), construction machinery (e.g. excavators, wheel loaders), agricultural machinery (e.g. tractors) and general industry.(e.g. tractors) and general industrial equipment (e.g. plastics processing, metalworking).
  • Which standards are relevant for intermediate plate pressure valves?
    Relevant standards for intermediate plate pressure valves are in particular the CETOP standards, which define interfaces and dimensions for cross-manufacturer compatibility. In addition, there are various ISO standards that deal with the design, testing and marking of pressure valves and ensure high quality and reliability.
  • What should you look out for when selecting an intermediate plate pressure valve?
    When selecting an intermediate plate pressure valve, the following criteria should be considered: the maximum operating pressure, the maximum volume flow, the pressure setting range, the response behavior (speed of reaction to pressure changes), the internal leakage to increase efficiency as well as the size and the connection pattern for compatibility with the system.
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