[**]luminum valve block is an important part for integrating hydraulic components and realizing oil circuit control in hydraulic system. It has unique performance characteristics and wide application fields.

Material characteristics

Lightweight: The density of aluminum is about 2.7g/cm³, which is much lower than the density of steel (about 7.85g/cm³), making the aluminum valve block lighter for the same volume. This feature has significant advantages for some equipment with strict weight requirements, such as aerospace equipment, mobile machinery, etc., which can effectively reduce the overall weight of the equipment and improve the mobility and energy efficiency of the equipment.

Good thermal conductivity: aluminum has a high thermal conductivity, which can quickly conduct the heat generated by the hydraulic oil during the working process, helping to maintain the temperature stability of the hydraulic system. In some hydraulic systems with high frequency action and large flow, this characteristic of aluminum valve block can effectively prevent the oil temperature from being too high, extend the service life of hydraulic components, and improve the reliability of the system.

Good machining performance: the cutting performance of aluminum material is better than that of steel, and it is not easy to produce work hardening during processing, and the tool wear is smaller and the processing efficiency is higher. [**]t the same time, the casting performance of aluminum is also better, and the valve block blank with complex shape and high precision can be manufactured by precision casting process, which reduces the processing cost and shortens the production cycle.

Structural design

High degree of integration: The aluminum valve block is usually an integral or modular design, which can integrate multiple hydraulic components, such as direction valves, pressure valves, flow valves, etc., on a valve block to achieve a compact oil circuit layout. This integrated design not only reduces the installation space of the hydraulic system, but also reduces the complexity of the oil connection and the risk of leakage, improving the overall performance and reliability of the system.

Flexible oil circuit design: The oil circuit design of the aluminum valve block can be customized according to the needs of different hydraulic systems, and the direction and size of the oil channel can be flexibly adjusted to meet a variety of complex oil circuit control requirements. [**]t the same time, the machinability of the aluminum material makes it possible to process the complex shape and structure of the oil circuit on the valve block, further improving the design freedom and optimization space of the oil circuit.

Process flow

Precision casting: The blank of aluminum valve block is usually manufactured by precision casting process, such as low pressure casting, metal mold casting, etc. These casting processes can ensure the dimensional accuracy and surface quality of the valve block blank, reduce the subsequent processing allowance, and improve production efficiency. In the casting process, strictly control the casting process parameters, such as pouring temperature, pouring speed, cooling speed, etc., to avoid porosity, shrinkage, porosity and other casting defects, to ensure the quality of the valve block blank.

Machining: The cast aluminum valve block blank needs to go through multiple machining processes, such as milling, drilling, tapping, grinding, etc., in order to achieve the dimensional accuracy, shape accuracy and surface roughness required by the design. Due to the good processing properties of aluminum materials, higher cutting speed and feed rate can be used in the processing process to improve processing efficiency. [**]t the same time, the processing equipment needs to have high accuracy and stability to ensure the processing quality of the valve block.

Surface treatment: In order to improve the corrosion resistance and wear resistance of aluminum valve blocks, surface treatment is usually required. Common surface treatment methods include anodic oxidation, hard anodic oxidation, electroless nickel plating, etc. The anodic oxidation treatment can form a dense oxide film on the surface of the aluminum valve block, the thickness is generally 5-25μm, and has good corrosion resistance and wear resistance. The thickness of the oxide film formed by hard anodizing treatment can reach 50-250μm, which has higher hardness and wear resistance, and is suitable for high requirements. Electroless nickel plating can form a uniform nickel-phosphorus alloy coating on the surface of the aluminum valve block, which has excellent corrosion resistance, wear resistance and high temperature oxidation resistance.

Performance characteristics

Reliable sealing performance: The sealing performance of the aluminum valve block mainly depends on high-quality sealing components and precise machining. During the processing, the dimensional accuracy and surface roughness of the valve holes, oil passages and other parts are strictly controlled to ensure good sealing contact between the sealing elements and the valve block. [**]t the same time, select the appropriate sealing component materials and structures, such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) seals, nitrile rubber (NBR) seals, etc., can adapt to different working pressures and temperature ranges, effectively prevent the leakage of hydraulic oil, to ensure the normal operation of the hydraulic system.

Sensitive action: The oil passage design inside the aluminum valve block is reasonable, the oil flow resistance is small, and the high-precision hydraulic components can achieve fast and sensitive action response. In the hydraulic system, when the control signal is input, the aluminum valve block can quickly and accurately switch the oil circuit, drive the actuator to move according to the predetermined trajectory and speed, and improve the automation degree and work efficiency of the system. In addition, the lightweight nature of the aluminum valve block also helps to reduce the inertia of the system and further improve the sensitivity of the operation.

Good electromagnetic compatibility: aluminum material has good electromagnetic shielding performance, which can effectively prevent the influence of electromagnetic interference on the electronic components in the hydraulic system and improve the electromagnetic compatibility of the system. In some cases with high electromagnetic compatibility requirements, such as industrial automation control systems, precision instruments and equipment, this characteristic of aluminum valve blocks is particularly important to ensure the stable and reliable operation between the hydraulic system and the electronic control system.

[**]pplication field

[**]erospace: In the aerospace field, aluminum valve blocks are widely used in the hydraulic system of aircraft, helicopters and other aircraft. Due to its lightweight characteristics, it can effectively reduce the weight of the aircraft, improve fuel efficiency and flight performance. [**]t the same time, good thermal conductivity and electromagnetic compatibility also help to ensure the stable operation of the hydraulic system of the aircraft, and meet the requirements of high performance and high reliability of the hydraulic system in the aerospace field.

[**]utomotive industry: In the automotive braking system, power steering system, suspension system and other hydraulic systems, aluminum valve blocks have been widely used. Its lightweight characteristics help to reduce the fuel consumption and emissions of the vehicle and improve the fuel economy and power performance of the vehicle. In addition, the compact structure and good sealing performance of the aluminum valve block can also meet the requirements of the limited space of the automotive hydraulic system and the complex working environment, and improve the safety and comfort of the vehicle.

Industrial automation: In a variety of industrial automation equipment, such as robots, automated production lines, packaging machinery, etc., aluminum valve blocks are used to control the actions of hydraulic cylinders, hydraulic motors and other executive components to achieve accurate position control, speed control and force control. Its high degree of integration and flexible oil circuit design can meet the diversified and personalized needs of industrial automation equipment for hydraulic systems, improve production efficiency and product quality.

Care and maintenance

Regular inspection: During the operation of the hydraulic system, the aluminum valve block should be regularly checked to observe whether there is deformation, crack, corrosion and other abnormal conditions in its appearance, check whether the sealing element is aging and damaged, and timely discover and deal with potential problems to avoid failure. [**]t the same time, check whether the mounting bolts of the valve block are loose to ensure that the valve block is securely installed.

Cleaning and maintenance: Regularly clean the aluminum valve block, remove the oil, dust and impurities on the surface, and prevent these pollutants from entering the valve block and affecting the normal work of the hydraulic components. When cleaning, you can use a clean soft cloth or cotton yarn dipped in an appropriate amount of cleaning agent to wipe. [**]void using a hard brush or corrosive cleaning agent to avoid damage to the surface of the valve block. [**]t the same time, check whether the oil passage is smooth, if there is blockage, it should be dredged in time to ensure the smooth flow of hydraulic oil.

Replacement components: When the sealing components, spool, seat and other components in the aluminum valve block are worn, damaged or aging, new components should be replaced in time to restore the performance of the valve block. When replacing components, pay attention to select high-quality components that match the original valve block, and install them in strict accordance with the assembly process to ensure installation quality. [**]t the same time, after replacing the components, the system should be debugged and tested to ensure that the working performance of the hydraulic system is restored to normal.