Why do the manufacturers of the valve body and those of the actuator chosen for a valve differ?
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Why are the manufacturers of valve bodies and those of actuators sometimes different, and what are the advantages and disadvantages? Thank you
The question is quite profound! ! ! ! ! !
That’s a good question. There are many such cases in practice, and the main reasons are as follows: 1: The actuator and the valve body come from the same manufacturer, resulting in high prices; therefore, a combined configuration is chosen. 2: The advantages of two different technologies are combined to create a suitable configuration. Advantages: It allows for free DIY, and it is affordable. Disadvantages: It doesn’t match well and often malfunctions, especially the valve body part which is in frequent contact with the medium; it is recommended to use a higher-quality valve body.
Generally speaking, few domestic manufacturers perform well in this area – only a handful of them – but there are many manufacturers of valve bodies. This means it’s not possible to rely on just one manufacturer. Furthermore, separating the actuator helps reduce the costs for valve manufacturers, and it also allows meeting the requirements of users (who need suitable actuators; some are available from abroad as well).
Generally, domestic valves use foreign-made positioners and other related products; these fall under the category of “mid-range products”. Valves produced domestically, paired with positioners and other components made locally, are considered “low-end products”. As for valves used in important applications, those that are integrated and imported from abroad or manufactured by domestic contract manufacturers represent “high-end products” – aside from solenoid valves and switches. The reason people choose mid-range products is that they take into account both performance and cost.
Well, actually, I really admire the approach adopted by foreign manufacturers – focusing on one area, meeting the needs of each customer, concentrating research funds on that area to improve product quality
No manufacturer makes everything; those that produce valve bodies do not also manufacture actuators, and vice versa – manufacturers of actuators do not produce valve bodies either, as it is too complicated.
It depends on what kind of valve you choose and its price
Actuators are divided into pneumatic and electric types. Pneumatic actuators, in turn, are categorized into diaphragm type and piston type. Generally, reputable manufacturers produce their own pneumatic actuators, while for electric actuators, domestic valve manufacturers usually purchase them from external suppliers