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How a valve is made

The number twelve (doze, dvanaest, twaalf, tolve) is significant and ubiquitous.

It's the number of months in a year, hours on a clock face, and the number of members on a typical court jury. It is mentioned in the New Testament of the Bible, including Jesus' selection of 12 apostles. The Greeks worshipped 12 major gods of Olympus. The significance of number 12 is visible elsewhere as well - from a dozen eggs to the 12 ribs on the average human to the 12 inches that comprise a foot.

 

We can go on, but we made the point, did we not?

 

We take you behind the scenes of how we make our cylinder valves, no marks for guessing – divided into twelve processes, each as important as the other (okay, we have a few favourites but let's keep it secret for the sake of this theme).

 

We invite you to visit us to see the manufacturing in action, all under one roof.

num20 1

Design

  • Cylinder valves are designed to meet national and international specifications and are qualified by third party type testing.
  • Design activities use the CAD/ CAM software, which seamlessly integrates with manufacturing.
num1 2

Forging

  • Valve bodies manufactured from different materials, e.g. Brass, Al-Si Bronze, Carbon steel and Stainless steel, are hot forged. Slugs are cut from bars with the help of a band saw / slitting saw. The weight of the slug is checked regularly to reduce wastage.
  • Slugs are heated by energy-efficient induction furnace, which prevents prolonged exposure to elevated temperatures. The fast heating ensures finer grain structure and improves ductility.
  • Infrared Pyrometer monitors the temperature of the slugs. Valve bodies are trimmed after forging to remove the flash.
num22 3

Stress Relieving

  • Brass forgings are stress relieved to improve the grain structure and relieve any stresses induced during the forging operation.
  • Carbon steel valve bodies are normalized to reduce internal stresses and improve microstructural homogeneity.
  • Stainless steel valve bodies are solution annealed to dissolve any precipitates present and transform the material into a single-phase structure.
num3 4

Surface Finish

  • Valve body forgings are shot, sand or corundum blasted to clean the surface and remove sharp edges and oxide layers. The abrasive action of the blasting media polishes the metal and prepares it for machining.
  • Stainless steel forgings are electropolished to remove free iron and contamination from the surface. Electropolishing reduces roughness and brightens the surface, making it resistant to atmospheric corrosion and surface degradation.
num24 5

Machining

  • Machining of valve bodies and components is carried out on multi-axis Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machines.
  • Simultaneous operations are carried out in a single setup to minimize loading time and ensure accuracy. Sliding head machines load multiple bars at a time, allowing unmanned operations.
Technology Showcase | Tsugami M08D-II Turnmill Centre

Technology Showcase | Tsugami M08D-II Turnmill Centre

num5 6

Marking

Cylinder valves markings are carried out by laser etching or metal stamping. Standard markings include manufacturer’s identification, date of manufacture, inlet and outlet connection, specification and batch number for traceability.

Additional markings may be provided for gas service, pressure rating, series number, etc. Pressure relief devices are marked for pressure, temperature and flow rating.

num26 7

Chrome plating

Nickel Chrome plating is carried out on brass valves used for medical application to provide pleasing aesthetics and prevent the oxidation of brass. The gas wetted areas, including inlet, outlet & the internal surface of the valve body & components, are plugged to avoid plating contamination in service.

num7 8

Deburring

Valve bodies and components are deburred manually or using machines. Deburring removes sharp corners and unwanted pieces of material that may remain attached to the workpiece after machining.

num28 9

Degreasing

Valve bodies and components are degreased in a close circuit using vacuum solvent technology to remove oil and grease, cutting fluid and particulate matter.

The degreasing cycle involves pre-cleaning, immersion washing, ultrasonic cleaning, vapour degreasing and drying.

How Tekno Valves for Oxygen service are cleaned

How Tekno Valves for Oxygen service are cleaned

num9 10

Assembly

  • Specialized machines are used to install O-rings.
  • Precise needle valves ensure accurate dispensation of lubricants during subassembly.
  • Electric nut runners are used for imparting assembly and testing torques precisely.
Technology Showcase | Thread Taper

Technology Showcase | Thread Taper

Efficient solution for Installation of seals

Efficient solution for Installation of seals

num210 11

Pressure Testing

Each valve is pressure tested for internal and external leak tightness at maximum service pressure by bubble test or pressure differential method.

High Pressure Cylinder Valves | Using Differential Pressure Technology

High Pressure Cylinder Valves | Using Differential Pressure Technology

num11 12

Packaging

Valves are packed in customized foam trays made on-site to provide cushioning and protection during transport. The foam used is free from CFCs or HCFCs and reusable, biostable and non-degradable.

Valves for Oxygen service are heat sealed to maintain the integrity of the cleaning process.

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