The Omega Servo Valve represents a significant advancement in high-flow electro hydraulic valve technology offering features and benefits that are not available with the present state-of-the-art. Any hydraulic valve/actuation application that requires high-flow and mid-to-high performance for positional accuracy and applied force control can substantially benefit from incorporating the Omega Servo Valve.

Today's power transmission market is beset by demands from customers to go faster and make better parts, all at a reduction in manufacturing costs. Manufacturers want machines that use less energy. The Omega Valve and Actuator Control System (OSVACS) with Infinitely Variable Spool Geometry (IVSG™) technology, offers superior efficiency and control compared to the present state-of-the-art.

If you want to increase total production rates, OSVACS is available pre-configurable, user-defined and developed, with the aid of user-friendly software and subroutines that provide rapid switchover for parameter optimization. OSVACS, with its industry leading tolerance for fluid-borne contamination, ambient shock and systems pressure variations makes it a natural selection for reliable, productive machines.

In standard practice, the system designer has to take into account cylinder orientation and differential area among other criteria to calculate maximum deceleration time. Generally, a non-symmetrical spool configuration is ideal for matching the differential area of the actuator to yield better performance in the deceleration phase of the cycle. OSVACS allows for enhanced performance far beyond that of a conventional, geometrically fixed spool configuration.

OSVACS is a high-flow, high-efficiency servo valve system that features IVSG™ technology, representing the new state-of-the-art in high-flow servo valves.

The benefits of IVSG™ are:

• High flow range: 100 gpm to over 5000 gpm
• Fluid-borne system contamination tolerance (ISO 4406 16/13)
• High fluid flow efficiency: 6 to 10 times more efficient than traditional four-way servo valves
• The ability to electronically change the valve's spool geometry on-the-fly
  • Allows the user to tailor the valve's spool geometry to the needs of the process
• Allows faster actuator speeds while minimizing risk of cavitation
• Variable 'bleed-off' function provides superior force control

OSVACS is constructed of two types of hydraulic elements: high-flow, DIN 24342 3-way servo cartridge valves and a high-response, 4-way servo-proportional valve.

Fluid-Borne System Contamination Tolerance

The DIN cartridges are inherently dirt tolerant due to large flow passages that allow contamination to freely flow through the valve. This is common knowledge in the industry. Secondly, we use a high-response, 4-way servo proportional valve that, due to its unique design, is also very rugged and has a recommended fluid cleanliness level of ISO 4406 16/13, the typical standard in industrial grade systems. This compares to most servo valve manufacturers recommended fluid cleanliness level of ISO 4406 13/10.

High Fluid Flow Efficiency

Historically, valve-centered hydraulic motion control systems have been inherently inefficient. This is primarily due to the manner in which traditional 4-way servo/proportional valves are constructed. To achieve the necessary level of control, the valve body and spool must be sized with the appropriate geometry. This spool geometry typically leads to inefficiency during the rapid advance portion of the actuator cycle. OSVACS is configured completely differently than traditional servo-proportional valves and thus is sized differently. OSVACS is physically different as well in that the high-flow elements and the high-response element are separate. During the rapid advance portion of the actuator cycle, the high-flow, DIN cartridge elements have control of the actuator and the 4-way element is saturated. The DIN cartridges are very free flowing and allow the actuator to move at high rates of speed with very low pressure drop - typically 150 psi. The high-response element is typically used only during the critical portion of the control process where flows are lower. This equates to a valve that is considerable more operationally efficient than any product of its kind.

IVSG™ Technology

The typical competing high-flow, 4-way servo valve product is limited in its ability to control the process because it is a 4-way valve. OSVACS is a field-programmable valve system that has independent control of the cylinder ports during all phases of actuation. Programming is done through a Windows interface with a general setup routine that queries the user for each parameter to match the valve to the actuator and load. The 4-way is normally driven the same as the 3-way on the cap end of the actuator. When the command is descending, at a predetermined level, the 3-way on the rod end of the actuator will close via an adjustable geometry in the critical deceleration phase. Once the command is near zero (again programmable), the 3-ways can either stay active, go to zero (50% pressure to A) or be biased to either pressure or tank by some amount, allowing for excellent force and position control in any actuator configuration. The performance of the valve is mostly invisible to the motion controller as it is manipulating a single command to drive the valve system. OSVACS on the other hand, has IVSG™ technology that allows it to have independent control over each cylinder port. IVSG™ provides the user with two primary benefits:

• First, it allows the user to tailor the valve's spool geometry to the needs of the process. Many processes are controlled more tightly by using a particular valve spool geometry, for example, a linear actuator used in a press application in a rod down configuration. Common practice is to use a 2:1 actuator piston area geometry and a corresponding 2:1 geometry on the valve spool. This allows the actuator to be decelerated quickly and minimize the effects of cavitation on the cap end of the actuator. Unfortunately, this leads to inefficiency during the rapid advance portion of the stroke, covering the open daylight. IVSG™ allows the user to change the OSVACS spool to a 1:1 geometry during the slew for efficiency and the changeover, on-the-fly, to the best geometry for a rapid deceleration without cap end system cavitation.
• Its variable 'bleed-off' function provides superior force control. Some hydraulic design engineers are aware of the benefits of using a 'P' to 'T' port bleed orifice to increase the level of pressure and thus applied force control. This method works primarily because the valve spool must be moved further in its stroke to effect a change in system pressure as seen by the actuator. In essence, increasing the pressure control bandwidth of the valve. OSVACS with IVSG™ improves on the technique by allowing the user to vary the opening of this orifice, tailoring it to the demands of the process and thereby allowing superior force control.

There are discreet binary inputs on-board that allow the motion controller to switch programming modes on the fly. This can be very useful when optimizing the valve system for a position/force loop. OSVACS is a truly new paradigm in high-flow servo valve technology.. superior control provided without sacrificing operational efficiency.

OSVACS Features and Benefits

• High efficiency
• High flow: up to 10,000 l/min
• Improved positional accuracy, especially in large actuators due to the IVSG™ technology
• Smaller deceleration times = faster cycle time
• Allows for fine-tuning outside of the capabilities of the motion controller
• Superior force control by implementing 'bleed-off' capability of the IVSG™ technology
• Seamless interface - single command input
• User friendly software interface - with default values for quick setup.
• Very dirt tolerant: from ISO 4406 16/13 in the ultra-high performance model
• Rugged field-tested components: up to 300 Hz response at -3db
• All electronics CE approved
• Any porting configuration available: SAE, Code 61 or 62 four bolt flange
• Completely customizable for 'fail-in-place', 'fail-float' functionality
• Comprised of 'off-the-shelf' components using DIN and NFPA standards

Reliability, Efficiency and Maintenance

• Are you an OEM that is experiencing inordinate warranty costs attributed to contamination or system shock?
• Are you a manufacturer that experiences high repair costs associated with your high-flow servo or proportional valves?
• Are you a manufacturer that sends its servo valves for service on a regular basis?
• Are you a manufacturer that experiences production losses or unscheduled downtime due to contaminated proportional or servo valves?
• Are your customers asking for a more energy-efficient machine?
• Are you an OEM and your competitors are offering high-efficiency products?
• Are you a manufacturer with an energy-reduction initiative in place?
• Are you a manufacturer being charged peak-demand charges by your electricity provider?
• Do you have a force/position application that you have had difficulty controlling properly in the past?
• Do you have a force/position application you would like to improve?
• Do you have a force/position application where you have had to compromise on the control of one parameter to achieve proper control of the other?

Solving any of these issues give your company:

• A competitive advantage
• A reduction in machine commissioning time in the field
• A reduction in production cost
• An improvement in product quality

For more information, email us at info@omegavalve.com or give us a call at 1-800-242-3332. We welcome your inquiries!

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