You know you’re a fluid power dork when you go on a short plant tour and while seeing manufacturing in action, you can’t help but study the pumps, valves, compressors, hose, etc. to see what manufacturers are represented.
That’s just what my colleague and I did on a recent walk-through of Ace Controls, Farmington Hills, Mich., as the company celebrated its 50th anniversary. We had a chance to see Ace’s gas springs and industrial shock absorbers in action, both in manufacturing cells and in the testing lab.
We were both stumped to see a pneumatic valve used throughout the plant that we didn’t recognize. But when someone mentioned the use of Mac Valves in the presentations later that evening, it jogged my memory. It was a company whose name I hadn’t heard in a while, so I did a quick search and found that yes, Mac Valves is still in business, designing and manufacturing pneumatic valves.
The company just recently released an innovative new product, the Bullet Valve, which uses lifting solenoid technology to maintain a balanced design. The company says this ensures that shifting forces are consistently high and response times are always precise and repeatable. They are available as 2- and 3-way cartridge designs in 9-, 10-, and 14-mm sizes.
A video at www.macvalves.com highlights the valve’s design and construction. Now to find out more about its use—hopefully we’ll be able to share application stories on this innovative design soon.
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