Engineers and repair workers are always trying to make industrial valves fit their needs – needs their valves were just not intended to meet. In an effort to “meet spec,” design strategies are often driven by constraints, workarounds and tradeoffs resulting in far from “optimal solutions.” OEMs, their customers, nor end users win when they have to settle for less than what is possible and achievable. However, this scenario occurs each time past decisions are repeated without exploring the most current alternatives available.
When Off-The-Shelf Is Still Off the Mark
When you have a specific situation that an off-the-shelf valve won’t quite solve, or maybe nothing exists to address the situation at all, consider a customized approach to meet your exact needs. Today, valves could be customized quickly and within budget when you know where to look.
Range Of Valve Customization
The term custom is conceptually understood, but its definition may vary from company to company. EVSCO, for example, offers standard valves in a variety of sizes and configurations, all of which can be modified in numerous ways to meet your needs. With EVSCO’s unique valve design, versatility and variations, their existing line can potentially be modified into a specialty product to meet your for fit, form, and function requirements.
Some features that EVSCO can customize include, but are not limited to:
- Seal materials
- Flow patterns
- Materials
- O-Rings
- Valve components
A recommendation and quote can be provided in as little as two working days after understanding and analyzing a custom valve’s requirements, application, surroundings, and any other influencing factors. Once approved, the custom valve’s design and flow are tried and tested prior to shipment.
Custom Valve Example
A manufacturing design called for limited space with nearby obstructions. The solution was to eliminate a second valve system by using a 4-way valve to obtain identical flow capabilities. This flow pattern may not have been possible with other valves due to their inherent design. But because of EVSCO’s unique construct, space requirements were met without compromising its design.
Most manufacturers are not interested in offering specialty or custom valves unless they are guaranteed a high-volume, long-term sale. In this case, EVSCO was able to supply the OEM with a custom valve without a mass quantity commitmentor a horrendous short run cost. EVSCO reacted and responded quickly, shifting focus and finalizing a new design within days. In fact it took EVSCO less than a week to respond with the perfect solution and a fair price.
Good Enough Should Never Be an Option
A specialty or custom valve solution will always be a better fix than a compromise or workaround. In many cases a new, highly specialized product can be developed from an existing line of industry proven products to ideally suit stringent applications and requirements.
If you’ve settled for good enough in the past because it was the best option at the time, recheck your equipment for opportunities to improve productivity, minimize parts, space and money. You could add value to your company, customers, and end users now that you know where to look!