The SplashValve doesn’t just open and close—it meters flow with surgical precision. According to Ronn Garland, program director at ARM Automation’s SplashBotix division, this required re-thinking the classic spool-valve geometry to achieve consistent response under varying head pressure.
Garland’s team used a balanced spool design, allowing differential pressure to act evenly on both sides. This eliminates hydraulic bias and makes motion proportional to input torque rather than pressure load. The result is a valve that maintains accuracy across a wide range of flow rates.
“With any magnetic coupling,” Garland said, “there’s going to be a bit of a wind-up. We have proprietary software that accommodates that magnetic coupling…so you don’t have to worry about that seal failing.”
Kevlar-reinforced belts within the actuation train deliver wear-resistant torque transmission compatible with continuous duty cycles, Garland added.
Materials and Tolerances; Control Meets Mechanics
To minimize hysteresis, Garland specified precision-lapped stainless-steel spools with micron-level clearances. He notes that the close tolerance was essential for repeatability but demanded strict surface-finish control to prevent sticking under thermal expansion.
The spool position is monitored by an internal Hall-effect sensor, feeding data back to the controller. Garland says that reliable mechanical feedback starts with predictable motion, and that begins at the spool interface.
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