Bigger, oftentimes, does not mean better. I know, sometimes that fact can be tough to admit, especially for a company based out of Texas.
But, alas, it is true.
In the industrial design and engineering world, products have consistently been shedding excess weight and unnecessary materials while increasing strength and durability.
This shift has not only made many products more affordable and economical in terms of space, but it has also made the products stronger and more reliable.
This reality is particularly true when it comes to valves. Why should valves be heavier and thicker if it’s not needed?
Sometimes making the valve thicker can actually make the valve weaker. The thicker the wall, the higher the chance of material inequality within the wall during the forging process.
When a valve encounters significant heat, it will expand. If the valve has a thicker wall, then the part of the wall closest to the heat will get hotter at a quicker rate than the opposite side. This inequality can create tension within the valve.
This makes the valve more vulnerable to cracking under extreme temperature changes and high-frequency vibrations.
If you want to engage in a little science experiment to illustrate this point, then take a thick glass and a thin glass and fill them both with hot water. Stick them in the freezer and you will find that the thicker glass will crack more easily.
"Ah, science!" Bill Nye would be proud.
The engineering of the valve is more important than the thickness or heaviness of the valve.
As with many aspects of the industrial world, (given that different applications will have different requirements) balance is key.
We have complete confidence in the balance achieved by engineers from our select vendors like DuraChoice, and thousands of our customers agree.
Be sure to shoot us an email (Service@DirectMaterial.com) or give us a call (1-888-334-4339) if you have any additional questions about our valves.
Browse our wide selection of valves here.