40 years as a family-run company
600 new customers each year
20 000 customers worldwide
Crevice-free valves prevent deposits and therefore bridging
Crevice-free valves from AKO are available in various designs. They are the ideal solution for preventing deposits inside the valve and outside the direct product flow.
All valves from AKO are constructed in such a way that no components project into the direct product flow. In addition, no hollow spaces or undercuts exist in which the flowing material could collect. Especially in hygienically sensitive sectors like the food, pharmaceutical or chemical industry, this design prevents germs and bacterial from forming deposits in the undercuts and hollow spaces and growing in an uncontrolled manner. But even in branches of industry which materials that tend to encrust are transported, crevice-free valves are the ideal solution.
The roll of the sleeve in crevice-free valves
Crevice-free valves have special significance for interior sleeves since this component is an elemental part of the entire valve. It is decisive for the closing speed, closing density and constriction-free flow. In addition, it is in direct contact with the transported material across the entire valve width. For this reason, AKO Armatures absolutely values high-quality elastomer compounds that make the sleeve into one of the most reliable and safe components in the entire valve.
We produce the sleeves for crevice-free valves from various elastomers for different operating and transporting conditions. They always closed completely seal-tight and regulate or stop the transport of liquids and solids quickly and safely. In combination with an electropneumatic proportional valve, even a coarse metering or regulation of the product flow can be achieved. The high abrasion resistance of the sleeves guarantee long service lives, as well as their elastic properties, which are not lost even in case of a high number of opening and closing procedures. In this way, you profit from larger maintenance intervals, fewer interruptions of your operating sequences and therefore considerably lower operating costs.
Crevice-free valves – structural design
The crevice-free valves from AKO consist of the three main components: the housing, the connection covers and the internal sleeve. These three components are available in a variety of materials:
- Housing: Stainless steel 1.4408, steel, aluminium, plastics
- Connections: Stainless steel 1.4404, steel, aluminium, plastics
- Sleeve: Natural rubber, neoprene, EPDM, Viton, nitrile, Hypalon, butyl, silicone
In addition, the connection covers can be selected from the following options:
- Flange (DIN and ANSI) and hygiene coupling flange (DIN)
- Internal thread (DIN and ANSI/ASME)
- Threaded spigot (DIN)
- Weld-on end (DIN and ASTM)
- Tri-clamps (DIN) and coupling tri-clamps (DIN)
Crevice-free valves with EHEDG certification
The European Hygienic Engineering and Design Group (EHEDG) is an organisation of companies of the food industry, public health institutions and research institutes. This organisation sets guidelines for components used in sensitive areas in the food, pharmaceutical and chemical industries.
The crevice-free valves from AKO Armatures are also available in hygienic combinations with EHEDG certification, which can therefore be used in the abovementioned areas without a problem. The crevice-free valves of the VMCE series were certified by EHEDG according to the requirements for types EL Class 1 and EL Aseptic Class 1 and are therefore:
- Easy to clean (CIP-compatible (Clean-in-Place))
- Sterilisable (SIP-compatible (Sterilise-in-Place))
- Seal-tight against bacteria
- Some valves are also piggable and therefore RIP-compatible (Rinse-in-Place)
The animation opposite shows the different cleaning and sterilisation procedures in a crevice-free valve.
The advantages of the crevice-free valves from AKO Armaturen
AKO Armaturen has been specialised in the development, structural design and sale of crevice-free valves for over 30 years, now supplying customers all over the world. Valves from AKO are used in all kinds of industries and applications – this shows how the valves can be adapted to specific customer requirements in a needs-based manner. The advantages of the crevice-free valves from AKO include the following:
- Modular structure and free selection of materials
in the housing, connection covers and sleeve
- Compact and lightweight construction
- In-place cleaning and sterilisation
- Vacuum-tight and air-tight shut-off function
- Low compressed-air consumption due to
efficient elliptical housing form - Long service life thanks to high-quality materials/elastomers
Areas of application of crevice-free valves
Crevice-free valves are used wherever media has to be transported having the characteristic of depositing in areas outside of the direct product flow. Examples for areas of application include the following:
- The food industry, especially in areas in which liquids like syrup, sticky materials that are prone to adhesion or media that tend to clump are processed.
- The pharmaceutical industry, for example, for the transport of ingredients for tablets or viscous and/or liquid pharmaceutical preparations.
- The chemical industry, for example, in the processing of liquid or powder chemicals or their basic substances.
- All other branches of industry in which media that tend to encrust must be transported and regulated.
Our Sales and Support team is happy to advise you!
If you would like to find out more about crevice-free valves and our flexible modular system, please contact us. Describe your requirements to our experts to obtain optimum solution suggestions for your applications. We are happy to help.
Global market leader
Unique delivery promise
< 0.2% complaint rate
> 99% customer satisfaction
30 sales partner worldwide
Widest pinch valve product range
10 000 pinch valve variants
2 500 variants available ex stock
100 000 units sold each year
Extensive service activities
80 CAD formats
32 assembly & animation videos
16 multilingual documentation
