Wear-resistant valves from AKO are among the most well-known in the industry

Wear-resistant valves with pneumatic actuation are frequently used in industrial conveyor systems since they have numerous advantageous properties in comparison with other valve solutions. The structural design of wear-resistant valves with applied compressed air not only guarantee a completely free flow of the transported material with, at the same time, optimum sealing when the valve is closed,

but also permits an easy installation or exchange, as well as uncomplicated automation in large industrial plants. A further advantage over conventional valves is that, as the only part of the valve subject to wear, the internal sleeve can be ideally adapted to the transported medium.

Wear-resistant valves in a pneumatic design

Wear-resistant valves with pneumatic actuation (also called pinch valves) have a fixed place in the product portfolio at AKO Armatures. Plant owners find an extensive range of valves with wear-insensitive properties in the common nominal sizes and all important connection variants.

The functional principle of pneumatically controlled valves, however, is always the same – independently of the composition or alignment of the valve: The flow of the transported material is stopped by pressing together the sleeves inside the wear-resistant valve through the application of compressed air (or a fluid) to the housing. In the process, the labiate closing pattern of the sleeve guarantees an absolutely seal-tight shut-off of the medium flow – regardless of bulk materials, dust, granulates, suspensions or pure liquids.

At the subsequent release of the compressed air, the sleeve opens independently thanks to its enormous restoring force; the product flow is once again constriction-free. State-of-the-art, wear-resistant valves have an elliptically shaped housing with which the use of the required compressed air is reduced by up to 45% in the active region. In this way, significant savings in energy costs are achieved, leading to faster opening and closing times and protecting the sleeve as the wear from the product flow on the sleeve core – the inside of the sleeve – during the opening and closing movement.

Wear resistant valves - samples

Wear-resistant valve of the VMC seriesWear-resistant valve of the VMP seriesWear-resistant valve of the VF series

Wear-resistant valves – structural design

Wear-resistant valves consist of only a few components: a plastic or metal housing, connections mounted on both sides and the rubber sleeve inside the valve.

With the exception of the inside of the sleeve – also called the core – only the narrow insides of the connection types come into direct contact with the transported medium. The materials of these elements that are in contact with the product can be freely composed for the transported medium.
Due to the constriction-free construction of wear-resistant valves, clogging or encrustation is practically excluded, thereby guaranteeing a reliable and obstruction-free flow. As a result, the valve can be cleaned without a problem. Especially the SIP and CIP methods used in the area of food production are possible without limitations.

In the case of maintenance and service, the valve plays off the advantages of its simple construction – find out more about its easy removal and installation here.

Wear-resistant valves – structure of the valve
Wear-resistant valves: The simple structure guarantees their problem-free and effective use
Wear-resistant valves and the structure of the sleeve
Wear-resistant valves: The structure of the internal sleeve

Wear-resistant valves – the core is the inside of the sleeve

Wear-resistant valves are measured by their core. The sleeve is assigned the most important task within the valve and receives the highest load of all components at the same time: On the one hand, it expects high elasticity during opening and closing due to the function of the value, while having to demonstrate wear-resistant properties so that it can be used even for highly abrasive media.

For this reason, AKO particularly values the selection and further development of the materials used and the structure of the sleeve. In addition to a number of sleeve qualities for unproblematic media, specially developed rubber compositions are available that also guarantee a long period of use even in case of a high abrasion load and that are therefore suitable for use in wear-resistant valves.

In the case of the sleeves of the wear-resistant valves from, the three segments of a sleeve – the cover (external skin), the fabric-reinforced interior and the inner sleeve skin – are finely adapted to each other and the application.

Wear-resistant valves can be used universally

Wear-resistant valves are used in numerous branches, especially in industry:

  • Chemical industry
  • Plastics industry
  • Mining
  • Construction and construction materials industry
  • Environmental technology
  • Water and sewage treatment
  • Pharmaceutical industry
  • Medical technology
  • Plant construction
  • Food industry
  • And many more

Wear-resistant valves play off their strength with abrasive media – but they can also be used easily for conventional and unproblematic transported materials:

  • Slags
  • Suspensions
  • Viscous liquids
  • Bulk materials
  • Ores
  • Dusts
  • Fine-grained materials
  • And many more

Special designs are also available for the transport of food or for use in explosive atmospheres. Our Sales team is happy to advise you.

Wear-resistant valves are easy to maintain and reliable to use

Wear-resistant valves are very low-maintenance. Only the sleeve inside the valve must be changed regularly – in the process, the interval is determined by the medium and the actuation frequency. Especially wear-resistant sleeves from AKO, however, are designed for stopping and regulating abrasive media and have a long service life, even under difficult conditions. If the sleeve needs to be changed, this can take place on site by the customer’s own personnel and without tools. It can be reintegrated into the plant again in no time at all. By the way: In case of a sleeve change, all remaining valve components can be reused and reinstalled together with the new sleeve.

Simple design -> effective application

Wear-resistant valves can be configured individually to your requirements

The wear-resistant valves from AKO are based on a modular system. In the process, the housing, connections and sleeve material can be composed individually according to the requirements of the plant and transported material, thereby guaranteeing optimum function. In the process, a number of housing and connection materials, as well as all important connection types, are available to you. In the case of sleeve materials, you can rely on a broad selection of robust and durable rubber variations, including special designs for the food industry and conductive sleeves for use in explosive atmosphere.

One system = numerous possibilities

Wear-resistant valves – tell us your requirements!

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