Reliable Aluminium Valve Bodies for Fluid Control Systems

Aluminium offers low weight, corrosion resistance in compatible media, good machinability and thermal conductivity. It is not compatible with every fluid or pressure range, so alloy, wall thickness and sealing design must be validated for the application.

Alloy selection depends on pressure, temperature, fluid chemistry, corrosion exposure, manufacturing route, heat treatment and finish. Conex reviews the media and duty conditions before confirming material; the system designer remains responsible for application approval.

Yes. Conex manufactures aluminium valve bodies to customer drawings and application requirements. Dimensions, interfaces, material, finish, identification, inspection and packaging can be tailored after an engineering review, subject to process capability and order quantity.

Metric, BSP, NPT, UNF and application-specific ports may be produced where the drawing and inspection method are defined. Thread standard, size, pitch, taper, class, sealing method and orientation should be stated explicitly.

Seal performance depends on surface finish, flatness, concentricity, groove geometry and freedom from burrs or scratches. O-ring glands, cone seats and gasket faces should be dimensioned with the applicable seal standard and critical finish requirement.

Pressure rating is design- and application-specific; it cannot be inferred from product name or thread size alone. Material properties, wall sections, ports, stress concentrations, temperature, fatigue, corrosion allowance and validation test factor must all be considered.

Production can include casting, extrusion or billet machining followed by CNC drilling, milling, turning, threading, deburring, cleaning and finishing. The route is selected according to geometry, quantity, pressure integrity and tolerance.

Options may include cleaned or as-machined surfaces, anodising, hard anodising or conversion coating where compatible with the fluid and sealing system. Internal passages, threads and seal faces may require masking or controlled coating thickness.

Cross-drill intersections and ports are inspected for burrs, chips and contamination. Cleaning method and acceptance level should be specified for sensitive hydraulic, pneumatic or process systems, including any prohibited chemicals or particle limits.

Inspection can include material verification, dimensions, thread and port gauges, surface finish, visual checks and cleanliness. Proof, burst, leak or functional tests require agreed pressure, medium, duration, temperature and acceptance criteria.

For an accurate quotation, provide a controlled drawing or 3D model, material or alloy requirement, critical dimensions and tolerances, finish, order quantity, annual demand, application and any inspection or documentation needs. Conex reviews manufacturability before confirming tooling, process route, lead time and commercial terms.

Machined valve bodies use 6061-T6, 6082-T6 and 2024-T351, while cast valve bodies use LM25/A356-T6 for strength and pressure tightness. 7075-T6 is chosen for high-pressure, weight-critical applications.

Spool bores, seat faces and O-ring grooves are bored, reamed or honed to tight roundness and straightness with surface finishes typically Ra 0.4–0.8 µm, so seals and spools slide smoothly and seal reliably.

Yes. Valve bodies can be proof or leak tested using air-under-water, pressure-decay or hydraulic tests at the specified pressure, and cast bodies can be vacuum impregnated to seal micro-porosity before testing.