Hydraulic Manifolds
Hydraulic manifolds are usually made of
stainless steel or
aluminum and are generally rectangular in shape. They range in size, shape and complexity. Manifold specifications included supply ports, outlet ports and port types as well as flow and pressure parameters, operating temperatures, materials, circuitry and maximum capacities. Hydraulic manifolds are commonly used with gas, water, coolants, oils or fuel, slurries, chemical, food processing and medical applications. They are also important to the manufacturing and construction industries where they are frequently used as part of various machines. For instance, a bulldozer's bucket is operated by a manifold that turns the telescopic rams on and off as the operator controls the levers. Without a manifold to control the valves, they would have to be operated manually, which would slow the job down considerably. After the manifold is assembled, the hydraulic tubes and valves are attached inside the box and connected to a power supply.
Hydraulic manifolds can range from small boxes with just a few ports to multi-chambered arrangements with dozens of supply ports and outlets. They are configured for several outlets sharing one inlet and can be organized with electronic interfaces to keep track of the circuitry that operates the valves. There are many hydraulic valve types including
cartridge and
relief valves. Inside manifold systems, the lines and valves and circuits can be arranged in series or parallel to each other. In a series manifold, the supply of fluid enters through on valve before going to the next. In a parallel manifold, the inlet ports share a common supply but the fluid does not enter through a single port. Manifolds are usually assembled from metal that has been sheet rolled into thick slabs and is then machined to remove the designated holes or other shapes. They are given a smooth finish and welded together to form a box. For very complicated cutouts, the metal may be extruded, or forced through a die to create a detailed cross section.
