SMC Valves: An International Powerhouse
It’s no exaggeration to say that SMC valves are among the top picks for designers in just about any field of engineering, while also being among the most reasonably-priced contromatic hardware on the market. Recent years have led the company into new fields of production, such as manufacturing high-speed solenoid valves and advanced valve-seal technology. SMC has even quietly branched off into ultra-high vacuum technology that it now produces for the semiconductor industry.
Nonetheless, air valves, the vital component in pneumatic technology, have always been and will remain their staple, bread-and-butter product. Pneumatics is, to put it simply, the technological application of pressurized gas to bring about the motion of any mechanism. The subject has its applications in fields as diverse as heavy industry, construction, dentistry, music production and, of course, robotics.
Like hydraulics, air valves utilize fluid power, but due to the higher compressibility of gas, pneumatics has several advantages over liquid-powered machines. It’s possible to store more energy in highly compressed gas, meaning that pneumatic devices are capable of working for longer in the absence of electricity. Pneumatic machines also absorb shock better than hydraulics, as highly compressible gases can dissipate force, whereas liquids transfer force directly, resulting in the phenomenon known as ‘fluid hammer’. Fluid hammer produces a great deal of noise, lowering the perceived quality of workplace conditions and forcing workers to wear ear muffs to avoid the onset of chronic tinnitus. It also requires engineers to reinforce the structure of hydraulic machinery to prevent it breaking down under the excessive shock the machine puts itself through whenever it’s in operation. Compressed air cylinders and air valves also hold a much lower degree of fire risk than hydraulic systems that make use of flammable oil.
While just about every company has its own proprietary design for basic air valves, their essential function is similar. Air or another gas is fed from its pipe via a tiny hole in a diaphragm disk into a holding chamber, which the diaphragm seals from the valve’s inlets and outlets. This diaphragm is held securely in place by the pressure created by the incoming gas, which is greater on the topside of the diaphragm due to the greater surface area on which it bears. It’s only when this pressure is released, by the activation of a pulling solenoid that opens up a second conduit into the outlet chamber of the valve, that the diaphragm rises up, allowing a direct flow of gas from the inlet of the air valve to the outlet.
Since its establishment in Japan in the late 1950s, SMC Valves has grown into a multinational corporation that manufactures just about every kind of valve and valve switch imaginable. In terms of pneumatics, the company is not only a commercial market dominator, but also a feedback and R&D leader, with facilities for customer and sales support, development, and research in over 60 countries.
SMC Valves established its North American headquarters in 1977, and the facilities in Indianapolis now act as the base for technical support, design and manufacturing across the entirety of the United States. SMC Valves Canada was in turn established in the late 1980s. To date, it has expanded to include branches across Canada, including in Montreal, Windston, Kingston and Vancouver.
SMC Valves UK was established in 1978. When the company first set up base, it was operated out of a single, tiny room above a hair salon. Since then, the UK arm has expanded to the point of requiring a purpose-built facility for its 350 staff members, including 100 engineers, who work constantly to create products that meet the needs of an ever growing and changing industry.
All SMC components are manufactured in accordance with ISO 9001 standards, ensuring their near-perfect reliability and functional efficacy.
