Valves used in specific industries, including for food and beverage processing, medical or dental equipment and devices, in the transportation industry or in specialized industries such as HVAC, power generation or fire protection, are typically selected based on their ability to meet specific industry standards.
These standards set minimum requirements for the performance of the valves to ensure safety and safe operation. However, not all industries and not all applications in industries require these specifically certified standard valves.
How to Choose Valves
Choosing valves based on price alone can create problems for an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), a contractor or a company. When valves are poorly designed and manufactured, there is a greater risk of leaks, poor performance, and valve failure. Often imported products from countries without quality standards create significant problems for companies with extremely short life cycles and high leak and failure rates.
A better option is to consider the reputation of the valve manufacturers as well as the price. A few pennies more per valve can turn out to be a cost saving, particularly if the valve requires less frequent replacement over the life of the system.
When valve manufacturers have a top reputation for reliable, dependable products, the purchaser can be assured the company uses quality control practices throughout production. This dramatically decreases the risk of valve defects, manufacturing problems or valves that fail under the recommended usage parameters.
Buying American
Ideally, buying from valve manufacturers in the United States is the best solution for American OEMs. The OEM and the manufacturer can work closely if custom valve solutions are required, developing the ideal component to fit a particular piece of equipment or system.
Additionally, by working with American manufacturers, standard sizes and types of valves are quick to ship, providing short order turnaround times and shipping solutions that meet the needs of the customer.
