Pneumatic mechanical valves are air valves operated by external mechanical forces—such as cams, rollers, levers, or strikers—that produce axial force to move the valve stem quickly and redirect airflow.
Mechanical-controlled valves include:
Five-way valves: Used to directly control double-acting cylinders.
Three-way valves: Used to control single-acting cylinders and generate control signals.
Both types are typically spring-return designs and use direct tube connections.
Common actuation types include:
Round head
Roller
Lever roller
Pass-through types
Function: Uses a mechanical lever to drive the valve stem, redirecting airflow.
Working Principle: Similar to the solenoid-operated directional control valve, but actuated manually.
Available Configurations:
Two-position, three-way
Two-position, five-way
Three-position, five-way
Key Features:
Valve Model: 3/2-way; 5/2 way; 5/3-way
Thread Types: PT, G, NPT
Working Pressure: 0-1.0 Mpa/142Psi
Fast Delivery & Competitive Pricing: Short lead times and excellent value.
Available Configurations:
Two-position, four-way
Three-position, four-way
Components:
Handle
Main valve body
Two ceramic discs
Valve seat
Mechanism:
The handle connects to a sealed rotary shaft, which drives a ceramic diaphragm.
Rotating the handle aligns or misaligns orifices in the ceramic disc, opening or closing airflow paths.
Key Features:
Valve Model: 4/2 way; 4/3-way
Thread Types: PT, G, NPT
Working Pressure: 0-1.0 Mpa/142Psi
Fast Delivery & Competitive Pricing: Short lead times and excellent value.
Air-controlled directional valves—also known as air valves or air control valves—use compressed air as their actuation power instead of electricity.
This design eliminates the risks associated with electric sparks or moisture-related leakage, making them ideal for harsh and hazardous environments such as:
In these settings, fully pneumatic control ensures safer and more reliable operation.
Air control valves are available in two control modes:
Single Air Control: Controlled by one air signal.
Double Air Control: Controlled by two air signals for more complex operations.
Key Features:
Valve Model: 5/2 way
Thread Types: PT, G, NPT
Working Pressure: 0.2-0.8 Mpa/112Psi
Fast Delivery & Competitive Pricing: Short lead times and excellent value.
Key Features:
Valve Model: 3/2 way, 5/2way, 5/3way
Thread Types: PT, G, NPT
Working Pressure: 0-1.0 Mpa/142Psi
Fast Delivery & Competitive Pricing: Short lead times and excellent value.
Air check valves are designed to allow airflow in only one direction while completely blocking flow in the opposite direction. This ensures unidirectional control within pneumatic systems.
Typically designed as poppet valves with a spring-loaded mechanism for automatic closure.
Valve cores may be:
Spherical
Conical
Disc-shaped
Sealing is achieved using gaskets, ensuring tight shut-off.
Note: The working principle and symbol are similar to hydraulic check valves, with the main difference being the sealing method.
Key Features:
Thread Types: PT, G, NPT
Working Pressure: 0.15-0.8 Mpa/120Psi
Fast Delivery & Competitive Pricing: Short lead times and excellent value.
Air control valves are precision components used to regulate the flow of compressed air within pneumatic systems. These valves typically feature finely threaded stems that allow for gradual and precise adjustment of airflow.
By adjusting the stem, the size of the orifice changes, directly affecting the airflow rate. This principle follows the basic fluid dynamic rule: a smaller orifice means lower flow, assuming a constant differential pressure.
Key Features:
Thread Types: PT, G, NPT
Working Pressure: 0-0.95 Mpa/140Psi
Fast Delivery & Competitive Pricing: Short lead times and excellent value.
A pneumatic foot pedal valve, also known simply as a foot valve, is a valve actuated by foot pressure. It allows operators to control pneumatic actuators while keeping their hands free—ideal for manual assembly and tasks that require two-handed operation.
The valve consists of a foot pedal connected via a lever mechanism to a spring-return valve column.
Pressing the pedal depresses the valve stem, changing the air flow direction.
When released, the spring mechanism resets the valve to its original position.
Controls double-acting cylinders.
First press: cylinder extends and stays extended.
Second press: pedal releases, valve resets, and cylinder retracts.
Suitable for single-acting cylinders.
Pressing the pedal allows air to actuate the cylinder.
Releasing the pedal exhausts air and resets the cylinder.
Key Features:
Valve Model: 3/2 way; 4/2-way; 5/2way
Thread Types: PT, G, NPT
Working Pressure: 0-1.0 Mpa/142Psi
Fast Delivery & Competitive Pricing: Short lead times and excellent value.
Pneumatic push-button valves are manual control components used to signal or operate pneumatic devices within a system. They typically employ a column valve mechanism to change the direction of airflow when the button is pressed. Upon release, a spring return mechanism resets the valve to its original state.
Key Features:
Valve Model: 3/2 way; 5/2-way
Thread Types: PT, G, NPT
Working Pressure: 0-1.0 Mpa/142Psi
Fast Delivery & Competitive Pricing: Short lead times and excellent value.
A shuttle valve is a common type of directional control valve, typically featuring three ports:
A normal system inlet
A secondary or emergency inlet
A common outlet
In some applications, such as those involving multiple actuating units, the valve may also include additional outlet ports.
There are two main types of shuttle valves:
Double Pressure Shuttle Valve – Used to select the higher of two input pressures.
Signal Pressure Shuttle Valve – Used primarily for pneumatic control signals.
Key Features:
Thread Types: PT, G, NPT
Working Pressure: 0-0.95 Mpa/140Psi
Fast Delivery & Competitive Pricing: Short lead times and excellent value.
A quick exhaust valve—also known as an air exhaust valve—is designed to rapidly release air from a controlled device, significantly improving response time. It typically features three ports:
Device Port – Connected to the actuator or cylinder from which air needs to be released.
Control Port – Receives the control air signal.
Exhaust Port – Releases the air to the atmosphere.
Quick exhaust valves are generally installed close to the actuator or cylinder, rather than routing air back through the control valve. This reduces exhaust travel distance and improves system efficiency.
Key Features:
Thread Types: PT, G, NPT
Working Pressure: 0.15-0.95 Mpa/140Psi
Fast Delivery & Competitive Pricing: Short lead times and excellent value.
A hand slide valve is a 2/3-way manual valve used to control the flow of compressed air. It consists of two main components:
These valves are typically made from aluminum alloy or brass for durability and corrosion resistance.
Hand slide valves are commonly used in:
They are particularly useful in applications where downstream pressure must be safely released after a system cycle or before maintenance.
Key Features:
Thread Types: PT, G, NPT
Working Pressure: 0-1.0 Mpa/145Psi
Fast Delivery & Competitive Pricing: Short lead times and excellent value.
Hand lever valves are used for manual control of various pneumatic equipment. Typical applications include:
Air chucks
Vacuum venturi systems
Pneumatic actuators
Machine guarding mechanisms
These valves allow direct operator control, making them suitable for environments requiring frequent manual intervention.
Manual rotary valves are typically used to operate single-acting or double-acting cylinders. By rotating the valve handle, air direction is manually controlled to extend or retract the cylinder piston.
Air-controlled directional valves are used in environments where electrical operation may pose a hazard, such as areas with flammable gases. Instead of electrical signals, these valves use compressed air signals to shift the valve spool and direct airflow.
Air check valves are used to stop the cylinder piston at a desired intermediate position. This is achieved by either:
Cutting off the working air supply, or
Using a special control signal to block the air passage
They are essential for applications requiring precise control over piston travel.
These valves regulate the airflow rate within a pneumatic system, often used in meter-in control circuits. By adjusting the flow rate, they help fine-tune the speed of actuators or other downstream components.
Foot pedal valves allow hands-free control of pneumatic equipment. When the pedal is pressed, a burst of air is sent through the connected hose, causing the cylinder rod to extend or retract.
These valves are ideal for wet or hazardous environments, where separating electrical components from water ensures user safety.
Push-button valves provide manual pneumatic signaling within a system. They are often used to activate a column valve that controls the direction of airflow. These valves are simple, reliable, and easy to operate.
A shuttle valve is a common directional control valve with:
Two inlets (primary and emergency)
One outlet
It allows air to flow from whichever inlet is pressurized, automatically blocking the other. Some designs include multiple outlets to control more than one actuator.
Quick exhaust valves are used to rapidly release compressed air, improving actuator response times. They are installed close to the cylinder exhaust port to vent air directly, rather than routing it back through the solenoid valve. This is especially beneficial in large-bore cylinders or systems with long exhaust lines.
Hand slide valves are 2/3-way manual valves used primarily as isolation valves. By sliding the sleeve, the operator can allow air to flow or vent the downstream line. Common applications include:
Test benches
Air preparation units
Before control valves