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Sep 05, 2023

The Best Practices for Procurement of Valves

With so many valve types, sizes, and construction materials to choose from,

With so many valve types, sizes, and construction materials to choose from, choosing the right valve for your application can be confusing. However, you can make selection easier with these best practices for procurement of valves

Several things need to be considered when choosing a valve for a specific application. At times, this can make valve procurement a confusing and time-consuming process. While valve procurement can be confusing and time-consuming at times, you can make selection easier by understanding the application requirements and then finding a suitable valve that can fulfill them.

Choosing the correct valve for your application is important because it can help you to maximize the function and outcome of your system. A useful component, valves help to limit, control or a shut-off flow in a system. While no one can deny the importance of valves, choosing the right valve for your need can be tricky.

With so many valve types, sizes, and construction materials to choose from, selecting the right valve for your application can be confusing, to say the least. However, you can better your odds of finding the right valve for your specific needs with the following best practices for valve procurement.

If you want to procure the right valve for your needs, then a good way to start would be understanding the different types of valves and what they are best for. While many different types of valves are manufactured today, we will discuss only the most commonly used ones. Used in a variety of applications, the following are the most common valve types and their best uses.

While the valve is being used, only the diaphragm is exposed to transient materials. This means that the valve can be used in applications which require a non-contaminating environment. Examples of this are food, beverage, and pharmaceutical industries. However, these valves can also be used for fibrous suspensions, neutral liquids, corrosive liquids, and lubricating powders

Once you have decided on a type of valve for your application, the next step would be choosing an appropriate material of construction. The most important thing in this regard would be determining the chemical compatibility requirements. This means that materials used for constructing the valve need to be compatible with the liquids or gases that flow through it. You can choose from plastic, brass, and stainless steel. To determine the chemical compatibility requirements, you can look up a chemical compatibility chart for valves available online.

One of the most important steps in the procurement of valves is determining your temperature and pressure requirements. Find out the ranges for both where the valve will be installed. Generally, metal valves such as stainless-steel valves are better equipped to handle extreme pressures and temperatures than plastic valves. They are also a great option for pressurized gases. However, the point is that you need to choose a valve that can easily handle your temperature and pressure requirements. Go for nothing less.

One of the key things that many procurement teams fail to consider when sourcing valves is the need for ongoing maintenance. Like any other component, valves require maintenance from time to time. However, the frequency of maintenance varies from valve to valve. Therefore, decide how frequently you can maintain the valves before sourcing a valve for your application.

Often, it can be difficult for procurement teams to find a suitable valve for a specific application. However, using the above best practices for procurement of valves can make selection easier at the very least.

Ismail.Y. Bhola (Director) is a procurement leader and consultant. Using a sustainable and effective approach to procurement, he has delivered the best products and cost savings to the company he has been associated with. Currently, Bhola is applying his procurement expertise and knowledge to bring cost and revenue benefits to SealExcel.