Articles

The Momentum Cycle: Leading the Lean Transformation

The Momentum Cycle: Leading the Lean Transformation

I have worked and taught in organizations for nearly half a century, and for at least half that time, I’ve led sessions on Lean and it its predecessors.

Thought Leadership

July 16, 2012

Those Dam Valves and the Great Job They Do

Those Dam Valves and the Great Job They Do

As the nation increasingly seeks sources for renewable energy, dams and the thousands of valves they contain will only become more important.

General Thought Leadership Workforce Development

July 16, 2012

Ready for Low-E Valve Technology?

Ready for Low-E Valve Technology?

With an estimated 60% of fugitive emissions attributed to valves it is easy to see EPA’s attention is on valve emissions reduction.

Automation General

July 13, 2012

A Conversation with R. Scott Graham: Analyzing the Valve World

A Conversation with R. Scott Graham: Analyzing the Valve World

Some analysts consider the valve market a hard one to track because there are so many players in the field and the business cycles are so long term.

Thought Leadership

July 9, 2012

Standards Spring from the Need to Protect

Standards Spring from the Need to Protect

Most of us in the valve industry take for granted the interchangeability and standardization of the valves produced today.

Quality/Compliance Thought Leadership

July 9, 2012

Intellectual Property Theft: Part Two

Intellectual Property Theft: Part Two

In Part One of our two part series on Intellectual Property Theft, we summarized some recent developments in protection of intellectual property rights.

Manufacturing

July 6, 2012

Solar-powered Valve Actuation: An Update

Solar-powered Valve Actuation: An Update

The use of solar power in industrial and municipal valve actuator applications goes back several decades; however, technological advances in solar power efficiency and storage mean that today, it has become a practical, dependable alternative for many isolated locations.

Actuators General Thought Leadership

July 2, 2012

Pipelines: Striving for Reliability

Pipelines: Striving for Reliability

Despite a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) from the State Dept. in August 2011 that said the Keystone XL Pipeline will have "no material impact on the environmental resources along the route,” activists continue to oppose the pipeline.

General

June 29, 2012

Belleville Springs in Valves

Belleville Springs in Valves

Belleville springs are used within or adjacent to valves for a variety of purposes—the most common being to maintain load on a seal, gasket or packing.

General Thought Leadership

June 25, 2012

Documentation to Diagnostics: Trends in Valve Repair

Documentation to Diagnostics: Trends in Valve Repair

Not long ago, car owners often performed basic repairs and maintenance tasks themselves.

MRO Thought Leadership Valve Basics

June 18, 2012

A New China?

A New China?

Mitch Free is the CEO of MFG.com, an online marketplace for the manufacturing industry.

Manufacturing Supply Chain

June 15, 2012

API’s New Casting Quality Standards

API’s New Casting Quality Standards

The Valve Manufacturers Association held its annual Technical Seminar & Exhibits at the Hilton NASA Clear Lake in Houston, March 8-9.

General Quality/Compliance Thought Leadership

June 9, 2012

VMA Valve Industry Buyers Guide banner - find U.S. and Canadian valve companies for your project
Valve Careers banner - connect top talent with top positions at valvecareers.vma.org
Baker Hughes Optimize Service banner - proactively manage valve maintenance with VLM Cloud
VMA Valve Forum 2026 banner - April 13-15 The Woodlands Texas annual event
Baker Hughes Optimize Service ad - track valve maintenance and identify spare parts with VLM Cloud