If there is one thing that those involved in developing and running the Valve Basics program have come to understand, it’s that the term “basics” means different things to different people.
July 16, 2019
Question: What is the difference between plastic and elastomer?
July 2, 2019
Actuators in the oil and gas industry operate many types of valves, and they must do so with great precision and accuracy.
June 18, 2019
Today, much of the information regarding the status of components installed in the field is housed in paper files, which poses problems for technicians and engineers.
June 5, 2019
In any industry, one of the most challenging tasks is keeping up to date and compliant with complicated and ever-changing sets of performance standards.
May 6, 2019
You see them everywhere: acres of giant white cylinders — some rotund and some a bit slimmer — rising from the ground like a farmer’s root crop ready for harvest.
April 17, 2019
While presenting in a recent VMA Valve Basics 101 Course in Houston, I found myself in a familiar role: explaining solenoid valves (SOVs) to attendees. (I work with solenoids so much that one VMA member at that conference joked that I needed to be wearing an I Heart Solenoids t-shirt). During the hands-on “petting zoo” portion of the program, which involves smaller groups of attendees, one of the most frequently asked questions I get from people came up: What’s the difference between direct-acting and pilot-operated SOVs, and how do we make a choice?
April 8, 2019
Because of the critical function of main steam isolation valves in nuclear applications, keeping these valves running at optimum performance levels is vital.
March 11, 2019
Cybersecurity is one of the major risks facing the valve industry, and it is not a problem that can merely be solved by other parties besides the intended victim.
March 11, 2019
Valve modification can be defined as: adding value to standard or “commodity” valves by installing actuators, special trims, different end-connections, packing and gaskets, and other accessories or upgrades not provided on the original product.
February 25, 2019
Valves in the oil and gas industry have come a long way in the last four decades, both in terms of higher quality in products and opportunities created by those better products, as Terry Blackard can attest.
February 11, 2019
Because biopharmaceuticals are produced using living organisms, and the drugs produced are used in humans and animals, the cost of contamination is very high and sterilization of the process system is critical.
January 28, 2019
