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I haven’t hooked them up yet, but this year’s flow control valves look the same as last year. They limit flow going in the treaded end of the valve. If they’re mounted on the cylinder, they limit exhaust from the cylinder; if they’re mounted on the solenoid valve, they limit airflow into the cylinder.
When there’s no load on the piston, the only force acting to move it is the airflow into the cylinder. If you regulate this flow (flow valves mounted on the solenoid), you regulate the piston speed. However, if there is a load on the piston, both the force of the load and the inflowing air are acting on the piston. If the exhaust is not limited, there is nothing to keep the added force of the load from accelerating the piston. Mounting the flow valves on the cylinder limits how fast the air can escape, and maintains a higher pressure on the exhaust side of the piston. The speed of the piston is then limited by the how fast the exhaust air can escape, regardless of load.
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