2012 Legal Solenoid Valves

[Jim Wilks]

I'm looking to get a couple of solenoid valves for this year's robot. I see that the rules say:

Solenoid valves with a maximum ⅛” NPT port diameter, and a maximum Cv of 0.32 (if non-KOP valves are used, the team will be required to provide part documentation validating that the valves meet these constraints).

As well, there are constraints on center-off options not being allowed.

Finally, we are limited to 12V or 24V coils only.

Looking at manufacturer's catalogs, compliance with these rules is not as easily done as I might like as the choices are many and the details complicated.

What do I buy? Can we just boil this down to a (hopefully short) list of manufacturer's part numbers which are FRC-legal?

Or do I just buy the Andy-Mark am-0888 and call it done?

Any and all suggestions appreciated.

[Dale]

And while we're at it, I'd love to change our standard valves away from the overly delicate SMC SY3000 series we have been using. They work great but there are a bunch of little screws, gaskets and terminals that are easily lost. Throw these valves in a drawer with other parts and next year you'll find the valves broken.

Ideally there would just be a vendor where you can just order single and double acting 12v FRC legal valves with no fuss or muss and get them in a few days. AndyMark has a double acting valve now and Andy says he's looking into adding a single acting one to that selection.

[FrankJ]

We use 46A series MAC valves The part number we use is 46A-AA1-JDA0-1JM which gets you a 4 port single solenoid spring return valve. 1/8 ports .3 Cv. Part number changes with options, that one is just what out local distributor We have not had a failure with them

[Dale]

If you decide to go with SMC this thread is happening right now as well.

SMC valves work great. They just are delicate and so if you keep them in their own little box somewhere they'd be fine. Just don't let the freshmen taken them apart willy nilly.

[AllenGregoryIV]

Has anyone found the cheapest single Solenoid value that is FRC legal? I'm probably going to spend some time on the phone tomorrow with companies looking into it. I know you used to be able to get the Festo ones from the 2007 kit of parts for around $20 a piece but I'm not sure they even still make those.

[Mark McLeod]

The plastic single-solenoids that Festo used to put in the kit are $50 here: http://www.pneuaire.com/4wayinplboso.html
IndySam is right. These V5A valves are rated at .8 Cv, which is above the FRC restriction.
Reference: http://www.mead-usa.com/media/mod3.pdf
Some of the V3A models would be legal, but have a very low flow rate and only one is rated for 120psi.

[IndySam]

The KOP solenoid part# was vple18-m5h-4/2-1/4

As far as I know it is not commercially available and was only available in the KOP in 2005-6 or in limited quantities in FIRST Choice this year.

The standard commercially available Festo M5 valves flow .80cv (if my memory is correct) and would not be legal for this years competition.

Please correct me if I am wrong.

[AllenGregoryIV]

So if they don't make that one any more, does anyone have a source for valves that are cheaper than Andymark?

[Jim Wilks]

Such is the pain of pneumatic solenoid valves. So little information to make an informed choice.