The industrial revolution brought about many changes and the world today relies heavily on advanced technology to spur economic growth. Advances in technology allow us to live a comfortable life in which many processes have been automated. For us to operate complex machines, advanced operations such as high pressure, temperature, and radioactivity, control mechanisms are required.
Fortunately, technology has given rise to machines that can help handle these processes safely and efficiently. Valves are major industrial mainstays used to control the flow of liquids, pressure, capacity, gas, and temperature. Solenoids are useful types of valves we shall cover in this post.
What are Solenoids and How Do They Work?
Solenoids are mechanical components made up of metallic core with a coil of wire wrapped around it. When powered up with an electric current, solenoids produce a consistent magnetic force. They convert the electric current to magnetic power and vice versa.
The magnetic field in solenoids is uniform throughout the devices. These devices can be tiny electrical components that can perform a significant amount of work. Solenoids can be classified as AC laminated Solenoid, DC C-frame solenoid, DC D-frame solenoid, linear solenoid, and rotary solenoid.
What Are The Different Types of Rotary Solenoids?
There exist three main types of rotary solenoids, as described below:
- Bi-stable rotary solenoids – these can be operated in a clockwise or anticlockwise manner. They can remain in either end positions even without a constant supply of current. Their fast response time allows them to be used in sorting and document movement systems.
- Step rotary solenoids – these contain several magnetic poles to allow different position control. They are similar to bi-stable solenoids as they can remain in a permanent position even in the absence of current.
- Latching Solenoids – they also utilize a permanent magnet to remain in position. They are made to work with low duty applications like door locks where induction of negative current unlatches the plunger.
What are the Applications of Solenoids?
Solenoids are widely used in different industrial setups and various machines and processes. They are essential in both rotary and linear applications, helping to control cylinders and fluid power motors, among other industrial processes. Solenoids are widely used in industries such as transportation, medical, dental, energy, and appliance.
As for linear applications, solenoids are crucial in vending machines, pumps, door locks, disk drives, and film processors. On the other hand, a rotary solenoid can be used in textile machines, circuit breakers, machine tools, and defibrillators. Additionally, solenoids are used in washing machines and dishwashers to manage the flow of water. In short, solenoids have been a big part of our daily lives without even us realizing it.
What are the Benefits of Solenoids?
Solenoids have provided many benefits in industrial applications due to their longevity, reliability, and cost-effectiveness. As mentioned earlier, there exist various types of solenoids explicitly designed to meet particular industrial needs. For instance, you can find pilot-operated or direct-acting solenoids. Direct-acting is commonly used to control low volume valves while pilot-operated solenoids function well in high volume applications.
Additionally, solenoids are more beneficial compared to other pneumatic or hydraulic devices. They can be installed quickly, operate much faster, and are easy to maintain. Generally, they can provide consistent electromagnetic force for an extended period. In short, solenoids are affordable, reliable, offer longevity, easily installed and maintained than most industrial design types.
Conclusion
Solenoids are vital devices that help to make our lives more comfortable, and their simple designs enhance many crucial aspects of life. From the clothes we wash and the coffee we make to our car brakes, solenoids have proved indispensable. Whether you need to water your lawn with the automatic sprinkler or visiting your dentist, you probably use products that have a solenoid every single day.
