Open center control valves

The market has seen the introduction of electrical machines and hybrids: machines equipped with internal-combustion engines complemented by electric motors. The implementation of proportional electrical controls in the power-hydraulic circuits of such machines allows movements to be controlled remotely or from the cab. This in turn improves the vehicle ergonomics and enables several movements to be controlled simultaneously.

Enhancing end-user comfort is therefore the clear objective of the manufacturers, while they also strive to keep tight control over prices and maintenance costs, as well as energy consumption, safety standards and reliability.
This is the environment in which new Bucher Hydraulics products are born, in particular the innovative open center directional control valves HDS16 for flow rates of up to 65 l/min, and HDS12 for flow rates of up to 50 l/min. Designed to comply with the latest safety regulations, they are available with a mix of manual, hydraulic and electrical operators, both two-stage or direct-acting, with the latter operating at full flow and pressure.

These newest additions to the HDS family, which can be combined with each other, offer very great flexibility for the numerous and increasingly challenging demands of today’s market. Instead of being forced to use LS directional valves in systems with a fixed pump, a mixed solution that has a less favourable energy balance than open center valves, manufacturers now have an alternative in the form of the HDS16 and HDS12.