Actuators

Safety and reliability

Valmet offers a comprehensive range of valve actuators to suit your every need regardless of valve type, size or even manufacturer. Each actuator is always based on proven designs that deliver excellent reliability and long cycle life in the operating environments where they are placed. All our pneumatic actuators are built to operate in harsh environments and are certified for the required safety standards, typically Safety Integrity Level 3 (SIL3).

Neles actuators, paired with our intelligent valve controllers, are a key part of successfully automating the valves in your industrial process. Our actuators are designed to work perfectly with third party valves by all major valve manufacturers. Your valves don’t need to be from the Valmet portfolio to receive the advantages offered by our actuators and valve automation offering. With decades of experience in the design and manufacturing of both valves and actuators, we understand what it takes to deliver high performance and reliability.

Accuracy and speed

Without an actuator, a valve is simply a stationary metal object. The accuracy and speed at which an actuator is able to operate the valve is a measure of its quality and the overall performance of the entire valve assembly. Our actuators are known for having a fast and sensitive response, resulting in leading accuracy. Maintaining that accuracy over time in high cycle applications, allowing for longer service intervals between planned maintenance operations makes our actuators even more appealing.

What is an actuator?

An actuator is a key component of any valve assembly. It is the device that actuates the physical movement responsible for opening and closing the valve. It is attached to the shaft that operates the valve closing element (obturator), whether it is a disk, ball or something else, depending on the valve construction. The actuator receives a control signal instructing it to act. This signal typically originates from a device known as a valve controller or valve positioner.

The two most common types of actuators are pneumatic actuators and electric actuators. Pneumatic actuators typically convert energy from compressed air into the mechanical motion that operates the valve. The motion can either be rotary or linear, depending on the type of actuator and valve assembly. Electric actuators convert electrical current into the mechanical energy used to operate the valve. The third option is of course a manual actuator, which as the name suggests, is a manual geared actuator operated by turning a handwheel to open or close a valve.