Like people, control valves come in all types, shapes, and sizes. They are found in homes, utility services, institutions, and nearly every manufacturing operation imaginable. These common control components are equally important in a domestic water system as in a large oil or gas distribution line. Valve types range from ball and butterfly to diaphragm and globe; they carry water, air, or gas and are typically connected to digital networks like DeviceNet, or hybrid analog/digital networks like HART. Although basic valve design and operation have remained essentially unchanged, technological advancements have brought intelligence to valve applications, increasing efficiency and precision. In a phrase, today's valves are simply smarter. Notes David Clayton, ARC Advisory Group (www.arcweb.com) analyst, "We see some new designs for severe service, some new materials of construction for noise reduction, but those kinds of developments are not really new. The real excitement is the increasing intelligence being built into control valves."
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