Frequently Asked Questions - Manufacturing

In pet food processing, we typically see the best results with stainless-steel, Lectrofluor, or a special anti-corrosive coating called XTR-Coat. All three can help you comply with food safety regulations and prevent materials from sticking to the valve. To choose the right one, we’ll look at your application and material characteristics such as weight and moisture.

If you swap ingredients often, you can cut downtime significantly by installing a quick-cleaning rotary valve. These are built on a rail system with handles that make it easy to open up the valve, clean the internal surfaces, and close it up without using tools. Another option is a valve with multiple compartments for split feeds, where each compartment can handle a different ingredient.

There are a few good choices depending on your material. A standard V-shaped rotor does well in many cases, though we often specify U-shaped rotors to prevent material from packing in the creases — this makes cleaning and sanitation much easier. If you’re metering small batches, you might need a Reduced Volume Rotor or a Staggered Pocket Rotor to control the flow rate. 

Not all rotary valves are designed to be interchangeable between ingredients, but ACS Valves has options for plants with split conveying feeds or multiple ingredients. The Multi-Port valve is one to consider, since it features multiple separate compartments in a single valve, making it easier to convey materials from different lines into a single valve. Many of our customers also use the Quick-Clean valve to convey multiple ingredients, because it can be cleaned and sanitized quickly thanks to its rail-based design.

At ACS Valves, each rotary airlock valve is manufactured with a team of engineers, machinists, welders, millwrights, and other qualified specialists. The valve housings are cast locally using 65% US steel, while the internal parts are CNC machined for precision and reliability.

A valve is a transfer point in your material handling system, moving bulk solids from containers (think bins, hoppers, and silos) to the conveyor below. It may also move material from one container to another.

Valves can be used to provide a pressurized seal between those points, help control the flow of material, or both. Basically, they help you move material efficiently and safely, preventing product loss.