Design & Manufacturing of a High Pressure Solenoid Valve for V22 Military Aircraft

At Westfield Hydraulics, Inc., we have been pioneering advances in aerospace technology since 1974. An example of this innovation can be seen in the projected highlighted here. This project was the result of an engineering referral and entailed the design and manufacturing of a high pressure solenoid valve that is used on V22 military aircraft.

At the time this valve was designed, valves designed for 5,000 psi operating environments were virtually unheard of. We were able to design a steel valve that met the specified pressure requirements while keeping weight and size to a minimum. The valve measures 1.25” in height, 1.650” in width, and weighs only 0.4 lbs. The steel components were machined using CNC milling and turning centers and then further refined using lapping plates to create the precision finish required. Press fit tolerances were required to be as tight as ±0.0001” in order for the valve to function as designed.

As with all new designs, the valve was tested under the expected operating conditions, in this case 5,000 psi with a differential pressure of 200 psid at 0.1 GPM, to verify its performance and durability. We are adept at designing new and innovative flow control solutions, and carry the high quality certifications, including ISO 9001:2008, AS9100C, and NADCAP accreditations, required by customers in the aerospace and defense industries.

In addition to the challenges associated with the pressure requirements of this project, the customer required an expedited timeframe in which a final design had to be produced and qualified. We were able to meet these challenges, and have continued to have a longstanding relationship with this customer. For additional information about this high pressure solenoid valve development project, see the table below, or contact us directly.