Abstract
A design workflow for a hydraulic valve manufactured using metal additive technologies is presented. The method combines parametric modelling, CFD analysis, topology optimisation and multi-criteria evaluation. Fifteen control spool bore positions of an NG10 valve were assessed according to pressure drop, turbulent kinetic energy and mass. The vertical position primarily influenced mass, whereas the lateral offset had a stronger effect on the hydraulic criteria. Since the individual optima did not coincide, Pareto and weighted analyses were applied. The configuration with Z=40 mm and X=5 mm provided the most balanced solution.
Keywords:
additive manufacturing, hydraulic valve, CFD, topology optimisation, multi-criteria evaluation