Vexve brings a hydraulic actuator to the market
2.6.2014 / Launches
- When an actuator needs to be used in demanding circumstances, for example underground, HydroX™ is just the right machine for this purpose. With butterfly and ball valves, which are installed underground, a hydraulic actuator is the best possible solution since electricity and water are not allowed to cause any malfunctions and corrosion mustn’t damage the actuator, Jari Randell reasons.
The need for designing the actuator came about approximately 1.5 years ago when Vexve realized that the actuators currently in the market were expensive and, what’s more, weren’t suitable for butterfly valves. The manufacturer of HydroX™ ended up being the Finnish company Tasowheel Group Oy.
- The idea for making HydroX™ came from Vexve. They had a direct customer need for a hydraulic actuator of their own. During summer 2014, we are going to begin the production of the actuator - one which has never before been seen in the markets. We, in addition to Vexve, have confidence in the new machine, which is a carefully tailored basic product for the district heating and cooling markets, says the CEO of Tasowheel Group Kari Sorjonen.
According to Sorjonen, the HydroX™ is a so called private label product: Tasowheel tailors and manufactures the product to be compatible with Vexve’s valves, whereas Vexve takes care of the sales and marketing of HydroX™. Tasowheel is responsible for designing and manufacturing the product in close cooperation with Vexve.
Some torque to the transmission
The Deputy Executive Director of Tasowheel, Timo Syväjärvi, emphasizes that HydroX™ has been designed to be a compact actuator that has a good size and torque ratio.
- The moment, or torque, of HydroX™ can be increased by controlling the allowable pressure. This is how HydroX™ differs from electrically powered machines. As stated, HydroX™ is compatible with both butterfly and ball valves, and the actuator has been especially designed with basic features of valve usage in mind, Syväjärvi summarizes.
Tasowheel, a company specialized in mechanical power transmission, was selected to partner with Vexve due to its strong expertise and service quality.
- We will develop HydroX™ together in the future as well once the product manufacturing begins on a bigger scale. By combining the know-how of both parties, we want to show that the talent for innovation of Finnish industry, and the ability to transform these innovations into a product bears well, states Randell.
Syväjärvi emphasizes that HydroX™ as a product is a perfect fit for Tasowheel’s expertise and strategy, because it makes use and also adapts the helical teeth of transmission.
- With an actuator we must be able to transform a back-and-forth type of motion into a circular motion. The transformation of this motion combined with the considerable size of the actuator gives us a nice professional challenge. Our own expectations for the product are high once the first prototypes have been produced, states Syväjärvi.
Worldwide markets
According to Randell, HydroX™ is a good fit for the needs of energy companies especially when the district heating and cooling pipes are being installed under ground. In addition, the actuator will be offered to the gas markets in the future, and it will be produced in all sizes to match Vexve’s valves. Rendell emphasizes that HydroX™ orders are already rolling in even though the production of bigger batches is just now gearing up.
- The next steps of developing HydroX™ will take place in cooperation with preinsulation and energy companies. Together, we want to create a product that has been well designed all the way. The start seems promising, because the product has already been sold to, among others, Qatar and Sweden. The Russian and Far Eastern markets are in our sights as well and we’ll heavily focus on these. This is because HydroX™ is among the three strongest brands of Vexve, says Randell.
Additional information:
Jari Randell, Director of Business Development, Vexve Oy
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Tel. 010 7340 815
Kari Sorjonen, CEO, Tasowheel Group Oy
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Tel. 020 775 7444