Exclusive supplier and owner of Meridian Valve and its
• BUSINESS INSIGHTS •
Each material and grade are limited by its strength, permissible temperature range, corrosion resistance, and in some materials, section thickness.
Valve internals are typically selected to be more corrosion-resistant than the body and often require higher strength depending on the application. They also require a coating or surface hardening treatment to prevent wear and galling.
The basic factors in material selection are:
• Customer’ s pipe material
• Type of valve
• Industry standards
• Design pressure and temperatures( low and high)
• Fluid composition
• Torque requirements for the operator
• Welding
The following questions should be considered to narrow down the material selection:
• Is the material readily available in our supply chain?
• Is it listed in design codes such as ASME B16.34 or ASME Section II Part D?
• Is impact testing required, and does the candidate material have sufficient toughness at the minimum design temperature?
• Are materials compatible with each other regarding thermal expansion?
• Should the component raw material be a casting, a forging or hot rolled bar?
• Are there additional industry standards or customer-specific requirements for composition, heat treatment, mechanical properties, or other testing?
Considering these factors when choosing materials leads to robust and reliable valve performance. This results in satisfied customers and profitable sales while ensuring safe operations and minimum downtime. •
• ABOUT THE AUTHOR •
Steve Swinney is a Principal Metallurgist at ValvTechnologies. His 35 plus years of expertise in the field is invaluable when evaluating customer material requirements and when selecting metallic material options for applications.
Exclusive supplier and owner of Meridian Valve and its
INDUSTRY LEADING WARRANTY
1.800.661.6997 wolseleyindustrial. ca
Trunnion Ball Valves: DBB, DIB-1, DIB-2 Floating Ball Valves API 6D Check Valves
Gate, Globe, Check Valves Automation Packages
Valve World Americas | June 2026 | www. valve-world-americas. com 17