In many industrial plants, shut-off valves are still operated by hand — by handwheel or lever, often in places that are hard to reach. With growing competitive pressure, rising safety requirements and an increasing shortage of skilled staff, automating these valves is becoming considerably more important. Anyone who automates butterfly valves, ball valves or throttle valves gains remote control, speed and safety — factors that make the decisive difference especially in safety-relevant processes such as chemicals or petrochemicals.
Industriefabrik Schneider GmbH automates valves with a rotating closure member — butterfly valves, ball valves, plug valves and throttle valves — directly in its own workshop in Großzöberitz. This article explains what happens technically and what matters in the design.
Which valves can be automated?
Almost any valve with a rotating closure member and a suitable mounting flange can be automated. This includes:
- Butterfly valves (centric and eccentric)
- Ball valves (2-piece, 3-piece, 2-way and 3-way)
- Plug valves and throttle valves
- Flue gas dampers for high-temperature applications
The connection is made to ISO 5211 — the internationally standardised interface dimension between valve and actuator. This makes it possible to connect practically any valve with a suitable mounting flange to a part-turn actuator, regardless of the original manufacturer.
The components of an automated valve
An automated valve is more than a valve with an actuator on top. It is a functional assembly of several matched components:
All components are sourced from well-known manufacturers and precisely matched to the respective valve — including correct sizing for the intended control pressure and any explosion protection requirements.
Part-turn actuator
pneumatic or electric, single-acting or double-acting. Pneumatic double-piston part-turn actuators are regarded as an efficient and safe solution for automated opening and closing. The selection depends on the required torque and the swivel angle of the valve — usually 90° for butterfly valves and ball valves.
Limit switches
detect the exact position of the valve (open/closed or an intermediate position) and report it to the plant control system. Without reliable end-position feedback, the control system has no information on whether a safety-critical shut-off has actually been carried out.
Solenoid valve
controls the compressed air supply to the pneumatic actuator and thus converts the electrical control signal into mechanical movement.
Positioner
is required when the valve is not only to switch open/closed but to move to precise intermediate positions for flow control.
Why function testing before delivery is decisive
An automated valve becomes part of the plant control system. If the position feedback fails, if the actuator switches too slowly or if the valve does not reach the intended safety position, the entire process can be endangered — not just a single component.
For that reason every automated valve at Industriefabrik Schneider GmbH undergoes a complete function test on an in-house test rig before delivery:
- Leak test of the valve itself
- Travel behaviour — correct movement across the entire swivel range
- Torque — matching actuator output to valve requirement
- Switching times — how quickly the valve opens and closes
- End position signalling — correct feedback to the control system
The result is a documented function test report that verifiably confirms safe functionality at the specified control pressure, correct end-position signalling and, where applicable, the safety position.
The benefit for the plant operator
Automated valves offer several tangible advantages over manual operation:
- Remote control — opening and closing without local access
- Position monitoring — the current state can be seen at any time via the plant control system
- Time saving — especially in large or hard-to-reach installations
- Greater safety — no personnel have to enter hazardous areas to operate a valve by hand
- Faster switching times — automated actuation generally responds faster than manual operation by handwheel or lever
Automation with your own or a supplied valve
Industriefabrik Schneider GmbH offers two routes to an automated valve:
- Complete solution from one source — valve, actuator, solenoid valve and sensors are selected independently of manufacturer, matched to one another, assembled and tested.
- Automation of your existing valve — you provide the valve, we take care of the automation and the function test and return the finished assembly.
Both routes end with the same quality assurance: 100 % function testing before delivery.
Additional modifications — more than automation alone
Automation is frequently combined with further adaptations that widen a valve field of use:
Heating jackets and leakage jackets — against solidifying viscous media or for hazardous-substance safety
Stem extensions and mounting brackets — to ISO 5211 and project specifications, for the precise connection of valve and actuator
Standard-compliant flanging — to EN 1092-1 or ASME B16.5
- Special materials — for aggressive media or high-temperature applications, for example
More on this in the Manufacture of industrial valves section and under Valve modification and valve construction.
Conclusion
Valve automation is more than fitting an actuator. It is a technical design task that brings actuator, control technology and safety requirements together into a function-tested unit. Industriefabrik Schneider GmbH handles this entire process — from the manufacturer-independent selection of components through assembly to the documented function test on its own test rig.
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