Visit us at Medica | | November 16-19th | USA Pavilion, Hall 8b G20-1
0See how Humphrey engineers custom valves and manifold assemblies for OEMs across medical, analytical, transportation, material handling and more. Filter by market segment and download any case study PDF.
Medical
Our customer manufactured a variety of respiratory equipment and ventilation devices. Humphrey’s proportional valve technology enabled the company to recover from a more than 50% production failure rate and enhance their competitive advantage in adult, pediatric and neonatal medical ventilators. Learn how.
Medical
When a customer needed a three-valve manifold assembly with extremely tight space requirements, we modified two HK5 valves to get the job done. With the custom valve manifold, the customer was able to exchange a relatively heavy oxygen tank with a limited supply for a lightweight, portable oxygen concentrator. Read our case study.
Medical
When a respiratory equipment manufacturer needed a 2-way pilot-operated valve assembly that could handle high-flow air and oxygen, Humphrey got to work. Our custom manifold eliminated the need for hospitals to purchase two separate ventilators. Learn how we combined a standard valve model with a poppet solenoid valve and mounting adapter to get the customer what they needed.
Medical
A manufacturer of respiratory and critical care products wanted to introduce a portable rebreather for emergency medical treatment of victims of toxic gas or smoke inhalation. Humphrey designed a valve assembly that met the critical response time and desired size requirements for portability. Discover how our pilot-operated 310 valve addressed the hysteresis challenge with precise gas metering.
Medical
A compression therapy device designer needed a valve for a product that prevented fluid from pooling in the legs of immobilized patients. Humphrey answered with a manifold with three integrated solenoid valves, which eliminated multiple connection points to reduce the possibility of leakage. The manifold simplified the customer’s installation since it was custom-built for their unit. Learn more.
Medical
A ventilator manufacturer needed a preassembled system that met tight dimensional requirements and critical performance specifications, and was compatible with the company's existing controller. Humphrey met those specifications and helped the customer save on assembly costs. Learn how.
Medical
A critical medical device manufacturer needed a valve manifold system that was reliable and could handle a 30 million cycle MTBF rate. Humphrey designed a complete assembly that fit within the existing equipment and greatly improved device performance reliability. We also accelerated the development process, delivering functioning products in an exceptionally short period of time. Read on to learn how we did it.
Medical
We partnered with a manufacturer that created special mattress systems for pressure management and patient repositioning to help prevent the formation of pressure ulcers. The customer was concerned about leak rates in the system. Humphrey designed a custom valve that not only reduced leak rates but also made installation easier, thus lowering assembly costs. Read on to learn more.
Medical
A manufacturer of O2 concentrators for in-home oxygen therapy wanted a valve design that would increase flow rate. Humphrey designed a low-pressure pilot valve that increased the flow rate by 20% without taking up additional space in the system. Read on to discover how we did it.
Medical
Humphrey developed a special hand pump for a client who designed and manufactured coronary care equipment. Our product allows a heart assist device to be moved while untethered from the drive console. Read the complete case study.
Medical
Modern anesthesia equipment consists of complex pneumatic circuits used to supply various gases, including oxygen. A manufacturer of anesthesia equipment wanted to enhance the reliability of its gas delivery valves. Humphrey worked closely with the company to develop the valve assembly and the quality control methodology. Learn how.
Medical
A physical therapy equipment manufacturer wanted a valve assembly with zero leakage and diverse functionality for many types of equipment. Humphrey created a design that not only eliminated leakage but also provided a smaller package that resulted in more professional-looking equipment. The customer now has one standard manifold that can be used on each piece of equipment. Read more.
Medical
A biomedical manufacturer wanted to adapt aerospace oxygen concentrator technology for use in home therapy. Humphrey created a special diaphragm valve that delivered high flow, precise control and reliability. Discover how we implemented deeper seats to increase flow for higher efficiency while maintaining zero leakage.
Analytical Instrumentation
The customer designs and manufactures a wide range of laboratory analytical instruments. A new device incorporated advanced automated technologies to increase accuracy and testing efficiency. The instrument utilized a single-stroke pump to provide compressed air to the instrument, eliminating the need for an air compressor. Miniature valves the customer originally contributed to an unacceptable leak rate. Learn how we fixed the issue.
Analytical Instrumentation
When a customer faced leakage problems in their testing instruments, we created a solution that greatly improved the issue. Their equipment detects pressure changes to 0.00001 PSI, then calculates the leak rate. Selected manifold assemblies were subjected to 200,000 cycles, and every 50,000 cycles the customer ran a precision leak test. On every test, the pressure drop due to leaks was less than 0.002 PSI over 30 seconds at 100psi – the equivalent of a 0.0025 scc/min flow rate. That exceeded the customer’s specifications by a factor of twenty. Read on.
Analytical Instrumentation
A manufacturer of portable test equipment wanted to improve the performance and reduce costs in its test equipment. Humphrey reduced the size and complexity of the pneumatic control valve manifold for their carbon and sulfur determinator used in chemical composition analysis. Discover how we created the solution.
Analytical Instrumentation
A manufacturer of nitrogen and protein determinators needed to reduce the module size in their system. Humphrey designed an assembly that reduced the module size, installation time and costs. Discover how we incorporated all components, including pneumatics, sensors and circuitry, into a pre-tested unit.
Analytical Instrumentation
When a customer required an extremely low leakage valve package that was highly resistant to a variety of reagents, we designed a solution that exhibited consistent and predictable valve-to-valve performance. They also needed a fully automated system that was fast and accurate. We utilized our standard HK5 valve and modified it to be more compact and reduce leakage. Learn how we did it.
Process Control
Our customer produced petro-chemical processing equipment. They needed a system that could handle harsh operating conditions and maintain peak performance. Humphrey designed a compact assembly that was not easily damaged, reducing assembly costs, eliminating fittings and improving product performance in the field. Learn about our design process.
Railroad Equipment
A growing railroad service company developed a new air brake controller. To support the company's new electro-pneumatic brake system, Humphrey's Engineered Solutions team built a compact, fully tested valve assembly: four 3-way pilot-operated poppet insert valves with low-current solenoids, all in one custom die-cast manifold with ports matched to the existing brake controls. Learn how we retrofit it into their existing systems.
Dental
A medical and dental equipment manufacturer needed a new valve assembly for its conscious sedation device. The equipment enables the attending physician or dentist to set both the percentage of nitrous oxide and the total flow to a desired level of sedation and flow. Humphrey paired a modified Mini-Mizer solenoid pilot valve with a custom cartridge insert valve in one assembly. Discover how the one-piece design delivered higher flow in a smaller footprint.
Transportation
A manufacturer wanted to improve productivity by cutting the time it took to inflate and deflate each trailer's air suspension for highway and rail transportation. Eliminating one valve and incorporating Humphrey’s proven cartridge insert valves reduced the unit cost, simplified the customer’s connection requirements and resulted in a more reliable system. Read the complete case study.
Transportation
A truck trailer suspension manufacturer wanted to replace its manual "slider" axle adjustment with a pneumatic system that would be easier on operators. Standard components didn't fit the space, lacked key features and cost too much, so Humphrey engineered a custom component. Unlike mechanical linkage that often takes great strength to operate, our pneumatic system requires very little force. Discover how we did it.
Transportation
A major truck transmission manufacturer wanted to improve fuel economy on Class 8 trucks with electronic shift control and needed valves that could handle tough road conditions without awkward mounting. Our new assembly consisted of two integral Humphrey solenoid valves actuated by an electronic signal from the engine, which caused one valve to lock out the driver’s control over the splitter cylinder, allowing the other to shift gears automatically at a pre-set point. Learn more about our solutions.
Transportation
A manufacturer of bulk liquid and fuel transport tankers needed to fix a fuel delivery system that was too large and complex. We modified a Humphrey TAC valve to create a single three-position valve with lift and hold, release to detent position and push to shut off. The design replaced two separate valves and functioned as both a master and a sourcing component, supplying pilot pressure to the individual unloading valves. Learn more.
Transportation
A school bus manufacturer's pneumatic door operator valve assembly no longer fit its new cab-over design, which had very little space. Humphrey's engineers combined its 310 and 410 valves into a custom aluminum manifold, creating a compact 4-way, 3-position function with built-in door speed adjusters. This simplified installation made the manifold easily accessible for service. Read more.
Manufacturing Equipment
A manufacturer of ultrasonic welding equipment needed a custom flow control to improve product performance. Humphrey developed a compact custom valve assembly to meet the exacting design and performance specifications. Learn how we built a custom assembly around a flow control valve with a proven diaphragm poppet design, adding a 2-stage custom needle valve for linear flow.
Environmental
A customer wanted a single valve that could start a motor and regulate speed for a new portable recirculating cleaning and degreasing system. Humphrey combined the proven technology of slide and needle valves to create the solution. Find out how the new, smaller assembly eliminated multiple leak points, lowered component and assembly costs and provided precise flow control.
Material Handling and Conveyors
A manufacturer of air balancing equipment wanted to enhance its existing control handle. Humphrey redesigned the manifold assembly to achieve lighter actuation force and more responsive metering. Working engineer-to-engineer as the customer's needs grew, we developed the 555 Series, the first standard valve with on-board programmable logic, offering look-ahead sensing and preset sleep, singulation and slug modes. Read the full case study.
Material Handling and Conveyors
A manufacturer of high-speed custom accumulation conveyor systems wanted to replace noisy mechanical valve actuators with a photocell-based system, but the new valves could draw no more than 1 watt and had to be retrofitted. Find out how Humphrey modified our P3040 solenoid valve to use less power, reducing compression on the internal seal to cut drag and shortening the stroke to lower the actuation force.
Material Handling and Conveyors
An air balancing equipment manufacturer wanted to enhance its existing control handle. Humphrey redesigned the manifold assembly to achieve lighter actuation force and more responsive metering. Learn how our solution added control options by mounting more valve button assemblies on the pendant without using remote valves elsewhere on the equipment.
Material Handling and Conveyors
A conveyor manufacturer’s plastic valve with multiple components presented a potential source of problems during operation. Humphrey designed a single metal valve assembly to deliver improved reliability and superior performance. We replaced the separate components with one integrated assembly built around the P1070B, a high-flow, 2-position, 3-way valve with a hardened steel plunger, a field-proven diaphragm design, a solid metal body and a protective actuator boot. Learn more.
Material Handling and Conveyors
A manufacturer of custom materials handling conveyor systems wanted to reduce costs, enhance performance, improve functionality and reduce the system’s size. Humphrey designed a manifold body that provided a unique, contemporary look while managing material costs. Learn how we did it.
Material Handling and Conveyors
A materials handling conveyor manufacturer wanted to upgrade its system for staging lightweight and odd-size cartons moving at up to 500 feet per minute. When the carton stopped on the cam roller, the Humphrey N740A valve stayed open long enough to exhaust the air bag. That disengaged the drive belt from the rollers and created a cascade effect along the entire conveyor line. Learn more.
Food Automation
An ice cream and beverage dispensing equipment manufacturer needed a valve that would eliminate clogging when dispensing syrups with suspended solids. Humphrey designed a 2-way valve that could control all types of syrups and maintain its functionality after being submerged in hot, soapy water for cleaning. Discover how the new valves eliminated the downstream mixing valve, reducing cost and part count, and survived ten million cycles of life testing.
Small Arms
A pneumatic paintball marker manufacturer wanted faster firing rates for a more competitive, premium product. Humphrey worked with our Japanese partner Koganei to develop a 10 mm-wide miniature valve that operates at 225 psig, with a solid seal in the valve body instead of on the spool. Read on to learn how our product delivered a smooth, consistent firing rate that exceeded the customer's expectations.
Our technical specialist can help. Call 800.477.8709 for assistance.
