How to Troubleshoot Solenoid Valve and Cylinder Problems?

    When solenoid valves or cylinders malfunction during operation, how should you diagnose the issue? In our experience manufacturing and selling pneumatic components, we frequently receive complaints such as: “Your solenoid valve leaks and is unusable,” or “The service life of your cylinders and solenoid valves falls far short of the tens of thousands of cycles or kilometers you advertised.” How do you typically handle such customer complaints?

    While product quality may be a factor, have you considered analyzing the problem from the perspective of air supply treatment? We often find this to be the root cause.

    For example, a customer in Beijing purchased numerous solenoid valves from us. Shortly after installation, they complained the valves were inoperative. We immediately dispatched an engineer to the site. Our first check was always air quality—and the issue was quickly revealed: they used standard water pipes as air lines, with completely untreated compressed air containing large amounts of debris. The air source severely failed to meet requirements, inevitably causing valve failure.

    As noted by Lu Yongxiang, former President of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, in the Pneumatics Handbook: “Over 70% of pneumatic system failures are caused by poor compressed air quality. Therefore, compressed air must be properly treated before use.”