Latching Solenoid
In the quick oil change market, speed is a key factor in the level of success a particular facility will achieve. Not only is it important for meeting their customers’ expectations, it is vital in reaching their revenue goals. Accurate and timely dispensing of fluids during the oil change process as well as elimination of waste and spills is essential in helping the facility to realize their objectives.
A manufacturer of fluid handling systems sought a cost-effective solution for an automatic shut-off feature on an oil dispensing meter. The high pressure and high flow features of the meter made it susceptible to waste and spills if manually controlled. The manufacturer’s goal was to develop a product that would only dispense the exact amount of oil called for without spilling any oil in the process. In addition, the solution needed to be compact in size and be battery operated in order to fit the specifications for the hand-held meter.
Based on the requirements, TLX determined that the best solution was a custom latching solenoid. The solenoid could be powered with a short pulse to latch the solenoid and then hold the valve open by using a permanent magnet without consuming additional power. When the meter determined that the precise amount of oil had been dispensed, the solenoid received a short, reverse polarity pulse to release the solenoid, close the valve and stop the flow of oil. The custom latching solenoid was compact in design and utilized almost no power making it extremely well suited for the battery operated specification. The custom latching solenoid solution provided by TLX operated efficiently on four AA batteries for six months in the oil dispensing meter.
This latching solenoid can be designed for a variety of applications requiring an electric lock. The solenoid can be customized for a variety of specific load shifting capabilities as well as configured for the application’s power requirements. Strokes and forces are flexible depending on solenoid size.
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