OMAL supplies manufacturers of industrial washing systems with complete fluid control solutions: valves compatible with detergents, solvents, water, steam and aggressive fluids, reliable in frequent cycles and available as a pre-matched valve-actuator package. The range includes the MAGNUM Wafer and MAGNUM Split Wafer, Item 424, Item 115 and Item 153 ball valves, the ARES and ATENA pneumatic angle seat valves and the AGO and AGO CF8M pneumatic actuators.

Industrial washing machines are used for washing and degreasing parts and components, including metal ones. Depending on the process involved, they use detergents, solvents, water, steam and, in some cases, aggressive substances, which must be handled cycle after cycle.

Manufacturers of machines in this sector therefore seek to simplify component selection, reduce maintenance and machine downtime, and avoid checking compatibility between products from different suppliers. At OMAL, we meet these needs by designing and manufacturing both valves and actuators in-house, with the aim of offering complete and reliable solutions for fluid control.

Our range for industrial washing systems brings together the MAGNUM Wafer, MAGNUM Split Wafer, Item 424, Item 115 and Item 153 ball valves and the ARES and ATENA angle seat valves. For automation, we offer AGO and AGO CF8M pneumatic actuators for valves.

Why choose OMAL valves and actuators for industrial washing machines?

On a parts washing machine, three aspects make the difference: resistance to the fluids flowing through it, long-term sealing performance over repeated cycles, and the ease with which valves and controls fit into the design.

Chemical resistance: compatibility with detergents, solvents and aggressive fluids

Our valves ensure broad chemical compatibility with washing fluids. The material is selected according to the medium to be shut off: the MAGNUM and Item 424 stainless steel ball valves also handle aggressive fluids, while the Item 115 and Item 153 brass ball valves are suited to non-aggressive fluids. ARES and ATENA, with a CF8M body, can handle steam and saline solutions.

High reliability in frequent cycles

An industrial washing machine requires its valves to repeat the same operations many times during production. That is why, at OMAL, we focus on high reliability in frequent cycles: fewer maintenance interventions reduce machine downtime and keep the system running more continuously.

A pre-matched valve-actuator package

At OMAL, we can supply the complete valve-actuator package, selecting the right actuator for each valve. Manufacturers thus reduce the time spent searching for components and checking compatibility between products from different suppliers, with a single point of contact for both the process side and the automation side.

Applications of washing systems

Industrial washing machines operate in very different fields.

One of the main ones is industrial parts washing of metal components, where they remove water, organic and inorganic soils, oils and machining residues from components of any size and structural complexity. The most representative application sectors include:

●      Mechanics and hydraulics: small mechanical parts, hydraulic components and valves.

●      Automotive and aerospace: industrial parts cleaning for high volumes or for single parts of considerable size.

●      Die castings and sintered parts: from large die-cast items to components with complex geometries and blind holes.

●      Microcomponents: from watchmaking to dental implantology.

●      Jewelry and cutlery: removal of polishing pastes.

Whether it is an industrial parts washer or a high-capacity system, industrial washing requires valves and actuators that maintain sealing and performance over time, even with closely spaced cycles.

Our range of valves and actuators for industrial washing machines

The series includes industrial ball valves in stainless steel and brass, angle seat valves and pneumatic rotary actuators, which can be combined with one another.

MAGNUM Wafer and MAGNUM Split Wafer: the wafer ball valves

MAGNUM Wafer and MAGNUM Split Wafer are wafer ball valves in carbon steel or stainless steel.

Choosing one of these two models means keeping the line footprint compact, which matters when components have to be integrated into the space available on the machine. In addition, the stainless versions are suited to circuits with aggressive fluids.

MAGNUM Wafer is the most compact ball valve in our range and covers sizes from DN15 to DN100 (1/2" to 4"), with PN 16-40 and ANSI 150-300 pressure ratings. MAGNUM Split Wafer, instead, reaches DN200 (8") and is also available in the PN 63-100 and ANSI 600 classes up to DN100, as well as in cast stainless steel.

Item 424: the 3-piece stainless steel ball valve

Item 424 is an investment-cast, 2-way full port ball valve built in 3 pieces, with ISO 7/1 or NPT threaded ends, or butt weld or socket weld ends. Body, ball and stem are made of stainless steel 316, the ball seals of virgin PTFE and the O-ring of FKM.

It is available in ten sizes from DN8 to DN100 (1/4" to 4"), operates up to PN 63 and from -20 °C to +180 °C, and shuts off air, water, gas, petroleum and petrochemical products, as well as aggressive fluids.

Together with the stainless steel versions of the MAGNUM, it is one of our stainless steel ball valves for circuits that require greater chemical resistance.

Item 115 and Item 153: the brass ball valves

For circuits with non-aggressive fluids, we offer two valves in nickel-plated brass, both equipped with an ISO 5211 mounting flange for automation.

Item 115 is a 2-way, flat body flanged ball valve with full port and EN 1092-1 PN16 flanges. Body and ball are made of brass, the stem of stainless steel 304 and the seals of PTFE and FKM. It covers sizes from DN15 to DN50 (1/2" to 2") and operates from -20 °C to +150 °C with liquids and from -20 °C to +60 °C with gases.

Item 153 is a threaded 3-way ball valve with L-port ball, designed as a diverter valve for medium pressure. It has ISO 7/1 and NPT ends and is available in seven sizes from DN10 to DN50 (3/8" to 2"), up to 16 bar and from -20 °C to +120 °C.

Combined with AGO actuators, both models are supplied as brass pneumatic ball valves.

ARES and ATENA: the pneumatic angle seat valves

ARES and ATENA are pneumatic valves with body, stem and plug in stainless steel A351-CF8M (316).

Each qualifies as an angle seat valve and handles air, water, oils, fuels, saline solutions and steam, the latter up to 10 bar at 180 °C; with the other fluids, pressure reaches 16 or 25 bar, over a temperature range from -10 °C to +180 °C.

Sizes range from DN15 to DN50 (3/8" to 2"), with threaded connections. They are available in double acting and single acting versions, normally closed or normally open, with manual emergency override. ATENA, with a compact head and a glass-filled PBT piston, is designed for DN15 and DN20 connections.

AGO and AGO CF8M: pneumatic actuators for ball valves

AGO and AGO CF8M are our pneumatic actuators for ball valves: combined with the MAGNUM and the Item 424, 115 and 153, they form a pneumatic actuated ball valve ready for installation.

AGO is a pneumatic rotary actuator, specifically a scotch yoke actuator: it converts the linear motion of the piston into rotation without gears. It has an aluminum alloy cylinder and pistons and a stainless steel shaft, and operates from -20 °C to +80 °C, up to +150 °C in special versions. Torque ranges from 8 to 8,000 Nm in the double acting version and from 15 to 4,000 Nm in the spring return version.

Where corrosion resistance is required, as an alternative to aluminum pneumatic actuators we offer AGO CF8M, a double acting pneumatic actuator in investment-cast stainless steel CF8M, with torque from 15 to 480 Nm, in six sizes.

Certifications for valves and actuators

Depending on the item, OMAL valves and actuators are available with Ex CE/UKCA, Pressure Equipment CE/UKCA, SIL up to SIL3, TA Luft & Fugitive Emission and Fire Safe certifications.

These certifications relate to the individual component, not to the process, and are therefore independent of their use in industrial washing systems.

Use case: the KP MAX vacuum industrial washing machine by IFP Europe

An example of an industrial parts washing machine equipped with OMAL valves and actuators is the KP MAX by IFP Europe, the largest-capacity system in the KP Kleen Power line. It is a vacuum metal parts washer with a large steel chamber, designed for high volumes or for particularly bulky single loads.

Washing is carried out with modified alcohols and hydrocarbons and, optionally, with chlorinated liquids. Each cycle alternates spraying with variable turbulence, distillation for fluid recovery and drying with cryogenic abatement, all under vacuum and with fully stainless steel plant equipment.

On a machine of this type, fluid control components must withstand solvents and maintain their performance over repeated cycles throughout production: two requirements our valves meet.

FAQ: frequently asked questions about valves for industrial washing machines

Which valves are used in industrial washing machines?

We offer ball valves and angle seat valves, including automated versions. The first group includes the stainless steel MAGNUM and Item 424 and the brass Item 115 and Item 153, while the second includes ARES and ATENA. The ball valves can be combined with AGO and AGO CF8M pneumatic actuators.

Which is better, a stainless steel ball valve or a brass ball valve?

It depends on the fluid. MAGNUM and Item 424 in stainless steel also shut off aggressive fluids, while the brass Item 115 and Item 153 are suited to non-aggressive fluids such as air, water, gas and petroleum products.

What is the difference between a 2 way ball valve and a 3 way ball valve?

A 2-way valve, such as Item 424 or Item 115, opens and closes the fluid passage. Item 153, instead, is a 3-way valve with L-port ball, designed as a diverter.

Can angle seat valves be used with steam?

Yes. ARES and ATENA are also suitable for steam, which they handle up to 10 bar at 180 °C. They also shut off air, water, oils, fuels and saline solutions.

Can I receive a pneumatic ball valve already matched to the actuator?

Yes. At OMAL, we supply the ball valve with pneumatic actuator as a complete package, with the two components already correctly matched: manufacturers receive it ready to install, without having to check compatibility between products from different suppliers.

How do OMAL valves and actuators help reduce machine downtime?

High reliability in frequent cycles and the supply of the valve-actuator package both contribute: fewer components to search for and check, fewer maintenance interventions and, therefore, less machine downtime.