A Multi-Criteria Design Methodology for Hydraulic Valves Manufactured by Additive Manufacturing
Jan Bartolj, mag. inž., Aljaž Žafran, mag. inž., izr. prof. dr. Nikola Vukašinović, univ. dipl. inž., izr. prof. dr. Franc Majdič, univ. dipl. inž; vsi Univerza v Ljubljani, Fakulteta za strojništvo
Ventil Vol. 32(2026)4 / Review articles / Scientific Article – 1.01
Abstract:
A design workflow for a hydraulic valve manufactured using metal additive technologies is presented. The method combines parametric modelling, CFD analysis, topology optimisation and multi-criteria evaluation. Fifteen control spool bore positions of an NG10 valve were assessed according to pressure drop, turbulent kinetic energy and mass. The vertical position primarily influenced mass, whereas the lateral offset had a stronger effect on the hydraulic criteria. Since the individual optima did not coincide, Pareto and weighted analyses were applied. The configuration with Z=40 mm and X=5 mm provided the most balanced solution.
Keywords:
additive manufacturing, hydraulic valve, CFD, topology optimisation, multi-criteria evaluation
Copyright (c) 2026 Jan Bartolj, Aljaž Žafran, Nikola Vukašinović, Franc Majdič![]()
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