The effect of manufacturing method induced roughness on severe service control valve performance

There are a number of manufacturing methods used for the manufacture of control valve trim components, some of which are expensive processes. Current market conditions and increased competition requires manufacturers to reduce costs of these components and they are investigating new technologies such as processes using Additive Layer Manufacturing (ALM) to produce these components. These processes may require or result in variations in geometrical features and surface roughness of the produced components compared to current processes, this study quantifies the effects of the selective laser melting (SLM); a form of ALM, methods induced features on the overall valve performance of the control valve via experimental measurements of valve capacity (Cv) and the roughness of the manufactured parts.