Qualification testing benefits both the valve purchaser and manufacturer, as it ensures valves meet certain standards and functionality expectations.
Many products are qualified — i.e., tested and certified to meet an industrial standard — before they are available for sale. This qualification process may be as simple as testing and analysis carried out by a manufacturer to show that the product meets a minimum level of functionality and safety. Or, it could be as complicated as medical trials that take years, cost millions of dollars, and require government approvals to verify that a device or medication performs as advertised.
Proper valve operation is necessary to prevent hazardous fluid releases, equipment damage, and unstable plant control, all of which can be dangerous and costly. Qualification testing or certification of valves gives the user some sense of assurance when purchasing a valve, although this may be a false sense of security unless a variety of other factors are considered in the purchasing decision. This article describes the most common valve qualification tests and standards, and explains how the results of these tests can be factored in with other considerations to choose the most appropriate valve for an application...
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