How does a 3/2 valve differ from a 5/2 valve in terms of ports?

How does a 3/2 valve differ from a 5/2 valve in terms of ports?

• A. 3/2 has three ports and two positions; 5/2 has five ports and two positions.
• B. 3/2 has four ports and two positions; 5/2 has six ports and two positions.
• C. 3/2 has three ports P, A, R; 5/2 has five ports P, P', A, B, R.
• D. 3/2 has three ports; 5/2 has three ports.

Answer: (A)

In pneumatic valves, the notation that looks like two numbers separated by a slash tells you how many ports the valve has and how many positions it can assume. A 3/2 valve has three ports: a pressure supply port, one work port to the actuator, and an exhaust port. It also has two distinct positions that determine which ports are connected to which as you shift the valve. A 5/2 valve expands to five ports: the pressure supply, two work ports (for a double-acting actuator), and two exhaust ports. It likewise has two positions, but with the extra ports it can route air to either work port while venting the other. So the key distinction in terms of ports is that the 3/2 valve uses three ports, while the 5/2 valve uses five ports, with both types offering two positions. The other options either misstate the port counts or unnecessarily complicate the port naming, whereas the primary difference is clearly captured by the count of ports.

In pneumatic valves, the notation that looks like two numbers separated by a slash tells you how many ports the valve has and how many positions it can assume. A 3/2 valve has three ports: a pressure supply port, one work port to the actuator, and an exhaust port. It also has two distinct positions that determine which ports are connected to which as you shift the valve.

A 5/2 valve expands to five ports: the pressure supply, two work ports (for a double-acting actuator), and two exhaust ports. It likewise has two positions, but with the extra ports it can route air to either work port while venting the other.

So the key distinction in terms of ports is that the 3/2 valve uses three ports, while the 5/2 valve uses five ports, with both types offering two positions. The other options either misstate the port counts or unnecessarily complicate the port naming, whereas the primary difference is clearly captured by the count of ports.