To create a meter-in arrangement, where should a flow control element be placed with a DCV?

To create a meter-in arrangement, where should a flow control element be placed with a DCV?

• A. Pressure port
• B. Exhaust port
• C. Supply line downstream
• D. Return line

Answer: (A)

Meter-in means slowing the cylinder by restricting the air as it enters the actuator. To achieve that with a DCV, place the flow control on the supply side so the incoming air must pass through the restriction before the valve and cylinder. The pressure port is the entry point for pressurized air into the circuit, so throttling here meters the flow that ultimately drives the actuator, giving a controlled forward speed. Putting the flow control on the exhaust port would meter air leaving the cylinder, which affects retraction speed (meter-out) rather than extension. Placing it downstream of the supply line (after the DCV) can still affect flow but doesn’t provide the standard, consistent metering for the forward stroke and can introduce variability depending on valve position and backpressure. Hence, the pressure port is the best spot for a meter-in arrangement.

Meter-in means slowing the cylinder by restricting the air as it enters the actuator. To achieve that with a DCV, place the flow control on the supply side so the incoming air must pass through the restriction before the valve and cylinder. The pressure port is the entry point for pressurized air into the circuit, so throttling here meters the flow that ultimately drives the actuator, giving a controlled forward speed.

Putting the flow control on the exhaust port would meter air leaving the cylinder, which affects retraction speed (meter-out) rather than extension. Placing it downstream of the supply line (after the DCV) can still affect flow but doesn’t provide the standard, consistent metering for the forward stroke and can introduce variability depending on valve position and backpressure. Hence, the pressure port is the best spot for a meter-in arrangement.