What is placed between the valve and ports on a subplate to prevent leakage?

What is placed between the valve and ports on a subplate to prevent leakage?

• A. Gaskets
• B. O-rings
• C. Seals
• D. Washers

Answer: (B)

The concept here is creating a reliable seal where the valve meets the subplate. An O-ring provides a compact, rounded seal that sits in a groove and gets compressed when the valve is bolted to the subplate. This compression fills any tiny gaps or surface irregularities and blocks air from leaking around the port interfaces, even with vibrations and changing pressure. Gaskets are flat seals that can be less effective for the circular, tight-fit interface between a valve and its ports. Washers mainly distribute load or set spacing and don’t seal the flow path. Simply calling it a seal is too generic—the rounded, elastic nature of an O-ring makes it ideal for creating a tight, reliable seal at a multi-port, high-pressure pneumatic junction.

The concept here is creating a reliable seal where the valve meets the subplate. An O-ring provides a compact, rounded seal that sits in a groove and gets compressed when the valve is bolted to the subplate. This compression fills any tiny gaps or surface irregularities and blocks air from leaking around the port interfaces, even with vibrations and changing pressure.

Gaskets are flat seals that can be less effective for the circular, tight-fit interface between a valve and its ports. Washers mainly distribute load or set spacing and don’t seal the flow path. Simply calling it a seal is too generic—the rounded, elastic nature of an O-ring makes it ideal for creating a tight, reliable seal at a multi-port, high-pressure pneumatic junction.