Which valve function restricts oil flow going out from the actuator?

Which valve function restricts oil flow going out from the actuator?

• A. Meter-out
• B. Meter-in
• C. Restrictor
• D. Flow regulating valves

Answer: (A)

The key idea is how to control the actuator’s speed by throttling the hydraulic fluid as it moves either into or out of the cylinder. Slowing the oil as it leaves the actuator directly limits how fast the piston can retract, since the outflow determines how quickly fluid can be expelled from the cylinder and return to the reservoir. A meter-out valve sits in the return line from the actuator and provides this throttling on the outflow path, so adjusting it changes the retraction speed. By contrast, a meter-in valve throttles the inflow to the actuator to slow extension, a simple restrictor offers fixed flow restriction without specifically targeting the actuator’s outflow, and flow regulating valves control overall circuit flow rather than the actuator’s outflow path. So the device whose function is to restrict oil flow going out from the actuator is the meter-out valve.

The key idea is how to control the actuator’s speed by throttling the hydraulic fluid as it moves either into or out of the cylinder. Slowing the oil as it leaves the actuator directly limits how fast the piston can retract, since the outflow determines how quickly fluid can be expelled from the cylinder and return to the reservoir. A meter-out valve sits in the return line from the actuator and provides this throttling on the outflow path, so adjusting it changes the retraction speed. By contrast, a meter-in valve throttles the inflow to the actuator to slow extension, a simple restrictor offers fixed flow restriction without specifically targeting the actuator’s outflow, and flow regulating valves control overall circuit flow rather than the actuator’s outflow path. So the device whose function is to restrict oil flow going out from the actuator is the meter-out valve.