A meter-in flow control valve controls the speed of an actuator by_______.

A meter-in flow control valve controls the speed of an actuator by_______.

• A. Applying back pressure to the actuator
• B. Restricting the flow to the actuator
• C. Diverting flow to the reservoir
• D. Restricting the flow from the actuator

Answer: (B)

The speed of a hydraulic actuator is governed by how much fluid can enter the cylinder per unit time. A meter-in flow control valve sits in the supply line to the actuator and throttles the incoming fluid. By restricting that flow, less hydraulic fluid reaches the piston each moment, so the actuator moves more slowly. The force available at a given pressure stays the same, but the movement slows because the flow rate is reduced. Diverting flow to the reservoir or restricting flow from the actuator describe different functions and aren’t how meter-in control works. Meter-out would throttle the flow leaving the actuator, which affects retraction speed, not the primary action of meter-in.

The speed of a hydraulic actuator is governed by how much fluid can enter the cylinder per unit time. A meter-in flow control valve sits in the supply line to the actuator and throttles the incoming fluid. By restricting that flow, less hydraulic fluid reaches the piston each moment, so the actuator moves more slowly. The force available at a given pressure stays the same, but the movement slows because the flow rate is reduced.

Diverting flow to the reservoir or restricting flow from the actuator describe different functions and aren’t how meter-in control works. Meter-out would throttle the flow leaving the actuator, which affects retraction speed, not the primary action of meter-in.