Stainless steel forged wine valves

French winemaker seeks manufacturing solutions in Taiwan: forged stainless steel wine valves

Many winemakers are requiring forged wine valves to replace the ones made using low pressure casting, to reduce contamination risk. For some companies that make 400,000 to 450,000 tons in a season, high wine quality is expected. In Taiwan, there’s a stainless steel vacuum component supplier who has taken one-step further and started using forging technology to make stainless steel wine valves. Today, Everfit Technology (EFT)'s forged wine valve is meeting zero defect production and allowing wine-making companies to produce fine wines.

One day, one of the leading wine valve and wine making equipment supply companies in France contacted EFT to consult with them about their wine valves. They used to buy low casting valves, however, the low quality valves brought many complaints and returns. They realized low casting might be cheaper at the beginning when comparing prices, but in the end it results in a great loss. Thus, an alternate solution is needed.

Knowing EFT has a forging factory, they flew to Taiwan for a visit. The client asked for a wine valve that would pass 3BAR pressure test. (actually valve pressure is tested up to 4BAR when conducting tests) EFT claimed that Double-sided welding would be performed to enforce strength, and that teflon and all other accessories are FDS certified.

To test the wine valve‘s pressure tolerance, EFT specifically designed a test equipment to test the valve, and purchased a world-renowned German-made pressure gauge to prove its accuracy. For every wine valve, there are three stages of leakage test to ensure high performance, and each process is strictly followed.

Stainless Steel Wine Valve Made From EFT:
• 20kg stainless steel is used for valve body.
• Precise positioning between parts - ball valve and valve body.
• Teflon is applied for tightness with great torsion.
• Double sided welding to assure shape quality.
• Anti - dust, anti-contamination.
• Self-developed leakage test equipment.
• Passed 4-BAR pressure test by the client.
• German world brand pressure gauge.
• Each stainless steel wine valve is 100% tested.
• One-stop stainless steel forging service.

"The biggest advantage to work with EFT is the access to our own forging factory. It allows EFT to provide one stop service from heat treatment, forging and finishing, and eventually to control the entire expense to lower the cost without sacrificing quality." said Tom Chang, the vice president of EFT.

Welding between two components

When conducting low pressure casting, defects occur for many reasons. For example, design part’s various thickness can cause different cooling time and therefore result in shrinkage and porosity. The low casting defects include blows, scars, blisters, scabs, misruns, cold shutting. hot tears, cracks, etc. When it happens, impregnation treatment is applied even though it’s not permitted in many industries.

Forging is a stronger, better response to heat treatment, high density, high quality with finishing work, and delivers a degree of structural integrity that is unique compared to other metalworking processes. Forging avoids the internal voids and gas pockets that can weaken metal parts. Stainless steel forging is suitable for semiconductors, food, pharmaceutical companies that ask for rigorous processing procedures.

As a result, every wine valve is state-of-the-art, tested and FDA certified. Currently EFT is working on this French company's 2nd order.

» Everfit Technology (EFT)