Which type of valve is used to control flow based on load?

• A. Flow regulating valves
• B. Flow control valves
• C. Meter-in
• D. Counterbalance valve

Answer: (B)

The main idea is how to set the speed of a hydraulic actuator by controlling how much fluid can flow to it. A flow control valve meters the hydraulic fluid, so it directly sets the rate at which the cylinder moves. Because moving a load requires a certain amount of flow and the required force changes with load, throttling the flow lets you keep the actuator speed within a desired range even as the load changes. In other words, the valve’s job is to regulate flow to produce controlled motion under different loading conditions. Other valves mentioned have different primary roles: meter-in and meter-out describe where metering occurs in the circuit, and a counterbalance valve is mainly for holding or moderating a load rather than setting overall flow to control speed.