Pneumatic valve ports belong in a clearly identified component description. For a machine purchase or spare-parts request, keep that description beside the exact component reference and circuit documentation.
A buyer does not need to redesign a pneumatic circuit to ask a useful question. The practical task is to identify what the offered valve description means, what function it belongs to and which complete item the supplier is proposing.
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Pneumatic valve ports: read both numbers in the label
Festo’s pneumatic-valve guide explains the port/position notation: 3/2 means three ports and two switching positions; 5/2 means five and two; 5/3 means five and three.
Write the complete description in a comparison record. Copying only “three-port valve” removes the switching-position information. Copying only “two-position” loses the port count. Neither abbreviation fully identifies the stated classification.
Also retain the source document. A designation copied from the installed component’s record belongs to that item. A supplier’s proposed alternative needs its own complete reference and technical review before the order changes.
The counts do not identify a saw model, an approved air pressure or a measured cutting result. Use them to understand the component description, then request the remaining data for the actual application.
Check 2: identify the working-port description
In the illustrated 3/2 arrangement, Festo labels supply as port 1, working output as 2 and exhaust as 3. Its 5/2 explanation adds working port 4 and exhaust port 5. This distinguishes one working output from two.
Keep that vocabulary with the supplier’s diagram. It is a reading aid for the identified arrangement, not an instruction to connect, disconnect or reroute an installed machine’s lines.
| Published description | Information to retain |
|---|---|
| 3/2 | Three ports, two positions; the example identifies supply 1, working output 2 and exhaust 3. |
| 5/2 | Five ports, two positions; the example adds working output 4 and exhaust 5. |
| 5/3 | Five ports, three positions; identify the specified middle-position version as well. |
For a quotation, ask which machine function the valve description covers. A clamp-related item and a material-positioning item should have separate diagram references. Keep the component attached to its actual function rather than applying one entry to every air-powered movement.
The pneumatic-cylinder force guide covers a different specification question. A port-count label does not supply the direction, pressure or output information needed for that comparison.
Check 3: retain the full circuit symbol and revision
Ask for the component’s complete symbol in the applicable circuit drawing. Retain the drawing revision and component tag. A cropped symbol without its identifier can be difficult to connect to a spare-parts line later.
For a 5/3 description, request the exact middle-position version. Festo lists different middle-position arrangements. The count alone does not tell the buyer which one the proposal includes.
Similarly, obtain the full actuation and return description from the supplier. If the quotation says only “solenoid valve,” ask the provider to supply the exact component documentation. Do not infer the complete function from a coil or connector visible in a photograph.
Keep any proposed circuit change explicit. Replacing the part listed in the equipment record and changing its function are different review scopes. The responsible equipment provider should state which scope its proposal covers.
This guide sets no protective-function design or stored-energy procedure. Follow the approved equipment documentation for service work. A purchasing explanation of valve notation cannot determine how an installed machine should behave during isolation or an interruption.
Check 4: identify the complete supplied item
Make the order specific enough to distinguish a valve assembly from a separate coil, connector, base or other offered item. Have the supplier list exactly what the quoted part number includes.
Request the product’s current technical sheet, applicable electrical information, connection specifications and mounting or manifold reference. Let the responsible reviewer confirm the complete item against the equipment record.
Record any exclusions beside the price. If the offered supply is a component only, the receiving team should not expect a complete installed assembly. If several items are required, retain their identities and quantities as separate order lines.
Use the machine spare-parts guide to organize the asset identity and evidence needed for the inquiry. A clear valve description supports that request; it does not replace the serial number and relevant component reference.
Three fictional quotation lines to clarify
Line A: “two-position pneumatic valve”
The switching-position count is present, but the description lacks the port count and exact product identity. Ask for the complete designation, supplier part reference and diagram tag before treating it as an orderable item.
Line B: “5/3 valve, replacement”
The counts are clear. The middle-position version and complete assembly identity still need to be connected to the equipment record. Request the relevant symbol and the supplier’s written confirmation of the offered replacement scope.
Line C: an exact part number with a coil-only price
Here the identity may be precise while the commercial supply is narrower than the buyer expected. Confirm whether the proposal covers the required assembly or only the listed service item, and retain that distinction in the order.
These cases are invented purchasing examples. They describe no actual JiurunCut circuit, failed part or approved substitution. Each shows a different gap that can be resolved through a focused documentation request.
Short buyer answers
Does “5/2” identify a complete replacement part?
No. Keep the full product reference, assembly scope and equipment confirmation with that classification.
Where should I find the exact function?
Ask the supplier for the complete component reference and applicable circuit documentation.
Can a valve photograph establish the circuit connection?
Use the applicable drawing and equipment documentation. A visible hose or connector does not supply the full circuit record.
Send a valve request the supplier can identify
Send JiurunCut the machine identity and relevant component reference. Add the current part designation, circuit-drawing revision and the exact quotation line you want clarified.
State whether the request concerns a complete assembly, an identified service item or a proposed replacement. That detail lets the supplier answer the actual purchasing question and keeps the reviewed scope clear when the parts arrive.