How to choose your manufacturer of hydraulic manifold blocks?

In the industrial sector, hydraulic manifold blocks have logically found their place and have become essential because of their many advantages: leak reduction, compactness, ease of assembly, etc. How to choose a manufacturer of hydraulic blocks? What criteria should be considered to make the right choice?

Hydraulic manifold blocks are classified into two types: standard design blocks (referenced in our catalogue) and custom designed blocks manufactured according to a specific customer request.

There are different types of materials and surface treatments for these blocks, each adapted to the different environmental and technical conditions in which the hydraulic blocks are used (temperatures, pressures, corrosion, type of fluid, etc.).
That’s why it is crucial that your manufacturer of hydraulic manifolds is really listening to your needs to offer you the most suitable solution for your applications and uses.

Beyond the technical aspects of hydraulic blocks, budgetary considerations must also be taken into account. A serious and professional manufacturer of hydraulic manifold blocks will always consider the cost-benefit ratio to offer you the best product with the material and surface treatment that best match the product’s usage constraints.

At VMF, a European leader in the design and manufacture of precision hydraulic blocks, we advise our customers in a neutral and purely technical way. We offer in our catalogue a wide range of standard blocks, different forged, cast, or extruded materials (many grades of cast iron, aluminium, steel…), and surface treatments (phosphating, anodizing, chemical nickel, etc.).

The freedom of choice that we offer to our clients is a serious guarantee of objectivity and professionalism. We advise the best solutions to industrial clients based on their real needs.

The VMF company is very keen to support its customers in the long term and establish a relationship of trust with manufacturers.
To provide an optimal service, we systematically digitize and archive our customers’ plans, allowing us to quickly resume production of blocks or make modifications based on an existing project. In this same spirit, and depending on the projects, we have also built up a sufficient stock of parts in our workshops to respond swiftly to the needs of our regular clients.

The stability, history and references of your hydraulic manifold manufacturer are good indicators of its reliability and know-how. The loyalty of its customers and their reputation should reassure you about the quality of the work done and its consistency over time.

VMF is a French company specializing in the design and manufacture of hydraulic manifold blocks, founded in 1986 in the Rhône-Alpes region by Daniel Combe. This expert, passionate about fluid mechanics, is convinced of the many advantages of hydraulic manifold blocks compared to piped valve systems. For over 35 years, we have been working with loyal customers to provide them with manifold solutions. Major European industrial clients such as Bosch, Parker, GE, and Siempelkamp trust us.

VMF has established itself as a leader in manifold blocks for the offshore, construction machinery, public works, agricultural, wind energy, defence, and shipbuilding sectors. Cutting-edge and demanding sectors that require their suppliers to provide solid guarantees in terms of quality and traceability, but also in terms of complexity, precision, reactivity and production capacity.

Our expertise in hydraulic manifold blocks and our strict processes have allowed us to participate in major industrial projects such as the Las Vegas Ferris Wheel, the construction of the Chernobyl containment arch entrusted to Novarka, and the construction of the new coastal road on the island of Réunion.

When choosing a supplier for your hydraulic manifold blocks, particular attention should be paid to their equipment, diversity, and quality.

The goal is not to become an expert in the manufacturing of manifold blocks but rather to help you make comparisons. Asking the company about this aspect (and, if possible, visiting) is essential to make an informed choice.

The machine park and tooling reflect several factors that should be considered based on your needs for hydraulic manifold blocks:

• The diversity of products, ranges, and services offered by the manufacturer;
• Volume production capacity;
• Reactivity and flexibility;
• Ability to produce specific and complex manifold blocks (large lengths, large volumes and weights, complex cavities, etc.).

The VMF company, a leader in the design and manufacture of precision hydraulic manifolds, has continuously invested in the acquisition of new machines, machining centres, CAD/CAM software (Computer-Aided Design and Manufacturing), and tooling to enhance its offerings, improve its precision, and increase its production capacities.

In our 4,000 m2 workshops, we have a fleet of 19 machines, a complete tool inventory of more than 10,000 pieces, including 500 different tools for specific shapes, and more than 5,000 drilling tools ranging from 0.8 mm to 80 mm in diameter to make custom cavities and very precise machining.

Our 11 CNC machining centres and two Kitamura machines connected to a Fastems robot allow us to ensure continuous block production 24/7.

The company has also invested in a Castel Terus 180 FPT machine to be able to machine large hydraulic blocks, more than 2 meters long and weighing up to 10 tons.

To meet all our customers’ needs, we have also kept traditional machines that allow us to realize some specific machining.

Of course, this extensive and high-performance equipment would not be an asset without the skills and expertise of our teams.
At VMF, all our employees are trained and qualified, they master the use of machines and all stages of the design and manufacture of hydraulic manifold blocks.

How are the hydraulic manifold blocks of your supplier controlled?
Are they subject to systematic verification?
What are the critical points to be monitored?
What are the procedures and means used for the quality control of manifold blocks?
Is the company certified?
These questions should help you to assess the level of attention your hydraulic block manufacturer gives to quality.

For VMF, manufacturer of precision hydraulic manifold blocks for more than 35 years, quality is not just a concept, we are certified ISO 9001 since 2002. Quality research is present in all the stages of our manifold blocks production process.

From design to quality control through to production, all the production stages are constantly evolving to ensure a reliable and durable rendering. We have set up in our premises an area of 800 m2 dedicated to finishing and quality control, systematic operations on all our hydraulic blocks. Holes, connections, diameters, depths, surface finish or tightness are checked thoroughly by dimensional checks, ultrasound or by endoscopy before delivery.

We make the packaging ourselves to ensure that the collector blocks are well protected during transport.

Are you looking for a reliable manufacturer of hydraulic manifold blocks who listens to your needs? Contact VMF ! We will be happy to advise you and introduce you to our hydraulic manifold block solutions.