A hydraulic valve is a mechanical device designed to control the direction of liquid, usually oil, through a hydraulic circuit. Crucial to any hydraulic system, they can regulate the speed of motors and movement of cylinders.

Where some systems may require just one hydraulic valve, others may use multiple to guarantee optimum efficiency. As they offer a variety of functions, the type of valve chosen is crucial to the performance of the application.

The three most common types of hydraulic valves are: directional control valves, pressure control valves and flow control valves.

Directional control valves are used to control the direction, acceleration or speed of an actuator and have the ability to start, stop and pause the flow of liquid through the system.