Airtac M5C Long Handle Mechanical Valve M5C21008
Mechanically actuated · no coil, no pilot airThe AirTAC Airtac M5C Long Handle Mechanical Valve M5C21008 is a genuine 5/2-way long handle type control valve. A long hand lever for operating force and reach. It is an external control, direct-acting valve - the spool is moved mechanically, so there is nothing to wire and no pilot line to plumb. Ports are PT1/4 with a 12.0 mm2 (Cv 0.67) effective area.
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Specifications
| Model | M5C21008 |
|---|---|
| Valve type | 5/2 way, external control, direct acting |
| Actuation | Long handle type |
| Reset | Automatic (spring) restoration |
| Body series | 200 Series, single control |
| Port size | PT1/4 |
| Effective area | 12.0 mm2 (Cv 0.67) |
| Fluid | Air, filtered by a 40 um element |
|---|---|
| Pressure range | 0 - 1.0 MPa (0 - 145 psi) |
| Proof pressure | 1.5 MPa (215 psi) |
| Temperature | -20 to +70 C |
| Body material | Aluminium alloy |
| Lubrication | Not required |
| Thread standard | PT (Rc tapered) |
| Spool stroke | 2.0-3.0 mm |
| Actuator stroke | 11.0-16.0 mm at the handle |
Sliding-column (spool) construction, so operating force is not affected by working pressure - there is no back-pressure effect. Lubrication is not required, but once the valve has been run on lubricated air it must stay on lubricated air; AirTAC suggests ISO VG32 or equivalent. The long handle type control set is METAL, which gives a longer service life than the engineering-plastic heads. The exhaust outlet sits on top of the body, so a silencer fits directly.
About the M5C21008
The M5C21008 is a 5/2-way, external control, direct acting pneumatic valve that is switched by hand on a long lever - there is no solenoid coil, no pilot port and no wiring anywhere on it. You grip the extended handle and pull, the spool crosses over, and a spring snaps the valve back to its rest position the moment you let go. Nothing here should be confused with an AirTAC 4V solenoid valve or a 4A air-piloted valve; the only thing that moves this spool is the operator's hand.
This is the 200-series single-control body with a 1/4 inch PT port and an effective area of 12.0 mm2 (Cv 0.67), the largest flow in the M5 common-type range. Because it is a sliding spool design, the lever force needed to change over is not affected by working pressure - there is no back-pressure effect, so the handle feels the same at 0.2 MPa as it does at 1.0 MPa. The exhaust sits on top of the body so a silencer screws straight in, the C control set is metal for long service life, and both body mounting and panel mounting are supported.
Typical applications
Stamping press die-set clamp
Mounted on the side column of a press setting station, the long lever lets a die setter clamp and unclamp the die set with a full-hand pull while both hands stay clear of the bolster. The spring return vents the clamp the instant the handle is released.
Bench shear hold-to-run feed
On a small fabrication shear, the operator pulls the lever to advance the hold-down cylinder and simply lets go to retract it. Because reset is automatic and pressure-independent, the release feel never changes across the full 0-1.0 MPa working range.
Guarded jam-clear station on a packaging line
Fitted inside a machine guard recess where a short button would be hard to reach, the extended handle gives the maintenance technician a sure grip for jogging a jammed carton pusher, with the valve spring-returning to neutral as soon as the lever is dropped.
How to choose
The choice you are really making against this valve is its sibling, the M5D short-handle type. Both share the same body, spring return and metal control set; the C's long lever simply gives you more leverage and more reach, which matters when the valve sits behind a guard, inside a recessed panel, or where an operator wears gloves. Pick the D if the handle must fit a shallow front panel - pick this C when the operator needs a comfortable, full-hand pull from a distance.
On flow, you are already at the top of the family: the 210 body with a 1/4 inch port gives 12.0 mm2 (Cv 0.67), versus 9.0 mm2 (Cv 0.50) on the same body in 1/8 inch and 8.0 mm2 (Cv 0.45) on the smaller 110 body. Size the port to the cylinder you are feeding rather than to the supply line. One warning to respect during installation: the spool only needs to travel 2.0-3.0 mm, and the handle stroke that produces it is 11.0-16.0 mm. Exceeding these published reversal-stroke limits damages the valve, so mount it so the handle cannot be over-pulled past its end stop. If you want a spare control set on the shelf, AirTAC sells the C lever assembly separately as M3C210-P13A.
Frequently asked questions
It is a 5/2-way external control, direct acting valve with a long hand lever and automatic spring return. Working pressure range is 0-1.0 MPa (0-145 psi), proof pressure 1.5 MPa (215 psi), and operating temperature -20 to +70 C with air filtered by a 40 um element. The body is aluminium alloy, the port is PT1/4, and the effective orifice area is 12.0 mm2 (Cv 0.67). Lubrication is not required, though if lubricated air is used it should continue for the valve's life (ISO VG32 or equivalent grade).
Respect the published reversal strokes: the spool travels 2.0-3.0 mm, produced by a handle stroke of 11.0-16.0 mm. These are hard design limits, and AirTAC states explicitly that exceeding them damages the valve, so position the mounting or add a mechanical stop so the lever cannot be yanked past its travel. Also note the M5C's metal control set is built for hand operation in service - and that whatever the actuator, this is a control valve, not a rated safety or emergency-stop device.