Airtac PSL Throttle Speed Control Fitting PSL12-03A
The AirTAC Airtac PSL Throttle Speed Control Fitting PSL12-03A is a genuine speed controller, threaded elbow with knob with aluminium-alloy locking cap and fixed tube direction, used to set the speed of a pneumatic cylinder by throttling its air.
- TypeSpeed controller, threaded elbow
- SeriesPSL
- Working pressure0 - 1.0 MPa (0 - 10 kgf/cm2)
- Proof pressure1.5 MPa
- AdjustmentKnob with aluminium-alloy locking cap
- Temperature-20 to +70 °C
- No minimum order. A single piece can be ordered.
- Ready in 3–5 business days. That is the time we take to process the order and hand it to the carrier. Transit time after that depends on the destination.
About the Airtac PSL Throttle Speed Control Fitting PSL12-03A
The PSL12-03A is an AirTAC inline speed controller sized for the heavy end of the range: Dia 12mm soft nylon or polyurethane tubing on a 3/8in PT male thread. It sets actuator speed by throttling air in one direction while letting it pass freely in the other, and the A suffix makes this a meter-out type. Air flows from the thread port toward the tube through the needle restriction, so the cylinder exhaust is throttled and a back-pressure cushion builds ahead of the piston. That cushion is why AirTAC names meter-out as the first priority: on a solenoid valve driving a double-acting cylinder, the stroke stays smooth instead of lurching under a changing load. The knob is marked A so the controlled direction is obvious at the machine.
The tube side on a PSL is fixed - unlike the PSS universal type, the fitting does not swivel, so plan the tubing route before tightening the 3/8in thread. Internals are built for the bigger bore: a brass body and brass throttling column with a PBT holder, NBR O-ring seal and POM interface, under an aluminium-alloy locking cap so the knob setting survives vibration and accidental knocks. The standard finish is grey; add a D suffix to the order code for black. Rated 0-1.0 MPa, with 1.5 MPa proof pressure and a -750 mmHg vacuum capability.
Airtac PSL Throttle Speed Control Fitting PSL12-03A Technical Specifications
| Model | Airtac PSL Throttle Speed Control Fitting PSL12-03A |
|---|---|
| Type | Speed controller, threaded elbow |
| Series | PSL |
| Adjustment | Knob with aluminium-alloy locking cap |
| Orientation | Fixed tube direction |
| Working pressure | 0 - 1.0 MPa (0 - 10 kgf/cm2) |
|---|---|
| Negative pressure | -750 mmHg (10 Torr) |
| Proof pressure | 1.5 MPa |
| Temperature | -20 to +70 °C |
| Applicable tubing | Soft nylon or polyurethane tube |
| Thread standard | PT (Rc tapered) unless the code says otherwise |
POM release button and chuck, aluminium-alloy guide, stainless spring gasket, NBR O-ring; body brass or PBT depending on the part. A speed controller is not a shut-off valve - a small leak past a fully closed needle is normal. Close it before applying air, and turn it open slowly. AirTAC publishes flow as a characteristic curve rather than a single figure, so no L/min value is listed.
Model Code: Airtac PSL Throttle Speed Control Fitting PSL12-03A
| PSL | Speed controller, threaded elbow. |
|---|---|
| 4 / 6 / 8 / 10 / 12 | Tube outside diameter in mm (3.2 mm exists on the mini series). |
| M5 / 01 / 02 / 03 / 04 | Thread: M5x0.8, 1/8", 1/4", 3/8", 1/2" (M3 on the mini series). |
| A / B | A = meter-out (controls flow from the thread port to the tube). B = meter-in. |
| D | Black. Blank = grey. |
Meter-Out or Meter-In?
- check Meter-out (A) is the default. It throttles the air LEAVING the cylinder, so the piston runs against a back-pressure cushion and moves smoothly.
- check Use meter-out on double-acting cylinders - it is the one AirTAC lists as first priority.
- check Meter-in (B) throttles air ENTERING the cylinder. It suits single-acting cylinders and air motors.
- check Meter-in on a double-acting cylinder tends to give a jerky, stick-slip stroke under varying load.
- check Fit the controller at the cylinder port, not at the valve, so the throttled volume is as small as possible.
Where the Airtac PSL Throttle Speed Control Fitting PSL12-03A Is Used
Vertical pick-and-place on a cartoning machine
A Dia 12mm line feeding the lift cylinder of a product-transfer arm lets the operator trim the descent so trays are lowered onto the infeed without slamming. Meter-out control cushions the downstroke while the free return keeps cycle rate up.
Clamping fixture for anodised aluminium extrusions
Clamp cylinders on a machining cell close gently onto finished surfaces when the exhaust is throttled at the port. The brass body and locking cap suit a fixture that is set once and left alone through a production run.
Indexing pusher on a bottling conveyor
A pusher cylinder that indexes bottles between lanes is timed by metering its exhaust air. The 3/8in PT thread screws straight into the cylinder port on larger conveyors, and the free direction keeps the retract out of the cycle-time budget.
Is the Airtac PSL Throttle Speed Control Fitting PSL12-03A the Right Part?
At Dia 12 this is the largest tube the PSL 3/8in ladder offers - the step down is PSL10-03A on Dia 10mm, and there is no larger bore on this thread size; for a bigger line you move to PSL12-04A, which keeps the Dia 12 tube but changes the thread to 1/2in. Step down to Dia 10 when the actuator port and cycle speed allow a smaller flow path; stay at Dia 12 when feeding large-bore cylinders where an undersized restrictor would cap the free-flow return stroke. Meter-out (A) suits double-acting cylinders driven by a solenoid valve; meter-in on a double-acting cylinder tends to stick-slip, so choose a B-code part only for single-acting circuits. Fit the controller directly at the cylinder port so the small throttled volume between restrictor and piston gives the crispest response, and hand-tighten then lock the cap - no tools are published for the knob torque on PSL types.
Quick checklist
- ✓ Tube outside diameter matches exactly
- ✓ Thread size and standard match the port
- ✓ Working pressure within 0 - 1.0 MPa (0 - 10 kgf/cm2)
- ✓ Temperature within -20 to +70 °C
- ✓ Meter-out (A) unless you know you need meter-in
Airtac PSL Throttle Speed Control Fitting PSL12-03A FAQ
Working pressure 0-1.0 MPa (0-10 kgf/cm2), proof pressure 1.5 MPa, negative pressure capability -750 mmHg (10 Torr), operating temperature -20 to +70 C. It takes Dia 12mm soft nylon or polyurethane tubing on a 3/8in PT male thread, with meter-out (A) flow control from the thread port to the tube. Standard colour is grey; a D suffix gives black.
No. A speed controller throttles by design and will still leak slightly when the knob is fully closed, so it must never be relied on to isolate a circuit. For a positive shut-off use AirTAC's PHV finger valve, which is a manual quarter-turn shut-off valve; the PSL12-03A is only for speed setting. Note also that the tube connection on this PSL is fixed in direction - if you need the tube to swivel 360 degrees after installation, the PSS universal version is the equivalent body with that freedom.
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