Preeti Sulibhavi and Jacob T. Nolan explain how 3D printing is transforming the hydraulic servo valve industry, enabling groundbreaking designs, faster production, and unmatched performance.
Hydraulic servo valves are critical components in high-performance systems, including aerospace, defense, robotics, and industrial automation. This is an immense industry that is not widely recognized. These precision devices regulate fluid flow and pressure, enabling responsive and accurate motion control. As performance expectations rise and design restrictions become stricter, manufacturers are turning to 3D printing to reshape what’s possible in valve technology.
Unlocking Design Freedom
Additive manufacturing allows engineers to create complex internal geometries that can’t be achieved with traditional machining. This unlocks fluid paths optimized for faster response times, reduced pressure drops, and more compact assemblies. In the YouTube video “How 3D Printing Improves Hydraulic Servo Valves“, Moog Inc. showcases how metal 3D printing enables curved internal flow paths, which improve efficiency and reduce both weight and part count.
Domin, a UK-based engineering company specializing in high-performance hydraulic systems, has designed servo valves using 3D printing that are 40% smaller and offer 200% faster response times than traditional valves. These improvements are made possible by consolidating components and reshaping internal channels for optimal flow. Domin took a “whiteboard approach” by working from scratch with industry partners to rethink how hydraulic valves should be designed, instead of merely adapting existing models. This approach is crucial in an industry that often resists change, as it opens the door to entirely new design paradigms. Starting from zero and removing legacy constraints, Domin is introducing a revolutionary way of engineering that could redefine expectations for performance, efficiency, and size in fluid control systems. This fresh perspective has helped them disrupt a traditionally conservative sector with bold innovation and measurable results.
Industry Leaders that are Driving Change
Not only are Moog and Domin advancing this technology, but other key industry players are moving forward as well.
Servotronics, a long-established manufacturer of high-performance electrohydraulic servo valves, has built a reputation for innovation in aerospace and defense. In May 2025, Servotronics entered into an agreement to be acquired by TransDigm Group for $110 million. TransDigm, a major aerospace manufacturer known for its aggressive acquisition strategy, has a long-standing interest in expanding additive manufacturing capabilities across its portfolio. As noted in the Fabbaloo article “TransDigm Can Take Aerospace 3D Printing to New Heights”, this acquisition may position Servotronics to integrate more directly with TransDigm’s advanced 3D printing initiatives, potentially unlocking new innovations in the aerospace and defense sectors where both companies are active. While not yet publicly tied to full-scale additive manufacturing, their focus on American-made precision components places them in a strong position to benefit from the capabilities of 3D printing in future development.
In a previous article titled “Parker Hannifin and 3D Printing,” Parker Hannifin, the largest hydraulics product industrial manufacturer with 2024 sales of $19.9 billion, is shown to be embracing additive manufacturing in a major way. The company’s dedicated AM facility is equipped with cutting-edge printers and software that enable the production of intricate, functional prototypes and components with reduced lead times, highlighting their expanding investment in 3D printing technologies.
Efficiency, Sustainability, and Rapid Prototyping
3D printing also brings significant environmental and operational benefits. Additive processes use only the necessary material, which minimizes waste. Domin’s sustainability goals include eliminating one gigaton of CO₂ emissions from the hydraulics sector by 2030, made possible through lighter, more efficient components.
This technology also speeds up prototyping. Engineers can design, test, and revise valve components in a matter of days, not weeks. This rapid iteration allows for customized, application-specific solutions, which are increasingly needed in sectors like defense and heavy industry.
Real-World Impact
Visi-Trak, a die-casting automation company, has reported major improvements after adopting Domin’s S6 and S10 Pro servo valves. These compact, high-performance components exceeded the capabilities of the previous valve platforms, offering better responsiveness in a smaller package.
In the national defense space, the U.S. Department of Defense is using 3D printing to enhance readiness, decentralize production, and supply critical components in the field. Hydraulic control systems, including servo valves, stand to benefit from this strategic shift toward flexible and localized manufacturing.
The Research & Development Tax Credit
The now permanent Research & Development Tax Credit (R&D) Tax Credit is available for companies developing new or improved products, processes and/ or software.
3D printing can help boost a company’s R&D Tax Credits. Wages for technical employees creating, testing and revising 3D printed prototypes can be included as a percentage of eligible time spent for the R&D Tax Credit. Similarly, when used as a method of improving a process, time spent integrating 3D printing hardware and software counts as an eligible activity. Lastly, when used for modeling and preproduction, the costs of filaments consumed during the development process may also be recovered.
Whether it is used for creating and testing prototypes or for final production, 3D printing is a great indicator that R&D Credit-eligible activities are taking place. Companies implementing this technology at any point should consider taking advantage of R&D Tax Credits.
Conclusion
From prototyping to production, 3D printing transforms how hydraulic servo valves are designed, manufactured, and applied. With companies like Moog, Domin, Parker Hannifin, and Servotronics leading the way, additive manufacturing is becoming a strategic edge in an industry that demands performance, precision, and adaptability.
