Gate valve product attributes

Gate valves span everything from small bronze threaded valves on domestic water to resilient-wedge waterworks valves and cast steel flanged valves in process piping. The same few words, class, wedge and stem, mean different things across those families. A catalog that stores pressure class as free text next to a CWP figure invites buyers to read Class 125 as 125 psi, which it is not for cold water service.

Space and operation matter as much as pressure. A rising-stem valve needs clearance above the handwheel when open, while a non-rising stem keeps a fixed height but hides the valve position. Buried and waterworks valves use an operating nut rather than a handwheel. Face-to-face dimensions and open height are rarely in price files, yet they decide whether a replacement fits an existing run.

Lead-free status and fire-service listings are frequently granted for some sizes or end connections in a series and not others. Recording the design standard, lead-free basis and any UL or FM listing per SKU, with the source document, keeps a valve bought for a hydronic loop from being quoted onto a domestic water line.

The gate valves attribute template

18 candidate fields in 5 groups, ordered the way a record gets built: identify the item, capture its specifications, then record fit and the evidence behind any claim. 9 are marked Core: without them the item cannot be identified or filtered. Example values show the expected format only; they do not describe a real SKU.

Identity

Which exact item, variant and pack this record describes.

Check before use: Preserve leading zeros and punctuation, validate against the manufacturer record, and check the GTIN check digit and packaging level before linking.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Manufacturer Part Number (MPN) manufacturer_part_number_mpn	Identifier	Core	GV-125-T-200
GTIN / UPC gtin_upc	Identifier	Core	614141230068

Technical specifications

Measured or rated values that must travel with their unit and test conditions.

Check before use: Store the number and unit separately. Convert only when the source unit and test conditions are known.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Valve Size (Nominal) valve_size_nominal	Controlled list · in	Core	2 in (DN 50)
Pressure Class pressure_class	Controlled list	Core	Class 125
Cold Working Pressure (CWP) cold_working_pressure_cwp	Number · psi	Core	200
Saturated Steam Rating (WSP) saturated_steam_rating_wsp	Number · psi	Buyer decision	125
Maximum Operating Temperature maximum_operating_temperature	Number · °F	Buyer decision	353

Selection attributes

The type, material and option choices buyers filter and compare on.

Check before use: Map supplier wording to a governed vocabulary only after checking the source text and which variant it applies to.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Body Material body_material	Controlled list	Core	Lead-free bronze (ASTM B584)
Stem Type stem_type	Controlled list	Core	Non-Rising Stem (NRS)
Wedge Type wedge_type	Controlled list	Core	Solid Wedge
Bonnet Type bonnet_type	Controlled list	Buyer decision	Screw-in bonnet
Trim / Seat Material trim_seat_material	Controlled list	Buyer decision	Bronze wedge and seat
Operator Type operator_type	Controlled list	Buyer decision	Handwheel

Fit & compatibility

What the item mounts to, mates with, replaces or works alongside.

Check before use: Keep model and series qualifiers. A similar-looking part is not a verified fit until a source says so.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
End Connection end_connection	Controlled list	Core	Threaded, FNPT x FNPT

Evidence & compliance

Listings, standards, classifications and origin claims that need a document behind them.

Check before use: Link the manufacturer document or label with its edition or date. Never copy a certification from a neighboring SKU.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Design Standard design_standard	Controlled list	Channel / evidence	MSS SP-80
Lead-Free Compliance (NSF/ANSI/CAN 372) lead_free_compliance_nsf_ansi_can_372	Controlled list	Channel / evidence	Certified to NSF/ANSI/CAN 372
UL Listed / FM Approved ul_listed_fm_approved	Text	Channel / evidence	Not listed (general service)
Country of Origin country_of_origin	Controlled list	Channel / evidence	United States

Normalize supplier values

The same value arrives in many spellings. Map each raw string to one governed value, and keep the raw text beside it so a reviewer can see what the supplier actually wrote.

Often missing from supplier files

These fields are commonly absent from price lists and basic feeds, even though the information usually exists in a datasheet, label or installation manual. Treat an empty value as a request for evidence, not as permission to fill it from a similar model.

• Lead-Free Compliance (NSF/ANSI/CAN 372)
• Pressure Rating Basis (CWP / WSP / WOG)
• UL Listed / FM Approved Scope
• Face-to-Face / End-to-End Dimension
• Open Height / Stem Rise Clearance

Questions the record must answer

Buyers and counter-sales reps choosing gate valves ask questions like these. Each one needs a specific field, sourced for the exact variant.

• Does the stem rise when it opens, and is there room above the valve for that?
• Is it rated for low-pressure steam as well as water?
• Can it go on a domestic water line that has to be lead-free?
• Will it thread straight onto 2-inch pipe, or is it a flanged body?

From supplier file to record

1. Resolve identity first. Link the supplier SKU, manufacturer part number and packaging identifiers without merging distinct variants or pack sizes.
2. Extract with the source attached. Pull values from rows, tables and datasheets, keeping the raw text, unit and page or row reference.
3. Map to your classification. Assign the ETIM, ECLASS, UNSPSC or internal class your company licenses, and keep the supplier's original terms.
4. Review, sync and watch. Hold conflicts and safety-related values for a category expert, write approved values to ERP or PIM, and recheck when the supplier sends a new file.

For the full method, see how to build a category attribute template and the category catalog gap audit.

FAQ