Placing a needle valve or a flow control valve in the pressure port of a DCV will make the circuit a

• A. Meter-out application
• B. Idle circuit
• C. Meter-in application
• D. Pressure-compensated circuit

Answer: (C)

Throttling the supply side sets the speed at which air can enter the actuator, so the flow into the cylinder is metered as it moves in. Placing a needle valve or flow control in the pressure port of a directional control valve restricts how much air can reach the circuit on the active (in) stroke, slowing extension and making the system operate as a meter-in arrangement.

If the control were on the exhaust side, you’d be metering air leaving the cylinder and would have a meter-out setup instead. A pressure-compensated circuit isn’t achieved merely by putting a throttle in the pressure port; that requires a design that maintains a constant flow regardless of load, typically involving additional components beyond a simple flow control in the P port.