Valve device for at least one liquid plastic component

A valve device for at least one liquid plastic component or liquid plastic, comprising:

• a closure device including a seat and a needle to be pressed against the seat for closing a valve opening of the valve device, the needle being movable relative to the seat in a closing direction to a first closed position in which the needle contacts the seat without any pressing force, a second closed position beyond the first closed position in which the needle is pressed against the seat with a first pressing force, and a third closed position beyond the second closed position in which the needle is over-pressed against the seat with a second pressing force greater than the first pressing force;
• a sensor for monitoring at least one of (i) a position of the needle, (ii) a position of the seat, (iii) a needle mounting, and (iv) a seat mounting, and generating a status signal indicating whether the needle is positioned relative to the seat in the first closed position, the second closed position, or the third closed position based on the monitoring;
• an evaluation device for receiving the status signal from the sensor and determining a characteristic of an operation of the closure device based on the status signal;
• wherein at least one of the needle and the seat is adapted to be yielding or mounted yieldingly.