Fittings will always be around
Fittings Will Always be Around
May, 2020
Conveying fluid from one point to another has always been an important process. Before fluid connections, it seemed the method of walking to a river, picking up water in a bucket, and walking it back was the best way to transfer fluid from one location to another. The world has seen many advancements since then.
Introducing: fluid connections, or fittings, as we have come to know them. Fittings started in the piping world evolving and continuing to evolve as new advancements in technology arise. Their use in fluid systems is critical, and they are here to stay!
There will always be a need to connect two points in order to convey media—whether through tube connections, welding, or mechanical threads. Advancements will come, but the primary need for leak-free systems will always remain the same. Fittings will always be around.
The future is exciting with advancements to come. One can imagine the use of 3D printing and the impact it will have on fittings and their availability. Another can imagine easier ways to install fittings faster and with no tools. But what remains the same is the need to connect two points in conveying fluid.
Fluid is a critical component in manufacturing and other production advancements of technology from semiconductor chips to new forms of transportation.
Since 1947, Swagelok Company has led the way in the design and manufacturing of leak-free tube fittings. It started with the creation of the two-ferrule fitting that requires no special tools for installation. A fitting that, during installation, transmitted no torque from the fitting to the tubing so that when the lines were hooked up, there would be no initial strain on the tubing leaving it in a weakened condition and subject to an early fatigue failure. Fast forward to the creation of the Swagelok advanced geometry back ferrule that enhanced tube grip and vibration resistance of the fitting. Onto today, where a team of research scientists and engineers at Swagelok continues to develop new and better ways to connect point A to point B to convey gas and fluid media for the challenging applications of today and tomorrow.
Fittings are not going away as long as there is a need to move media in industries such as alternative fuels, chemical and petrochemical, power generation, oil and gas production, chemical processing, biopharmaceutical, R&D, and semiconductor manufacturing. Fittings will always be around.