Until stainless steel came and took it to another level, brass pipe fittings were primarily used in the industrial and commercial sectors. The improvement in material preferences came quickly after seeing the impressive advantages of stainless steel for other uses!
Today, not only pipe fittings but also flanges and instrumentation valves are made of stainless steel.
What Are Pipe Fittings?
A pipe fitting is generally used to connect bores of two (or multiple) pipes or tubes to separate equipment. Manufacturers of stainless steel pipe fittings in India also suggest further use for pipe fittings, i.e. as a fluid flow control device. You can also use pipe fittings to close and seal any pipe.
Pipe Fittings Can Be Bought In Two Forms
Pipe Fittings are available in two forms, i.e. Male fittings and Female fittings. What is the difference?
Female threads are used on the inside of threaded pipe fittings while male threads are fitted out on the pipe fittings. Pipe fittings typically have one female end with the other being male. These are known as street fittings. You can use pipe fittings to connect pipes and tubes in the following ways:
- By Threading
Threaded (metal) pipes are threaded together in this process to connect to the standard fittings and pipes.
- By Slip-fit
These pipes are designed with sleeves that help easily slip one pipe into another tube fitting.
Why Stainless Steel Pipe Fittings
Stainless steel is a type of steel that demonstrates high corrosion resistance. The steel is self-repairing due to the formation of a passive oxide film. This protective layer’s resistance properties improve with an increase in chromium content and molybdenum levels. Generally, the typical stainless steel alloys for piping contain 17-18 percent chromium content and 8-12 percent nickel content. Stainless Steel 304 Pipe Fittings and SS 316 Pipe Fittings are the most commonly used pipe fittings.
Tips To Make Pipe Fittings Selection Easier
There are different types of pipe fittings available which can make it difficult for buyers to choose the most suitable one according to the application it is needed for. Below are some helpful points that will make the selection process easier.
Connection Type: Every fitting has two different connector types, i.e. one end could be male threaded and the other female threaded. Similarly, one end could be threaded while the other could feature a male slip.
Materials Used In Construction: Experts don’t have a set rule here. But those pipe fittings are better that are of the same material as the pipe where fittings will be applied. There are some cases where this rule isn’t applied.
Other important considerations are:
- Fitting type
- Size
- Check for flow
- Design
- Standards and codes
- Thickness
Finding the appropriate pipe fitting, instrumentation valve and tube fitting for your application has become easier with the help of an extensive product catalog.