Edmonton Valve & Fitting Blog

If some of these posts don't sound familiar, this is a great time to catch up

With 2018 now at a close, we look back over the past year at what the most popular Swagelok blog topics were for our readers. 

Here on our blog we like to emphasize variety. Sometimes we write about products, sometimes about services, sometimes about people. Most of the time we give you practical information, but we also like to have some fun once in a while.

Our blog allows us to go a little deeper into a subject from time to time. For instance, you've probably heard or read that you should never mix Swagelok components with those from another manufacturer. As we explained in June, there are several practical reasons, from workplace safety to keeping your warranty valid.

Then there's the topic of pressure ratings. Customers often ask us about how to find out the pressure rating of a particular Swagelok tube fitting. We explained three key questions back in August.

We also like to pass along tips for saving money. Anytime you require a special tool but don't want to shoulder the cost of buying it, inquire with us if you can rent it from Edmonton Valve. We have rental tools for a variety of jobs, including tools for installing cone-and-thread fittings. We can even train you to use them properly.

The right choices

Now that we're deep into winter again, it seems like a good time to revisit a post from last February about a great way to slay ice, the Steam Lance. Important to note that we fabricate steam lances right here in Edmonton in our Custom Solutions department, so we can make them exactly the length you want.

Sometimes it's hard to know exactly what you do want, especially when it comes to hose. Swagelok offers 18 series of hoses, in sizes ranging from 1/8 inch to 2 inch with more than 30 possible end connections. How can you select the combination that's best for your particular job? Use the Installer's Pocket Guide for Swagelok Hoses, which we described in March.

Those are some of the most popular posts from our blog in 2018. If you feel like you may have missed out on some other interesting topics, we have all our posts archived. Browse through them, then contact us if you'd like to learn even more about a particular topic. We're easy (and quick) to reach at 780-437-0640, or through the contact page on our website. 

With no bending, welding or fitting required, hose saves a bundle on labour costs

Hoses can manage an abundance of applications because of the wide variety of available materials and configurations. Download Swagelok's "Be Flexible - Hose is the Best Choice for Many Power Applications" PDF below.

Flexible hose may be one of the most under-used components in a power plant. With the latest advances in hose technology, you can use hose in many places historically limited to tubing or pipe.

Swagelok hose is available in custom lengths up to 100 feet, in diameters 2 inches and under, and with a wide variety of end connections. With the proper selection of material options, hoses are completely dependable across a wide range of pressures and temperatures.

The principal benefit of hose is easy installation and easy replacement of adjoining components like valves. It’s just a lot easier to work with hose than with rigid tubing or hard pipe because there is no bending, welding, or fitting. As a result, you will save a lot on labour costs.

Hose is an excellent choice for these common applications in a power plant:

• Compressed and instrument air applications
• Connections to compressors, pumps, or other devices that cause vibration
• Connections to pneumatic actuators on large control valves
• Chemical tote offloading equipment
• Hydraulic and lube oil applications subject to vibration
• Pressurized gas delivery from tanks and cylinders
• Sample analysis systems that draw fluid from process lines
• Natural gas, diesel, or liquid fuel handling applications

What's in a hose?

Typically, hoses consist of a core, reinforcement, covers, and end connections. Core materials may be metal, fluoropolymer, thermoplastic, or rubber. Many power plant applications employ stainless steel cores, which offer corrosion resistance and high-temperature compatibility – up to 850˚F (454˚C).

Reinforcement layers – often stainless steel woven braid – improve pressure containment and flexibility. With stainless steel braid, hoses available from Swagelok can manage pressures up to 6000 psi!

In power plants, a silicone cover is often added in high-temperature applications to greatly reduce the likelihood of burns on contact.

Hoses can be fitted to a wide range of end connections, including tube adapters, tube fittings, VCR metal gasket face seal fittings, VCO O-ring face seal fittings, swivel fittings, NPT pipe threads, pre-swaged nuts and ferrules, tube butt welds, flanges, Kwik-Clamps, cam and groove, tube stubs, and more.

When to use a hose?

In a power plant there are many places where hose pays for itself very quickly:

• Connections Requiring Complex Tube Bending. Tube bending is not difficult, but it does require some tools and training. If your technicians do not have tube-bending skills, consider hose. Sometimes a replacement part does not have the same dimensions as the original, and the original section of tubing or pipe does not quite align with the new connections. You can sidestep a difficult or frustrating situation like this with hose.

• Applications with Severe Vibration. Hose can manage vibration stress better than tubing, especially when high pressures are in play. In a high-vibration application, a run of hose can dampen vibration between the source and the rest of the tubing assembly. It's important to note that not all hoses are suited for high vibration, so correct selection is critical. An Edmonton Valve hose specialist can help you select the right hose based on your application.

• Temporary Connections. Hose is an excellent choice for water sampling, chemical sampling for analysis, or for offloading chemicals from totes. It bypasses alignment issues associated with rigid pipe or tubing, and it can attach with a cam-lock or quick-connect.

• Moving Parts. Pneumatic actuators on some large control valves move up and down and therefore require a flexible connection to the compressed air source. There are many other such applications where you need to allow for some movement or flexing, and hose is your best or only choice.

• Parts Requiring Frequent Replacement or Servicing. In applications requiring frequent maintenance, tubing or hose may be appropriate, depending on the circumstances. Both can connect by way of Swagelok tube fittings, which can be disassembled and reassembled with the turn of a wrench. Gas turbine inspections, for example, require frequent assembly and reassembly of components. Metal hose makes this easier, enabling quick access for maintenance personnel.

We have an illustrated PDF brochure with more detail on how hose can enhance your performance and reduce maintenance. Or if you have any further questions about fluid systems, call Edmonton Valve and Fitting at 780-437-0640 or contact us by clicking the "Message Us" below.

You want the performance of stainless steel tubing, but the flexibility of hose. Swagelok has the solution: FX Series metal hose.

Swagelok FX hose is specifically designed for high pressure chemical, compressed gas, cryogenic, hydrogen & fuel cell, marine, oil & gas, power, and pulp & paper applications.

Flexible hose with the strength of steel

Meet Swagelok's FX Series metal hose, a double-braided hose series offering 1/4-inch to 2 inch nominal hose sizes with a temperature range of –325 to 1000°F (–200 to 537°C) and working pressure ranges from vacuum to 6000 psig through vacuum to 1122 psig.

It's all corrosion-resistant metal, from the 316L stainless steel annular convoluted core to the 321 stainless steel double braid layers to the 316 stainless steel end connections, which are welded to the 304 stainless steel collar. It can handle high pressure corrosive environments, high-temperature vacuum environments, and is an excellent choice anywhere permeation is undesirable.

Range of end connection options

You have your choice of end connections: Swagelok Tube Adaptors, Swagelok Tube Fittings, female VCO O-ring Face seals, SAE 37-degree (JIC) female swivels, female pipe threads, male pipe threads and tube butt welds. And, as with many other Swagelok hoses, you can get optional hose covers, hose tags and helium leak testing.

Assembly

There's a second kind of flexibility that comes with our hose: the flexibility to have our certified technicians provide and assemble components to meet your exacting requirements. We can provide high-volume tube bending and swaging, orbital welding, custom hose cutting and end connection selection.

Get the literature or get in touch

Good news: In one step you can get the Swagelok hose and flexible tubing catalogue, Hose Quick Look poster, and six product test reports. The catalogue contains detailed information on Swagelok's FX Series metal hose starting on page 11:

In a hurry or have a question? Please click here to get in touch.

You get Swagelok quality made locally by specially trained hose experts

All that's missing from our hose cell is your customized hose being pressured tested, and we test every hose before it leaves our building to make sure it meets the standard. Get in touch with us today and we can help get that custom hose started. 

Custom made in Edmonton

One great thing about having our own hose department right here in Edmonton is that we can quickly turn out all sorts of custom jobs. (You might hear us calling it our hose cell; it means the same thing.)

Whether you need a hose that's precisely 93 inches or 100 feet, we can make it for you. If you'd like a Swagelok fitting on one end and an NPT fitting on the other, we have everything in stock to put it together. There's no waiting for a factory to send us special parts.

More than half of our customers also ask us to tag each hose. We have a stainless steel tag that will hold four lines at 20 characters per line. That's plenty of room for a wide variety of information such as the date the hose was tested, its pressure rating, its part number or anything else you want to list. And if you don't want stainless tags, we have matte tags too.

We can also add a cover, such as stainless overbraid for a teflon hose.

Whatever you order, you get a one-piece solution that's ready to install. In some cases we can get it to you the same day you order it.

Local & trusted expertise

It takes special training to build hose properly. Our experts are trained by Swagelok, so you know you can trust them. They've been taught how to safely build and test each hose, making sure it meets your needs and our tight tolerances.

We have one person dedicated entirely to building hose, and six others who can step in as demand requires. They've been pretty busy lately, but they would be glad to fill your order as well. Tell us what you need by calling 780-437-0640 or sending us a note through our website.

Additional resources:

• What Goes into a Swagelok Hose, and How to Treat Them Well
• Always Looking to Innovate with Our Customer's in Focus
• 7 Facts Edmonton Valve Knows about Hose!

In a hurry or have a question? Please click here to get in touch - we respond fast! Or call 780-437-0640

It's like having a Swagelok hose expert standing right next to you

It's hard for one person to be an expert on every aspect of fluid systems. If you aren't already an expert on hose, the topic can be intimidating. For instance, Swagelok offers 18 series of hoses, with variations within each series. They come in sizes ranging from 1/8 inch to 2 inch. There are over 30 possible end connections. And then there are at least 17 hose options and accessories.

The ideal solution would be to have an expert from Swagelok stand next to you all day to answer any questions. The next best thing would be to get a copy of An Installer's Pocket Guide for Swagelok Hoses.

Small but mighty

The guide is slim enough to go in your pocket, so it's easy to carry with you. Inside, it's packed with essential information like:

• Which hose material is best in which environments
• A chart on working pressures and temperature ranges
• Guidance on installing and inspecting hose
• Hydrostatic testing, lanyard tags, and other options

Narrowing the field

Hoses can be made from different materials and with a variety of reinforcement layers and end connections. Our guide gives a quick overview of the four main components in a hose:

1. Core tube material and construction
2. Reinforcement layers
3. Covers
4. End connections

The pocket guide shows which materials usually work best in various environments. You don't have to worry about memorizing all the terms and jargon associated with hose construction. The pocket guide has a glossary.

Industry considerations for hose

Does your industry typically use a certain type of hose for a common process? The guide goes through more than two dozen industries, listing typical hoses for applications such as steam lines, environmental sampling, research & development, instrumentation, and oil & gas.

We also cover a few non-industry specific factors such as static dissipation and conductivity. A handy chart makes it easy to see which series of Swagelok hose falls into which category.

The section on hose selection also has a chart for finding the working pressures and temperature ranges for various types of hose in various sizes.

Once you have zeroed in on the type of hose you need, you can move on to the sections that offer detailed pressure and temperature ratings for each series of hose. You'll find ordering information for each series so that you get exactly what you want, including options such as hydrostatic testing and lanyard tags.

Hose installation and maintenance

Proper installation is only the first part of the equation. In addition to proper installation, you need inspection and maintenance. In our pocket guide you'll learn how to take factors into consideration such as vibration, shelf life, bend radii, and motion absorption.

When you conduct periodic inspection of your hoses, the pocket guide tells you what to look for, such as blistering or discoloration.

Helping hand

The new pocket guide is only one convenient way that Swagelok can help you with hoses. Edmonton Valve & Fitting has hose experts who can answer detailed questions and discuss the particular applications you have in mind.

We locally stock a range of high-quality hoses and tubing products that can be built and customized for all your fluid system needs. Every Swagelok hose is assembled using standardized equipment, the same tight tolerances, and the same high-quality standards and standard work practices you expect from Swagelok.

If your company is in our service area, we'll deliver you a copy of the guide at no charge. Click here to get started.

Additional resources

• Those Expensive Tools? You Can Borrow Them from Edmonton Valve
• Forget Trial and Error; Take Our Tube Bending Course
• What Goes into a Swagelok Hose, and How to Treat Them Well

In a hurry or have a question? Please click here to get in touch - we respond fast! Or call 780-437-0640

We have a full line of PFA fittings, valves, and tubing, to get your copy of these catalogues download them below.

Swagelok carries a variety of materials for our fittings and tubing so selecting the correct one for the job can be daunting. We discussed some of the options in our blog on special alloys earlier this year but today we will further explore our PFA line of tubing and fittings.

PFA, or Perfluoroalkoxy, is a type of fluoropolymer. It has very similar properties as the more common polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) – also called Teflon.

PFA is generally used for plastic lab equipment because of its optical transparency, overall flexibility, and extreme resistance to chemical attack. PFA is also often used as tubing for handling critical or highly corrosive processes.

What to consider

You can use Teflon or metal fittings with Swagelok PFA tubing. Just remember using PFA fittings with PFA tubing you need to use a Swagelok groove cutting tool to 'groove' the tubing and achieve higher working pressures.

• An audible ‘click’ sound ensures tubing is properly inserted
• 316 SS fittings can be used with PFA tubing
• PFA Plug and Needle valves are available 

How to order

PFA part numbers are slightly different than Swagelok’s common tube fittings, for example:

• PFA-420-1-4 for a 1/4" male connector
• PFA-820-6 for a 1/2” tube union

But don't worry about memorizing part numbers, give your local Swagelok experts a call and we will be glad to help out.

Additional resources

• Sometimes Stainless Isn't Enough
• Specifically Made for Alberta's Needs: The ZSML Fitting
• Building Up Swagelok's Inventory of Special Alloys

In a hurry or have a question? Please click here to get in touch - we respond fast! Or call 780.437.0640.

Tagging is a great way to make sure that vital information always stays with the component

Edmonton Valve's laser engraver can make quick work of your tagging needs. As tags are made in house it easy to customize them with the information you need.

Tagging in

You may be aware that Edmonton Valve & Fitting has been providing hose tags for years, but what may be new is how hose tags are being used in the field under Quality Assurance (QA) Programs throughout our service territory.

Hose maintenance programs are gaining momentum for several reasons:

• Safety & Preventative Maintenance
• Traceability
• Identification
• Tracking & Replacement scheduling
• Ease of ordering

What type of information is typically captured on the hose tags? Hose type, CRN#, pressure test date, part number, hose ratings, pressure/temperature ratings, site location, vendor, system media – to name a few! 

At Edmonton Valve & Fitting, we are also populating database records for our customers who have adopted a hose maintenance program. These records are unique to each customer and completely customizable to reflect the program’s intentions.

Ask your Swagelok sales and service representative for more details on hose tag options and how we can help with a hose information database.

Additional resources

• Swagelok Product When You Need It, No Matter the Time or Day
• Our Hose Advisory Crew Takes the Pressure Off You
• Hose Flexibility: Edmonton Valve’s Team Handles the Job In-house

In a hurry or have a question? Please click here to get in touch - we respond fast! Or call 780.437.0640

There's no reason to put up with the costs and dangers or a worn out hose

Hose damage, such as those pictured above, can be a costly issue. Our Field Services Specialists will identify ways to enhance your hose selection, installation, inspection and maintenance procedures to improve hose life and performance. 

Five drops of hydraulic oil per minute adds up to 53 gallons a year — nearly a drum full. Even if you can afford the oil itself, you can't afford the environmental and safety hazard of that much leakage. A couple of pints of hydraulic oil can cost tens of thousands of dollars by cleanup crew and paperwork.

If your plant goes through a lot of hydraulic oil or other fluid, it's time for a hose checkup. Our Hose Advisory Services crew can help you regain control. It’s better to be prepared by taking a preventative approach.

Useful life

Hoses are often used in places where there's too much vibration for rigid tubing. The flexibility of hose makes it a good choice, but those vibrations ultimately will take their toll. Keep any hose in service too long, and you'll start to get leaks. The lower the quality of the hose, the faster the leaks will spring up.

A first in class plant will have a reliability engineer who builds a maintenance schedule, so you can change out old hoses before they break down. Unfortunately, many plants don't have a record of when hoses were installed. That's where we come in.

Our Field Services Specialists will walk the floor with you to fully understand your operation. We will look over each hose from one end to the other, listing all the components connected to it. We will identify the material the hose is made of, the size, the type of connection, and the length. We'll also note wear and damage.

Information on each hose will be recorded onto a spreadsheet. We then find the temperature, pressure and fluid run through that hose. All that information allows us to determine what type of hose is best for that application. It may be different — and better — than the hose already in place. We have 22 different hose types and 89 different end connections to choose from. Instead of continuously using identical replacements for failed hoses, you can treat the problem, not just the symptom.

We build all our hoses right here at Edmonton Valve & Fitting. We keep all the detailed information on file and make it available to your reliability engineer, along with recommendations for a maintenance schedule.

Planning ahead

We prefer to come out to a plant four to six weeks before the next scheduled turnaround. That allows us to collect information on all the hoses and put together kits for the replacements. For instance, we may find a combination of fitting, valve, filter and check valve on one end of the hose, and then a valve and fitting into a block on the other end. We will list all of the components, so if a customer wants to change everything out, we can pre-assemble it all. The person changing out the hose can do the job in a couple of minutes instead of having to identify components and make a trip to the shop for replacements. It can save hours.

From reduced maintenance costs and extended hose life cycles to improved safety, we’re here to take the pressure off of you. Make managing your hose systems a worry-free experience by setting up an appointment with Edmonton Valve & Fitting. 

Additional resources

• Hose Flexibility: Edmonton Valve’s Team Handles the Job In-house
• When Will It Burst? Try the "SWAGELOK" Method for Hose Selection
• Hose Failures? Five Tips to Prevent Setbacks

In a hurry or have a question? Please click here to get in touch - we respond fast!

Or call 780.437.0640

Preserve your investment against abrasion, kinking, permeation and temperature with these 6 cover options

Once you've figured out the right materials for a hose, consider giving it some extra protection with a cover. Not sure about the hose types or end connections, download our Hose Quick Look:

Hoses can be subject to a variety of outside forces that speed up wear and tear. With the right cover, the service life will be extended.

Here are some of your options:

• Fire Jacket
• Thermosleeve
• Armor Guard
• Spiral Guard
• Nanogel Cover
• Spring Guard

Fire Jacket

Fire Jacket is made of woven fiberglass coated with silicone rubber. It protects and insulates the hose from internal temperature extremes. It guards against molten splashes and flames, and helps resist hydraulic and lubricating oils.

Thermosleeve

Thermosleeve is a braided fiberglass cover saturated with a synthetic coating. By preventing direct contact with the hose, this cover gives some protection to people handling the hose in high-temperature service, and protects the hose from weld splatter, ultraviolet light and abrasion.

Armor Guard

Stainless steel Armor Guard covers offer highly flexible protection against hose damage from the movement of gas cylinders, or any other application that might put a crushing force on the hose. The strength of steel also can protect the entire length of the hose from kinking, without impairing hose flexibility.

Spiral Guard

Our helical plastic Spiral Guard cover can be applied to hoses already in service, making it a quick way to add highly flexible protection from abrasion. You can add it to the entire hose, or just to the ends.

316 Stainless Steel Braid

Braided stainless steel gives extra protection against external corrosive materials. It also increases the pressure retaining capabilities of the hose itself.

Nano-Gel Cover

This is the cover you need to protect hose from freeze-ups in cryogenic service.

Spring Guard

Made of helical stainless steel, Spring Guard is highly flexible, yet it helps the hose resist kinking and abrasion. This is another cover that can be applied either to the ends or to the entire hose.

If you would like to discuss or see the options for yourself, please get in touch with us today.

Also see

• 7 Ways to Extend the Life of Swagelok Hose
• Edmonton Valve Knows About Hose
• Download literature on Swagelok Hose and Flexible Tubing

(But not the spray-paint kind.) A tag makes sure that vital information always stays with the component

Pictured above is an example of a custom tag that has been done up for hose. Important information is included for a quick reference for tracking and repurchasing. Get in touch with us today for you tagging needs.

Imagine you are giving your systems a quick once-over, and your eye falls on a hose. Has it been in service long enough that you should think about replacing it? What's it made of? Who made it? If you wanted to order another one, what's the part number?

If someone was thoughtful enough to tag the hose, you'll have all that information right at your fingertips.

Why you should tag

A tag is a simple way to keep vital information about a component right there with the component. You never know when that information might be needed in the future, and you never know who is going to need it. With a tag, anyone who needs the information will have it right away.

With a good tag, it's easy to track your parts and reorder them. A tag can tell you the part number, the purchase order number, install date, maybe even specs such as its working pressure and temperature. We'll put Edmonton Valve & Fitting's name on the tag if you buy directly from us, or the name of an intermediary that sells the part. If you have an urgent need to replace a hose, we've been able to get one out the door in less than an hour when the customer has been able to give us the tag information.

A tag also can be useful if you are gathering parts in a holding area prior to assembly. The tag can include a separate number for each valve, flow meter or other part. That way it's easy to check them off a list as they are installed.

If an inspector comes through and sees the part's CRN number on a tag, they'll know it's good to go without having to check it.

How we tag it

Stainless steel tags are by far the most common. Think of a soldier's dog tags, and you'll have the basic idea. We use a laser engraver to burn the information on a small piece of stainless steel, punch a hole in the tag and attach it with a wire to the part.

Lamacoids are also a popular choice. It's basically a sheet of plastic with two layers in different colors, typically a dark color on top and white underneath. In this case, the laser engraver burn away the top layer, resulting in clear white letters and symbols (though we have multiple color combinations to choose from). If you can type it out, we can put it on a Lamacoid label, including descriptions of the part and lists of safety precautions. We’ve even photocopied a drawing and loaded it into our system as an image to be burned into the Lamacoid. The plastic has a sticky back for easy adhesion on flat surfaces, making this a popular choice for panels. We've done Lamacoid tags as small as one square inch and as large as a standard sheet of paper.

There are other types of tags that usually show up on hoses. We can use self-adhesive labels, matte tags that can be color-coded, and Perma Tags with up to five lines of information and protected by a silicone gel and sleeve. We also offer a lanyard tag.

What we tag

We tag hoses, panels, regulators, valves, cylinders, and assemblies such as steam lances — nearly anything you want to order. While we're sure there are a few objects that can't be tagged, we probably can find a solution from among our various options.

We can also help you keep track of information through the use of tags. For example, we keep a spreadsheet of all the hoses we build for a customer, and assign a serial number to each. The tag will have the number, so all you need to do is read it off to us and we can tell you exactly what you have.

Adding a tag doesn't affect the delivery time, and it doesn't add much to the cost. In fact, it saves you time and labour because you won't have to track down information.

Since you're already reading this, you don't even have to track down Edmonton Valve & Fitting either. Just tell us what kind of tag you want, and what information you want on it, and we'll do the rest - get in touch today!