Edmonton Valve & Fitting Blog

Up to 50% of skilled workers could retire withing the next 10 years - we can help relieve that pressure

Building an effective training program can help maintain the skills of your experienced workforce and assist your new staff in getting up to speed. Let us help with our free resource, “Three Steps to Building an Effective Plant Training Program."

Did you know last year alone Swagelok helped train approximately 40,000 individuals on their plant’s fluid systems? If you weren't one of them, we can assist you today. 

Building an effective training program

Not sure on where to start in building an effective training program for your plant and operations? Here is a quick overview on our free download:

• How to meet the varied needs of your labour force
  (Step 1: "Don't leave anyone out")
• Questions to ask when looking for a training provider 
  (Step 2: "Look for experienced instructors")
• The proper follow-up for your people after training
  (Step 3: "Manage the 'forgetting curve' ")
• Bonus tips for each step

Learn more about our training offerings, get in touch today. 

Additional resources:

• New Training Centre Has Plenty Of Room For Learning
• Swagelok Services Relieve the Other Kind of Pressure
• Seek Suppliers That Help You Prepare for Recovery

Acquire the skills that will save time, save money and increase system efficiency

Edmonton Valve has been offering a variety of courses over the years, from teaching about fitting installation to improving sampling system performance, we've got you covered. Download our free training catalogue today and find a training class to suit your teams development.

What do valves, fittings, gauges and most other Swagelok components have in common? They need tubing in order to be of any use in a fluid system. Without tubing, all you'd have is a pile of parts.

It's vital, then, to understand how to handle tubing, plan a route for it, cut the correct length of tubing and bend it accurately.

There's not need to learn by trial and error. There's no need to wonder if your co-workers are passing along any bad habits if you rely on them to show you want to do. Rely instead on Edmonton Valve & Fitting. Our four-hour Tube Bending Essentials class on tube bending will show you what you need to know. With guidance from a certified expert, you'll learn how to consistently make optimal tube bends, and do the work efficiently.

What we cover

We start at the beginning: How to handle tubing without damaging it. We'll show you how to properly cut and debur the tubing as well as how to bend it. You'll learn how to calculate the length of tubing you need to get from Point A to Point B. That's especially important when you are using expansion loops and offsets, which we'll also cover.

Good craftsmanship not only saves money by reducing the amount of expensive scrap, it also improves fluid system performance.

The course has hand-on exercises as well as classroom instruction, so you'll be able to practice what you just learned. 

Who should attend

Anyone who has to install tubing can benefit from this course: fabricators, contractors and technicians. But it's also valuable knowledge for people who design fluid systems: engineers and draftsmen. Anyone responsible for inspecting or maintaining a fluid system also needs to know if the job was done right: quality control personnel and safety engineers.

Tube Bending Essentials is only one of many classes that we offer. You can contact us through the linked page to sign up for the next class in our new training center, or we can bring the class to your location. If you prefer to talk with a live person, we're at 780-437-0640.

Additional resources

• New Training Centre Has Plenty Of Room For Learning
• Keep Your Sampling Systems At Peak Performance
• Burst Chamber: Classes Teach Safe Installation of Swagelok Fittings

An attempt to set a new land speed record inspires students in the classroom

 Swagelok is partnering with a Northeast Ohio school district to bring access to BLOODHOUND-themed STEM education programs, watch the video here.

Teachers in Hudson, Ohio, have a great tool for pepping up math and science lessons for fourth-graders: a supersonic car called the Bloodhound.

The Bloodhound is a British-built attempt to set a new land speed record. Swagelok parts are crucial in the car's hydraulics, and especially the brakes. (Good brakes are important in any car, but especially one designed to reach speeds of up to 1,600 km/h.)

So two years ago, Swagelok approached Hudson Superintendent Phil Herman to see if the district would be interested in exploring science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) content available through Swagelok's work on the Bloodhound. Through a series of meetings and brainstorming session, the school decided that fourth graders would make an ideal audience.

High-powered learning

“We examined the Bloodhound STEM content through the lens of project-based learning and then reflected on what essential questions could be posed to incorporate the content,” says Christina Wooley, PK-12 curriculum coordinator, Hudson City School District.

Throughout the 2016-2017 school year, two teams of fourth-grade teachers have integrated Bloodhound lessons across a wide range of subjects: earth, physical and life sciences; physics; chemistry; language arts; social studies; and English. The program ends with the students designing, building and racing Bloodhound model rocket cars.

Take a look

You can see the excitement in the kids' faces in this five-minute video from Swagelok

"The education side of the project is paramount. If we build the car and just went racing but didn't inspire anybody, I don't think the project would have the value that it has now," says Tony Parraman, sponsor liaison with Bloodhound SSC.

The Bloodhound gives the students' imaginations a big boost. As curriculum coordinator Christina Wooley put it, a typical science lab would give the students a series of steps to follow, and that's that. With the Bloodhound as a focus, students can explore in many different directions.

They also get to see how problems are tackled in the real world.

"I liked the design and building part, how you can design something on paper, and then if it doesn't work you can start over," says one student in the video. In other words, making mistakes is a normal part of learning, and it's not a reason to give up when tackling a problem.

Inspired learning at East Woods School 

“We are so grateful to Swagelok for bringing Hudson students this inspirational learning opportunity,” says Phil Herman, superintendent of the Hudson City School District. “I’ve seen first-hand how our students light up with enthusiasm when they’re solving a STEM challenge tied to Bloodhound.”

Swagelok's role on the car

The gigantic Bloodhound is more than 13 meters long and weighs 7.7 metric tons. It has three engines generating a combined 135,000 horsepower: a jet engine, a rocket engine, and a V8 just to run the fuel pump.

Swagelok components will be relied on to open air brake doors after the rocket car reaches its top speed, and for final breaking below 600 km/h. The company’s products will also play a vital role in the safety of the fueling system and re-fueling rig. Swagelok products on the car include 60 series ball valves and RL series relief valves, QC and QF quick connects, tubing, gauges, hoses, and tube fittings.

You may not be working on a supersonic car, but Edmonton Valve & Fitting can still help get your next fluid system project up to speed. Set up an appointment through our website or call us at 780.437.0640.

Additional resources

• Swagelok Parts Help Keep Eco Car Competitive
• Swagelok's 60 Series Ball Valves Cover a Wide Range of Applications
• Quick-Connect Fittings Make Maintenance Easier 

We've doubled our seating capacity, and there's even room to serve lunch

As Edmonton Valve & Fitting continues to expand our training offerings we have also needed to expand our space. The lecture room, pictured above, is just one of the improvements found at the new facility. Sign up for one of our upcoming training sessions and check out the new training centre.

Training classes have long been an important service of Edmonton Valve & Fitting. Even the best components can't do their job well unless they are installed and maintained properly in a well designed fluid system.

Originally we conducted training right in our headquarters office. Eventually we needed more space, so for the past few years we have been renting a place down the block. Lately even that hasn't been big enough, so this year we built out a new venue specifically designed for our training classes.

Plenty of room

Our new training centre can handle up to 24 people at a time. We outfitted it with dual projection screens and two glass whiteboards for presentations. All of the tables have built-in power outlets, so attendees can charge a smart phone or plug in a laptop computer without hunting for a wall outlet.

In addition to the main training area, we have a board room and two offices up front. We can have our sales meetings there even while training is being conducted in the other room.

Until now, everyone had to come back to our headquarters when we stopped at mid-day for lunch; now we can serve them right in the training centre's lunch room.

We also have a "hands on" room (pictured below) we can use for teaching people how to bend tubing. That means we can conduct two training sessions at once.

Light and airy

For too many people, attending a training class means being stuck in a stuffy, cramped room all day under dreary fluorescent light. We wanted to create a space more conducive to learning. We went with an open-ceiling concept and bright LED lighting. So it's environmentally friendly as well as being more comfortable.

For our first session in the new building we scheduled our Swagelok Total Support training for Sept. 7. We have many more classes in the pipeline, including the two-day Sampling System Problem Solving & Maintenance course in November. Check out our Training and Education page, and then get ready to learn in a bright new setting.

Additional resources

• A Customer View on Edmonton's Tube Fitting & Installation Training
• Burst Chamber: Classes Teach Safe Installation of Swagelok Fittings
• Keep Your Sampling Systems At Peak Performance

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

Knowing how to troubleshoot your fluid system reduces expensive downtime

At Edmonton Valve we have the resources to help you design effective sampling systems. From hands-on training and Evaluation and Advisory Services, our experienced experts are here to help you. Watch this video highlighting some of the ways Swagelok can help you.

Some kinds of pressure are good, like maintaining reliable pressure in a fluid system. Other kinds of pressure are bad, like the kind you feel when your fluid system isn't working as it should.

You already know that Swagelok components are great for dealing with the first kind of pressure. But Edmonton Valve & Fitting can also help with the second kind with our training, education, evaluation and advisory services.

Take a few minutes to look at this short video (which just happens to include an appearance from our own field engineer Stacey Phillips), and you'll learn a little about what we can do for you.

Pressures mount

As Phillips says, customers today are under more pressure than ever from increasing safety regulations and pressure to make more profits. At the same time, a lifetime of knowledge walks out the door each time a longtime worker retires.

That's where our training classes can add a lot of value. We make sure that your engineers, buyers and installers understand that good design, operation and maintenance goes way beyond "I just need a valve." When your installers are properly trained on tube fitting safety, you'll have fewer leaks. When your trained technician is troubleshooting, they'll recognize the symptoms and quickly narrow down the areas that require attention.

If you need more expertise than you have on site, we can come out and look over your fluid system. We can do the troubleshooting, but we also can help you evaluate some of the things that might need to be done to improve the system. When you have a well-designed system, you get better reliability, and your maintenance crew isn't tied up dealing with day-to-day problems.

An increase in throughput means an increase in productivity, which translates to an increase in profitability.

Edmonton Valve & Fitting offers so much more than components. We have expertise to share. Tap into it by calling us at 780-437-0640 or contacting us through our website. 

Additional resources

• Keep Your Sampling Systems At Peak Performance
• Losing Steam? Send For Our Swagelok Energy Advisors
• Seek Suppliers That Help You Prepare for Recovery

Our two-day Sample System Maintenance Course will cover operations and troubleshooting

Teaching you to trouble shoot a variety of common sampling system issues, from the process line through sample disposal. Join this two-day course on November 14th and 15th, 2017, sign up now to attend.

Your analytical instrumentation system can't give reliable results unless you give it a reliable sample of the fluid in your process line. Assuming the sample is properly taken at the tap, it may fall victim to a host of problems:

• Deadlegs or dead spaces that create a “static leak,” where fluid from an old sample might bleed or leak into the new sample
• Contamination, permeation, or adsorption
• A phase change that upsets the balance of chemicals
• A chemical reaction

The most common cause of inappropriate response is a simple delay. If it's taking more than one minute from tap to analyzer, you may have problems.

How can you work to prevent problems and fix those that do appear? Take our two-day Sample System Maintenance Course.  We've scheduled it for November 14 and 15 at our brand new training center.

The basics and more

Leading the course this year is Swagelok expert Stephen Jacobs, owner and president of Jacobs Process Analytics Inc. Over more than 25 years he has designed, installed and maintained hundreds of analyzer and sampling systems for applications ranging from safety monitoring to closed-loop process control.

We start out by reviewing sampling basics: Why you take samples and how to take them properly.

Sampling systems come in a variety of designs, especially when you compare those designed to handle liquids and those designed to handle gas. We will look at all types of systems, the typical best practices and the typical mistakes that people make. That starts with the system design itself, making sure that it uses the proper size of tubing, proper filters and other components.

The goal is to send you back to your company with enough knowledge to walk through your systems and spot problem areas.

You'll spend time taking lecture notes, but you'll also get your hands on the equipment. We'll put students into groups and give them some problems to solve from real-life case studies. We'll explain the issue, and then it will be up to the teams to discover the cause and come up with a solution. Each group will then present its project to the rest of the class. 

Lunch too

We'll provide all the materials you need, including a workbook you can take home with you. Those who pass the course also will go home with a certificate of completion. We'll even serve you lunch on both days.

But we have a limited number of seats. That's why we're letting you know so far in advance. Mark your calendar now and sign up today.

Additional resources

• New Classes Offer Hands-On Training For IPT Fittings
• What a Smart Idea: A Sampling System with a Brain

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

Each year we help students and experienced workers learn new skills

Edmonton Valve is well known by the instrumentation students of the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology; from the Swagelok classroom, to social events our relationship with NAIT is continually evolving.

Our commercial customers aren't the only ones who benefit from Edmonton Valve & Fitting's training classes. Every year we also send a team into classrooms at colleges and universities in the region to give some real-world insight into the configuration and assembly of fluid systems.

Our biggest university and college engagement is with the Instrumentation Training Program at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology. This nationally accredited program teaches a comprehensive course of studies in industrial measurement and control.

Each year Edmonton Valve & Fitting teaches over 250 students and apprentices within this program about tube fitting safety and installation, and tube bending.  While we have only a small part to play in the two-year course, we know it's an important one.

We've a special connection to NAIT. Not only have we been conducting the classes for more than two decades, we have an alumnus heading the program.

"This was something that I picked up in my early years as a pet project," says Chris Horne, one of our Account Managers. "I was president of the student association when I left the college. So when I came to Swagelok, I took this on."

Strong demand

Over the years, our university and college engagement program has grown and evolved to keep pace with changes in technology and in the workplace.

There was a time when a lot of learning took place in the field, with old hands passing along their expertise to new arrivals. Today, companies have put a higher priority on formal training to make sure they put the right people in the right spots.

Likewise, technology continually improves. Instrumentation skills have become much more specialized since the 1990s.

Even Swagelok's classic tube fitting has benefited. The fitting itself has the same four components it has had since 1947, but improved materials and techniques of manufacturing today produce a fitting that performs better and lasts longer.

Back when we started working with NAIT, the instrumentation program had only a few classrooms and labs. Today it's one of the largest instrumentation programs in the world with one of the finest training facilities of its kind anywhere.  The Spartan Center boasts 11 instrumentation labs featuring $6.5 million of new equipment, smart classrooms wired to take advantage of the latest technologies and wireless capability in the common areas.

We also sponsor the Brian Clarke Award for achievement in instrumentation workshop practice.

Other outreach

NAIT isn't the only campus where you will find Edmonton Valve & Fitting in the classroom. We instruct the Alberta Pipe Trades in our area in the same type of course. While these people are already working in the field, they are being asked to stretch beyond their experience with piping. We train them on tube fitting and tubing systems

We also work with the University of Alberta, Lakeland College and MacEwan University.

We like introducing people to the components and processes they will encounter in their careers.

"On a daily basis we have people come through our doors who have been through our training," Horne says. Many of those former students tell us how great it was to get their first industry perspective from us in the classroom.

Additional resources

• Bringing Swagelok to NAIT's Instrumentation Students
• A Customer View on Edmonton's Tube Fitting & Installation Training
• Burst Chamber: Classes Teach Safe Installation of Swagelok Fittings

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

We'll show you how to handle cone-and-thread fittings for higher pressures

The medium and high pressure cone and thread essentials training instructs attendees to identify correct tube system placement, correctly install Swagelok^® tube fittings, and troubleshoot other common fluid system mistakes. Find out more about our Swagelok Essentials courses offered at Edmonton Valve & Fitting.

Swagelok's IPT fittings require a different approach than standard Swagelok fittings. For one thing, they use heavy-duty tubing that must be threaded like pipe. Then the end must be coned at a 59-degree angle for a tight fit. To make sure our customers get top performance from these components, Edmonton Valve & Fitting has launched a new series of training classes.

IPT fittings come in two styles, one for medium pressure up to 20,000 psig or 1378 bar, and one for high-pressure applications of up to 60,000 psig or 4134 bar. These cone-and-thread fittings are designed specifically for the oil and gas, chemical, petrochemical, water jet cutting and blasting, and aerospace industries.

Lecture and lab

As with our regular tube-fitting sessions, this training involves three to four hours of classroom instruction and includes the opportunity to practice making an assembly. It's an ideal way for field technicians to get comfortable with the process. It's also a good opportunity for engineers to gain an understanding that goes beyond the specs on a sheet of paper or computer screen.

Because the fittings are designed to work under such high pressures, we don't put the students' work through a burst test as we do in our standard tubing class. But the design of the IPT fitting includes a small weep hole that reveals leaks due to a poor seal. In our class, we include troubleshooting tips for when that happens.

It's also important to cut the proper length of tubing for the job, and we'll show you how to calculate it. It's expensive to waste any kind of tubing, but even more so for IPT tubing, which has walls tp to three times as thick as standard tubing.

Because of the thick walls, the tubing must be treated a little differently. It requires a bigger bend radius. Make too tight of a bend, and you can crack the tubing or even damage the bender.

Because the sealing surface is so small on IPT fittings, vibration can be a bigger problem than normal. We'll explain how to deal with these high vibration applications.

When it's all done, you'll get a certificate of completion.

Here or there

We hold our half-day classes here at Edmonton Valve & Fitting, but we can also provide the training at your site. Contact us at 780-437-0640 or through our website to find out when our next training session is scheduled, or to set up an in-house class.

Additional resources

• Grace Under Pressure: Swagelok's IPT Fittings
• Resolution for 2015: Tap Into Swagelok University
• Seek Suppliers That Help You Prepare for Recovery

Because it differs from ordinary tubing, so do the installation instructions

There are times when ordinary tubing alone won't get the job done. One of those times is when you need to control the temperature of the fluid inside, or control the surface temperature of the tubing itself. That's when you might want to consider insulated tubing - download the catalogue below.

Swagelok insulated tubing is designed for use in applications such as steam supply, condensate return, and gas and liquid transport lines, where weatherproofing and energy conservation are important. It helps protect personnel from hot process and steam lines, reduces heat loss, and offers a cost-effective alternative to field-installed insulation of small-diameter tubing systems.

Tubing lengths and bends

Because the tubing itself is different, so is the installation procedure.

First consider the length of tubing. You'll want to allow at least 12 inches of straight tubing before connecting it to fittings. For steam-trace tubing bundles, add enough length to connect the tracer to the supply connection and to the return connection. For electric-traced tubing bundles, add enough length to connect to the power supply. Include 6 inches for inside the junction box. Don't forget to include extra length to heat any other devices at the end of the bundle. Also, use the approved power connection and termination kits.

You'll want to use a centerline tool when you are bending tubing bundles to connect them to instrumentation. Start by cutting and removing the jacket and insulation on the tubing, so that you can see the process and tracer tubes. Insert the tube bundle through the seal boot in the tool, unscrew the center nut, and remove the center bend shoe. Now you'll be able to fully insert the tube bundle and gently bend the tubes against the outer shoes.

Install the center bend shoe and tighten the center nut. Bend the tubes against the center shoe until the tubes are parallel. Insert the tube bundle through the seal boot again, and remove the tubing bundle from the tool. To protect the insulation, seal the bundle ends with a heat shrink end seal boot.

Need further assistance on installation or have questions on our pre-insulated tubing bundles? Call our office, we are here to help at (780)-437-0640

Also see

• 5 Tips for Tubing Installation from Swagelok
• Download the Swagelok Hand Tube Bender Manual

Our October webinar will cover the equipment to check and the steps to take

Due to a last minute scheduling conflict we will be rescheduling the event. 

"A good comparison of when you should be winterizing your plant is when you are thinking about winter tires," says Tristian McCallion. "If winter tires are on your radar, so should winterization." McCallion will be hosting a special 1 hour Winterization Webinar on Wednesday, October 19th at 12PM MDT. Get your spot today!

It's that time of year...

It shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone in Edmonton that Alberta gets freezing cold in the winter and this winter won’t be any exception. And yet every year some businesses fail to prepare for it. Then the temperature plummets, fluid systems freeze, and the companies end up with damaged equipment and costly downtime. Sometimes they end up with injured workers too.

In just three months last winter, November 2015 through January 2016, the Alberta Boilers Safety Association received four incident notifications involving damage to equipment due to freezing. Three of those resulted in ruptured piping, with two of these due to inoperative heat tracing and one due to isolation of the line. So even some experienced companies that know enough to winterize their lines, still don't do it properly.

Edmonton Valve & Fitting wants to get you up to speed on winterization this season, so we're offering a FREE 1 hour webinar on October 19 at 12PM MDT. Tristian McCallion, our sales supervisor and Energy Service Advisor, will review some best practices for winterizing and answers your questions.

From start to finish

Smart winterization starts with a written procedure. For starting your system components, unit heaters, tracers and steam traps all need to be prepared and checked. McCallion will be going over this checklist in the October webinar.

Correctly operating Steam traps are crucial in winterization, the seminar will cover the different types of traps and how to check them.  It will also discuss some of the tools that can make the process easier.

Even companies that understand the importance of winterization can sometimes get distracted. Then a cold wave hits and they get an unwelcome reminder. Don't be one of those who get caught by surprise, sign up and get your spot for our Winterization Webinar.

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