Edmonton Valve & Fitting Blog

These five topics proved the most popular for the past year

A lot of our posts come with some great (free) downloads. We look back at our top customer downloads for 2018, including the Hand Tube Bender Manual - did you get your hands on all of them yet? 

Some of the greatest resources on our website are the many downloads you can get for free. Fill out the form, click the "download" button, and you get tons of useful information at no cost.

A few of the most popular downloads are old favorites. There's no greater classic in fluid systems than the Swagelok Tube Fitter’s Manual. Author Joe Callahan had a 42-year-career at Swagelok. In fact, he started before the company was called Swagelok, and ended up as president, chief executive and chairman.

The Swagelok Tube Fitter's Manual balances theory and practical examples, making it a must-have reference for fluid system engineers, designers, and technicians, as well as students. Each of its 11 chapters covers a different aspect of a tubing system, including fittings, tubing, installation, and more.

The other classic is our Hand Tube Bender Manual.  Bending tubing by hand is often the fastest and simplest way to bend tubing. The Hand Tube Bender Manual explains step-by-step how to prepare, measure, and calculate, to perfectly execute the bends every time. Once you've learned how to do use it properly, Swagelok hand tube benders provide consistent, high-quality bends in tubing made from most materials used with Swagelok tube fittings.

Special subjects

But people also loved a couple of less-common items. Among them are our VCR & VCO Face Seal Catalogues. The VCR line is our metal gasket face seal fittings. In the catalogue you'll find typical VCR assemblies, pressure and temperature ratings, testing and cleaning information, and more. VCO is a line of O-ring face seal fittings. The VCO catalogue is likewise packed with technical data and testing information.

Visitors to our site also found the Swagelok Special Alloys PDF desirable. When you need parts made of titanium, 6-Moly or any of 10 other alloys, this is the place to start sorting through your choices. Swagelok has the industry knowledge, metallurgy expertise, quality reputation, layers of support, and skills in both design and manufacturing to assist with your job requirements. 

Expert advice

For a broad range of expert advice, our Training & Education page proved very popular.

Whether you need in-depth courses taught by expert instructors or training videos and online classes, Swagelok training equips your team to work safer and smarter. Topics include:

• Swagelok Essentials: Learn to build and maintain dependable systems, taught by Swagelok-certified trainers at locations and times convenient to you.
• Sampling System Training: Three courses that will help you diagnose, troubleshoot and eliminate sampling system design flaws.
• Advanced Tube Bending: Learn different methods of tube bending for both simple and complex offset bends with hand and bench-top tube benders.
• Tech Tips Videos: A wide range of Swagelok expertise at your convenience with our video library, with topics from tube bending assembly to regulator applications.

Are any of these downloads missing from your collection? This is a great time to fill in the gaps.

Get quick, tailored advice

In a hurry or have a question? Please get in touch (we respond fast):

Comprehensive training in tube fitting installation with Swagelok's Total Support Training Seminar

To learn more about our Swagelok training classes, download a copy of our free training catalogue and find the class that suits your team's development.

In 2018 we trained approx. 249 students in our Swagelok Total Support Training (STS) full-day course, and the year isn't over yet! Plus that doesn't include all of the students that participated in our "mini" training sessions held off-site at customer locations. 

This STS seminar emphasizes the importance of choosing the correct tubing and fittings for your specific job, along with training on the proper handling, preparing, and installation of those components. 

Theoretical vs. practical 

The ISO certified class is broken down into two sections, first theoretical and then practical. In the theoretical portion there are seven lessons that breakdown the history of the tube fitting, installation procedures, leakage, the dangers of intermixing and interchanging parts, installation tools, and more. 

The practical portion allows the students to get hands-on with a tubing system where they demonstrate bending and proper tube fitting installation techniques. One of the more exciting parts of this section is where students install both an end cap and reducing union on a piece of stainless steel tubing and put it in our 'burst chamber' to test how well it performs under pressure. 

What's included

The full-day course comes complete with a comprehensive work book, installer pocket guide, tube bender manual, inspection gauge, gripper pad, and marking device. Morning snacks and lunch will also be provided. After successful completion of the course the attendee will receive a certificate of completion (valid for 36 months).

2019 Training Dates

Below are the dates for the 2019 class offering for Swagelok's Total Support Training:

• January 10, 2019
• February 5, 2019
• March 7, 2019
• April 2, 2019
• May 2, 2019
• June 6, 2019
• September 6, 2019
• October 1, 2019
• November 7, 2019
• December 3, 2019

Don't see a class time that works for you? Do you have have a large number of employees looking to take the class? We can accommodate on-site training courses if you meet the requirements. Contact us today to get the process started. 

We'll rent or sell the machines, and we'll teach you how to use them

Swagelok's Welding System M200 is available for rental purposes or for purchase. And if you're not sure how to use the machine, we can help you out with a training session to get you comfortable with the system. Just contact us and we will gladly help you out with your needs. 

There are times when you want to connect two pieces of tubing permanently rather than with a removable fitting. You could manually weld them together, but you'll get even better results with an orbital welder. That's because the computer-controlled machine precisely guides the welding electrode in a circle around the joint. The machine doesn't get tired either, so the last weld of the day will be just as good as the first.

The process is also known as Gas Tungsten Arc Welding, or GTAW. Lightweight, portable equipment makes it easy to do the work right at the job site.

Edmonton Valve & Fitting has a welder waiting for you, and we'll teach you how to use it.

Touch-screen ease

The Swagelok Welding System M200 power supply offers an easy-to-use touch-screen for trouble-free data entry and uncomplicated viewing of information. The screen layouts are simple to follow. You can program variables such as weld current and electrode speed, then track each weld. The Windows-based system monitors the welding, captures and compiles data in real time, and electronically transfers it from the welder to a computer. That makes documentation easy too.

Watch and learn

Just because a machine is automatic doesn’t mean it automatically does the job correctly. The quality of the work still depends on the skill of the operator. Even the fanciest orbital welding machine can't tell you if you need ordinary stainless steel tubing or more specialized material.

We offer a four-hour training course to get you up to speed.

The course is a mix of lecture and hands-on practice. We'll explain all the parts — the power supply, the fixture block, the welding head and more. We'll show you what a good smooth weld looks like (flat, not concave or convex). You'll learn how the machine reacts to different inputs. The level of the arc current, for example, controls weld penetrations. Travel speed affects both the width and the penetration of the weld.

Then you'll get a chance to hook up the power supply yourself, prepare some tubing for welding, and put the machine through its paces.

We don't rush you, because we know that proper setup is the key to good welding.

Rent or buy

You have two options: renting or buying the equipment.

If you're renting and have some experience operating an orbital welder, we may still ask a few questions such as when you last used a welder, and whether you've rented from us in the past. We'll also probably want to know what size of material you are welding, as that determines which of several heads to use. Then we might ask about wall thickness, which could determine which electrode is best.

As with any rental agreement, you assume responsibility for any damage, but we want to reduce the chances of you having any problems. If we aren't sure about your level of expertise, we'll insist that you take the training class.

Usually we can have a welder ready for you with only a couple of weeks notice. If you want to buy, it may take a little longer. But that extra time means you have more flexibility on scheduling the training class.

We'll be glad to tell you more. Send us a note through our website or call us at 780-437-0640

Additional resources:

• New Classes Offer Hands-On Training for IPT Fittings 
• Your Checklist for Tubing Quality
• Nice Looking Threads, but What Size Are They?

Stop at our booth on April 25 and 26 to check out Swagelok products and ask all the questions

For years Edmonton Valve has been a proud sponsor of the International Society of Automaton (ISA) Edmonton section. Come by and see us at booth #1032 to check out some of Swagelok's new offerings. 

One of North America’s largest automation events returns to Edmonton on April 25th and 26th: the ISA Automation Expo & Conference. Edmonton Valve & Fitting will be among the exhibitors at Edmonton Expo Centre. You can find us at our usual hangout booth 1032, to the far right of the first row as you enter the exhibit hall.

Lots of Swagelok to see

At our booth #1032 you can take a close look at several products, including our grab sample panels, variety of Swagelok hoses, and 60 Series Ball Valves. We even got our Custom Solutions department to make up an unique piece so make sure you stop by to see what it is!

And some of your favourite Swagelok account managers will be on-hand to ask your fluid system questions to - it's a great opportunity to get that one-on-one time. 

About AEC

The International Society of Automation Edmonton Section launched the expo back in 1980. For many years it was known as the ISA Exhibit & Conference. Aside from chance to see more than 175 exhibitors, the conference is an opportunity to network and collaborate with thousands of automation, instrumentation and control systems professionals from a diverse range of global industries including: petroleum, mining, power, water & wastewater, forestry, agriculture and more. Then there's the conference portion, featuring internationally renowned speakers and local experts.

We hope to see you there, doors open both days at 10am! And if you need more information, contact us!

For more on this topic, see:

• Edmonton Valve's Fresh Take on Giving Back to the Community: 
• Hose Flexibility: Edmonton Valve's Team Handles the Job In-House
• Your Checklist for Tubing Quality

Rent our manual tool to use on site, or have us use our automatic tool

The equation for a High pressure working environment = stronger fitting + stronger tubing. But those tube bends can't be done with your hand tube-bender, so contact us to get those bends looked after. 

Longtime readers of our blog might recall a post about our IPT fittings for high-pressure applications. These extra-strong fittings are designed to handle pressures up to 60,000 psig or 4134 bar.

Just as high pressure demands a stronger fitting than usual, so does it demand stronger tubing. The special cold-drawn tubing for IPT fittings is harder and has thicker walls than our standard tubing. The threads must be cut into the ends, and finished off with a cone at a 59-degree angle. It fits into the primary seal surface of the fitting, which has a 60-degree angle. The tube walls are thick to that material can be cut away for the threads. In a sense it's really a very small pipe

It's tool time

So how to you get the threads and cone on the end of the tubing? We offer two options. You can rent a tap-and-die set from us, along with our bench-top tube bender. (Our handheld bender won't be up to the job for this thicker tubing.)

But if you prefer, we can do the work for you at our shop so that you save time and effort in the field. Our automatic tools in our own shop can easily perform work that is much harder to do on site. We can produce as many pieces of tubing as you need, and can even do things such as put a 90-degree nipple on the tubing.

Even if you are an old hand at tube bending, the harder steel and thicker walls mean slightly different rules. The bend radius must be larger, at least 1.25 inches for quarter-inch tubing.

These cone-and-thread fittings are designed specifically for the oil and gas, chemical, petrochemical, alternative fuel, and instrumentation industries. We'll be glad to tell you more and talk about your specific needs. All it takes to start the conversation is a call to Edmonton Valve at 780-437-0640, or a quick note through our website.

Additional resources

• Grace Under Pressure: Swagelok's IPT Fittings
• Our Swagelok Inventory Can Come Right To Your Door
• ABSA and CRNs: We Have Your Parts Covered

Complex bends and large runs are easy thanks to computer controls

Need a 180-degree tube bend? No problem! Our CNC tube bender is fast and precise. Tube bending is one of our custom solutions, which you can learn more about here:

We love to show off our CNC tube bender when customers take a tour of our shop. At 10 feet long, three feet high and three feet wide, this machine looks like a brute. But while it's powerful enough to bend bar stock, we use it instead to bend tubing with delicate precision.

The CNC bender can handle any tubing from a quarter-inch diameter up to one inch, and any wall thickness. It can bend any angle, even 180 degree bends. Its size allows it to handle bends with a radius of up to 42 inches.

One more time

But the big advantage of the CNC bender is repeatability. CNC stands for "Computer Numerical Controls." Once we program your job into the computer, we can create exactly the bends you ask for every time, no matter how complex the combination of angles.

We can create hundreds of finished pieces, and each will be identical. And it's fast, so even if you just need a couple of simple bends in a piece of tubing, the CNC bender is still ideal for the job.

When we finish your job, we store the specifications in the computer forever with a unique identification number. If you gave us a drawing in 2010, you can use it to produce fresh copies today. As with any valuable database, we backup our data to guard against accidents.

Copying and improving

In fact, we don't even have to start with a drawing. Give us the part you want to replicate, and we'll put it in our vector machine that works with the CNC bender. The vector machine scans your part, produces a 3D drawing of it, and sends the information to the bender.

We don't have to worry about wasted tubing, because our machinery will tell us the exact length to cut, down to a thousandth of an inch.

Maybe you have a damaged piece of tubing that you need to replace. We can use that as the starting point to recreate the original. We'll scan it and adjust the drawing to return everything to its proper alignment. We'll even print out the new drawing for you.

Or maybe you aren't exactly sure what the finished part should look like. We can start a drawing and show it to you, then make any adjustments you want until the design meets your approval.

Even if the original part is fine but you want to revise the design, we can adjust the dimensions in the computer to add an inch here or a bend there. The CNC bender assigns a different part number to each version, so you can always go back to the original design if you want.

Quick turnaround

Because the CNC bender is so quick and efficient, we often can turn out a single-part order on the same day it comes in. More involved projects usually can be turned out within a week.

Next: Would you like a demonstration? Please contact us to schedule a time:

(Prefer to talk live? Please give us a call at 780-437-0640.)

For more on this topic, see:

• Tagging Hoses at Edmonton Valve & Fitting (blog article)
• Customers Rate Edmonton Valve's Performance (blog article)
• Forget Trial and Error; Take Our Tube Bending Course (blog article)

It's light, it bends, it creates a smooth flow path, and the installed cost is lower

Threaded connection points are the most vulnerable areas to leakage in a fluid distribution system so why not reduce the number of threaded connections and switch your pipe system to tube.

Let's bust a myth about small-bore tubing. Too many people still think it's more expensive than pipe. That might be true if all you did was buy the tubing and leave it in a pile on the floor. But whether you buy pipe or tubing, you still have to install it. That's where tubing makes up the cost difference, and then some.

If you are welding pipe, you'll need a hot-work permit, plus a welding expert who will cost you about $100 to $150 per hour. A regular tube fitter can assemble small-bore tubing with only a half-day of training. And we offer the training as well as the tubing.

If you are installing pipe with threaded fittings, someone still needs to cut all the threads. With tubing, assembly is quick and easy. By the way, the reason pipe walls are so thick is not to hold more pressure, but so that material can be cut away to make the threads. The fact is, tubing has a much higher ratio of strength to weight than pipe does.

Extra advantages

Your piping design options will be restricted by the limitations of pipe. Pipe has to make a straight run from one connection to the next, whereas tubing can be bent. The bending means you can change direction without having to add a series of fittings. That means fewer potential leak points, and a smoother flow path than you would get with the sharp angles of piping.

Aesthetically, tubing looks a lot nicer too.

When it comes to weight, tubing is the obvious choice over pipe. That's important not only for the weight of the fluid system in place, but also for shipping. If you are an OEM and building an assembly, more weight means higher shipping costs.

Tools and training

Despite the name, small bore tubing is small only in comparison to the pipe it replaces. It's actually larger than most tubing, and includes anything from 3/4 inch on up. That means it requires special tools and training. But don't worry: Edmonton Valve & Fitting provides both. You don't even have to buy the tools, because we rent them.

Over the years, we've seen demand increase for our hydraulic swaging units and tube benders, which tells us that more companies are realizing to the advantages of tubing

Will small-bore tubing really save money compared to piping? We have a cost calculator that can show you. Call us at 780-437-0640 or contact us through our website, and then tell us the lengths of pipe you need, how many fittings, and other details of your project. We we can come up with an estimated cost comparison if you use small bore tubing instead.  

Additional resources

• Forget Trial And Error; Take Our Tube Bending Course
• Your Checklist for Tubing Quality
• Our Hose Advisory Crew Takes the Pressure off You

Special Swagelok flange adapter with pre-drilled orifice simplifies design

Threaded connections can be problematic when dealing with rotating equipment. Swagelok offers orifice flanges to reduce the number of threaded connections within your flush systems. Get in touch with us today to learn more.

Sometimes a small modification can make a big difference in a fluid system component. Take, for instance, Swagelok's flange adapters. We've written about them before, explaining how they provide a threadless, weldless transition from flanged pipe to tubing.

We have a special flange adapter made with flush systems in mind. For our customers with rotating equipment, we offer the Swagelok orifice union and orifice flange adapters. Because the orifice is pre-drilled into the flange, between the tube fitting and the flange itself, you get a unique solution that helps reduce the number of threaded connections in your flush systems. You no longer need to worry about threaded adapters leaking due to vibration or freeze-thaw cycles. You'll also save money by not having to weld the flange.

As with all our flange adapters, they reduce both the number of connections and the overall weight.

Typically the orifice is drilled out to 1/8 inch, but we can supply custom sizes too.

If you are already using flanges to simplify your system design, reduce weight and end up with fewer leak points, you already understand the value of these flange adapters for flush systems in rotary equipment. If you haven't yet made the switch to flange adapters, we can help you get started. All it takes is a call to 780-437-0640, or you can contact us through our website.

Additional resources

• Swagelok Flange Adapters Ease Transition from Pipe to Tubing
• Seal Support Simplified: Call Edmonton Valve & Fitting
• Swagelok Orifice Fittings – What do you know about flow control?

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.

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