• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Hose Assembly Tips

Fluid Power Resources for Hose and Hose Assemblies

  • Hose Assembly Blog
  • Industry News
  • Hydraulic hose
    • Rubber
    • Thermoplastic
  • Pneumatic tubing
  • Fittings
    • Hydraulic
    • Pneumatic
  • Couplings
    • Hydraulic
    • Pneumatic
    • Quick-acting
  • Suppliers
  • Design Guides
    • Design Guide Library
    • Hydraulic Valves
    • Electro-Pneumatic Regulators
    • Hydraulic Cylinders
    • Hydraulic Hose Assembly
    • Hydraulic Pumps
    • Pneumatic Actuators

How can you use weldless, threadless plumbing in fluid power systems?

February 25, 2020 By Mary Gannon 1 Comment

When you think hydraulic plumbing, what comes to mind is usually either hoses or tubes. Hoses are easy to make and provide a forgivable installation option. Tubing takes more forethought but is relatively straightforward if you have the proper bending and flaring equipment.

TubeMac Weldless Threadless Plumbing
Weldless, threadless plumbing options from Tube Mac

What’s less popular but no less effective, especially for large diameter conduits, is weldless, threadless plumbing. Typically manufactured using proprietary connection systems, they use specialized equipment to permanently crimp together sections of tubing quickly and easily. If you’re not familiar with weldless, threadless plumbing, see the below FAQs for details:

How is weldless, threadless plumbing connected?
These systems are offered in two standard styles. The crimped technology uses a long connector with soft sealing technology located within the ID. Two tube/pipe sections are butted together, and the connector is slid over the two sections and swaged (crimped) against the tubes to create a positive seal.

The flange technology uses flared joints which are interfaced with flanges. A flare slides over the tube before a cone is inserted into the end of each pipe. Long bolts connect the two opposed flanges and are torqued tight to force the flared ends deep into the pipe, expanding it into the tube for a positive seal.

What diameter is available with weldless, threadless plumbing?
Pipe diameter is manufactured up to 10 in. The more common sizes are 2 in. or less because the pressure capacity is reduced for extreme bore pipe. For the crimped style plumbing, smaller sizes are more common because the crimping tool is not manufactured for large bore piping. For flared joint systems, the internal cones and external flanges are offered in sizes up to 10 in., although the pressure capacity for pipe this large is reduced.

What is the pressure rating of weldless, threadless plumbing?
Just like other plumbing systems, the pressure rating is determined by tube diameter, tube wall thickness and the nature of the connection. Systems are available up to 6,000 psi or higher, especially with smaller bore plumbing.

What are the advantages of weldless, threadless plumbing compared to standard tube, pipe or hose?
Depending on the application, or what it replaces, the advantages are its cleanliness (less need to purge or flush the system), installation ease (it’s often easier than making a hose assembly), installation time and reduced safety/inspection requirements. Compared to welded pipe systems, for example, the weldless, threadless system requires specialized brazing and welding and their subsequent inspections.

You may also like:


  • When should you use tubing and fittings or flexible hose?

  • Three quality alternatives to welded piping

  • When should you use hydraulic piping and fittings?
  • Image-1_CEJN_alternative-TH high-pressure hydraulics
    Safety guidelines for high-pressure hydraulics
  • PYPLOK
    PYPLOK Connector System Reduces Assembly Times and Installation Costs

Filed Under: Featured, Hose Assembly Blog, Pipe and tube

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jay says

    March 6, 2020 at 3:47 pm

    Good heavens, the last sentence surely seems to contradict itself: “Compared to welded pipe systems, for example, the weldless, threadless system requires specialized brazing and welding and their subsequent inspections.”

    The other feedback concerns the statement “f you’re not familiar with weldless, threadless plumbing, see the below FAQs for details:” and the fact that there is NO FAQ in the article.

    Maybe someone could fix these and repost the article.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe

Fluid Power World Digital Edition

Fluid Power World Digital Edition

Browse the most current issue of Fluid Power World and back issues in an easy to use high quality format. Bookmark, share and interact with the leading design engineering magazine today.

Follow Paul on Twitter

Tweets by @wtwh_paulheney

Follow Mary on Twitter

Tweets by @DW_MaryGannon

Footer

Hose Assembly Tips

FLUID POWER WORLD NETWORK

  • Fluid Power World
  • Mobile Hydraulic Tips
  • Pneumatic Tips
  • Sealing and Contamination Tips
  • Fluid Power Distributor Lookup

HOSE ASSEMBLY TIPS

  • Subscribe to our newsletter
  • Advertise with us
  • About us
Follow us on Twitter  Add us on Facebook  Follow us on LinkedIn  Follow us on YouTube  Follow us on Instagram

Copyright © 2022 · WTWH Media LLC and its licensors. All rights reserved.
The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media.

Privacy Policy