Have you ever stopped to think about whether you’re using the best fittings or air lines for the type of pneumatic equipment you’ve got in your workshop? All fittings are not created equal. Some are better at certain jobs than others.
You might even be using fittings made of an inferior material that won’t stand up to the kind of abuse your particular use case is putting them through.
Consider the following list of seven pneumatic fittings and air lines. You’ll probably find a few new favorites that you might not have thought about using in the past. Take the opportunity and upgrade your equipment today. Professionals from SMC Pneumatics are standing by to help you make the right call.
Seven Pneumatic Fittings & Air Lines You can Put to Use in Your Business
1) Series KQG2 Stainless Steel Fittings
Everything on fittings that belong to this series is made out of stainless steel, with the exception of the seal. This makes it suitable for use with steam. If you’re in a situation where you’re concerned about lubrication, then you can deploy a few KQG2 fittings because they’re grease-free. They’re suitable for use with any of the following tubing materials:
- FEP
- PFA
- Nylon & Soft Nylon
- PU
- Polyolfein
Regardless of whether you prefer metric or customary sizes, the KQG2 series has you covered. Since they’re more compact and lightweight than the original KQG series, these fittings can support a wider variety of configurations and tube sizes.
Perhaps best of all, KQG2 series fittings feature one-touch technology that makes them easy to attach and remove from other components. You won’t have to ever risk ruining a fitting by using too much force again.
2) Anti-static KA Fittings
Sensitive electronic equipment and hazardous materials are present in almost every industry these days. Series KA anti-static one-touch fittings offer the same ease of use that other one-touch designs do, but they won’t generate much in the way of static. Conductive resin is used for both the body design and seals on these fittings as well as the tubes that work with them. In spite of this, they’re capable of handling a vacuum as strong as -100 kPa.
All series KA components are flame resistant, which is excellent news since many people that need anti-static components manage facilities that handle combustible material.
3) Right Angle Flow Controls with Built-in Fittings
You’re going to eventually have to install flow controls anyway, so why don’t you make it one that comes with built-in one-touch fittings? This takes all the guesswork out of finding specific fittings and matching them with a flow control. Simply get some of these components and attach them to the right areas of the air circuit. It’s really that simple.
Technicians can easily rotate the bodies on these units, which makes installation much more simple. They’re available in thread sizes from M3 to ½-inch NPT. Metric options are also offered for those using international equipment.
4) Wear Resistant Tubing
TUZ tubing was developed to reduce abrasion caused by the sliding motions that are all too common in the world of pneumatic gear. They’re made of special PU-based material. While they’re similar to regular polyurethane lines and can bend relatively easily, they’re considerably more resistant to wear. TUZ tubes are available in both 20 and 100 meter rolls, so you won’t have to worry about running out on the job site.
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5) Traditional KQ2 Fittings
Some engineers might say that when it comes to pneumatic technology, you can’t mess with a classic. KQ2 are traditional one-touch fittings. Since they’ve been around for a little while, our crews have had time to develop countless revisions to suit your business needs. As a result, they’re available in a wide variety of sizes and body styles. You can even find KQ2 fittings in a fairly sizable collection of thread types, which is great news for anyone who is repairing or upgrading a specialty air circuit.
6) TU Polyurethane Tubing
Speaking of classics, there’s nothing better for most installations than traditional PU tubing. Series TU lines are meant to be relatively solid compared to other styles, and it’s therefore able to handle increased pressures as a result. If your workshop assigns colors to different runs, then you should be more than happy with the pallet of eight standard colors it comes in. In spite of the fact that high-pressure types of TU line are on the market, this is still soft polyurethane tubing. That means you won’t have to worry about it not being able to flex. It can handle a maximum operating pressure of approximately 0.6 MPa at 20°C.
7) KQ2P Plugs
While they might not be the most glamorous aspect of your pneumatic system, inch-size plugs are very important. KQ2 plugs come with a special profile seal that allows them to function under a wide range of air pressures. They work equally well exposed to a low vacuum as they do when positive pressures approach 1 MPa. They come with a special collar that releases the chuck and collet. This offers little in the way of disconnection force, so you can easily remove tubing without causing any damage. As long as you’re not working with potable water, the KQ2 series plug should work quite well in almost any situation.
Ordering Pneumatic Fittings & Air Lines
Navigating catalog numbers and part specifications can be rather difficult when you’re trying to mesh incompatible systems together. It’s every pneumatic engineer’s nightmare.
There’s no reason why you should have to go this alone. Contact us today and talk to one of our skilled technicians. They’ll be able to address your needs and suggest pneumatic fittings and air lines that should work well in your place of business.