When running plumbing or processing lines in any type of facility, plant or production application, every component of the system is as important as the next. That means that even something as simple as industrial pipe fittings have to be selected with attention to quality, durability, and compatibility with the rest of the system.
Too often there is the temptation to cut costs on a project by choosing low-cost pipe fittings. This may mean buying in bulk from an out of country supplier, particularly for very large volume orders, or in going with the lowest priced items at a general contract supplier.
The problem with both of these options is the risk of ending up with not just low cost but very cheaply made industrial pipe fittings. While they may visually appear to be a good fit with the rest of industrial pipe and valves in the project, they simply will not stand up the way that industrial fittings would last.
Options to Consider
There are a large number of industrial pipe fittings on the market today, allowing for easy configuration of even complex plumbing processing systems. With the wide number of various elbows, bends, and unions it is easy to create corners and turns, to change the diameter of the pipes on either side of the fitting or to even have the ideal connector for including gauges.
Different fittings will have different options for connections. They can be threaded on one or both ends, or they may be designed to be welded to the pipe one end or both. There is also the option to have specialized fittings designed for specific applications.
Additionally, as with the pipe options available, these pipe fittings are available in a range of different materials. While carbon steel is the most common, they are also found in stainless steel, galvanized, polypropylene and in a variety of alloys for specialized operating conditions.
