Industrial Fittings by Type
Female and Male Fittings
Many fittings are supplied in both female and male types. The male fitting goes inside the female to make a secure connection. Male fittings are also known as plugs and female as jacks, outlets or receptacles.
 Female Fitting |
 Male Fitting |
Elbows
What does an elbow look like?
An elbow fitting is a fitting that has a bend – like an elbow – usually at 45 or 90 degrees. Elbows can have a short of long radius and can be made of any type of material.
What are they used for?
An elbow fitting is used when pipe or tube needs to change direction. They can have the same ending size or different sizes. When they have different sizes they are called reducing elbows.
Types of elbow
Union Elbow, Male Elbow, Female Elbow, Equal Elbow, Standpipe Elbow, Stud Elbow, Adjustable Elbow, Positionable Elbow, Block Elbow, Swept Elbow, Swivel Elbow, Compact Elbow, Bulkhead Elbow, Stem Elbow, Hose Tail Elbow, Wingback Elbow.
Tees and Crosses
What do tees and crosses look like?
Tee fittings are so called because they have a T shape and provide a 3-way junction at a 90° angle from the pipe join.
A cross fitting has four connections in a cross shape and is also known as a 4-way fitting.
Each of the ends of these fittings can be of the same or different sizes. The sizes are labelled N x N x N with the last size being the side outlet and the largest size first.
What are they used for?
Tees and crosses are used to connect either three or four pipe sections together. Cross fittings should be used with care as they can be subjected to a lot of stress.
Types of tees and crosses
Union Tee, Male Tee, Female Tee, Run Tee, Banjo Tee, Swivel Tee, Branch Tee, Run Tee, Stem Tee, Equal Tee, Reducing Tee. Union Cross, Male and Female Crosses, Equal Cross.
Unions
What does a union look like?
Union fittings are designed to link two pipes that can be detached, which means that valves can be changed quickly and easily. They are made up of both female and male endings and a nut.
A union fitting can be composed of any type of material and are common in household and industrial piping.
What are they used for?
A union is a connection that can be removed if necessary for cleaning or disconnection.
Types of union
Union Tee, Union Bulkhead, Reducing Union, Tube Socket Weld Union, Pipe Socket Weld Union, Union Cross, Test Point Union, Socket Union, Hose Union, Union Elbow.
Bulkheads
What do bulkheads look like?
Bulkheads are made up of several pieces fitting together and contain at least on gasket and nut. They do not need soldering so this makes them easier to install but not as robust as fittings that are soldered.
What are they used for?
They are used to pass a connection through a sealed wall of a vessel. They are used to attach taps and outflows to water pipes, for example. Bulkheads are generally used when a system needs to be regularly disassembled.
Types of bulkhead
Union Bulkhead, Equal Bulkhead, Reducing Bulkhead, Fulham Nozzle Bulkhead.
Caps and Plugs
What do cap and plugs look like?
Caps and plugs are used to cover the end of pipes. They can either be threaded or sealed with glue or cement.
What are they used for?
A cap screws to the male thread of the pipe and fits over the end of the pipe. Caps are used to waterproof pipes.
A plug screws over the female thread of the pipe. It ‘plugs’ into the end of the pipe. Plugs are used to dead-end the flow.
Types of caps and plugs
There are two types of caps and plugs. Ordinary caps and plugs and blanking caps and plugs. The difference is that blanking plugs are used to seal tubing from pressure. They may also be used when pressure needs bleeding for example in a radiator.
Valves
What does a valve look like?
A valve is made up of a body, bonnet and ports plus a handle. A valve can be operated manually or automatically.
What are they used for?
Valves are used to regulate or control the rate of flow by opening and closing fully or partially. They can regulate pressure, temperature, or flow. Valves are commonly used on taps and other water systems.
Valves are very common fittings. They are used in all types of industrial applications including:
- Hydraulic
- Pneumatic
- Manual
- Solenoid valve
- Motor
They are also used in aquariums, power plants, water parks and pools, power plants, and waste water and treatment.
Types of Valves
Ball valve, Butterfly valve, Check valve, Gate valve, Needle valve, Safety valve, Pressure valve, Relief valve, Toggle valve, Diaphragm valve, Piston valve.
Banjo Couplings
What does a banjo look like?
Banjos are made up of a perforated hollow bold and spherical union for controlling the flow of fluids. They have a very tight seal and can handle very high pressures.
What is it used for?
Banjo fittings are used for high pressure applications such as hydraulics, fuel and oil. They are used in the automotive industry for power steering and braking systems.
Types of banjos
Banjo Elbow Banjo Elbow Assembly, Banjo Tee, Banjo Elbow, Single and Double Banjo, Banjo Flow Controls, High Pressure Banjo, Choke Free Banjo.
Adaptors
What does an adaptor look like?
An adaptor is a type of fitting that enables one size or type of attachment to another size or type. Thus, adaptors have different sized endings depending on the size of the two pipes they are joining. There are many different types of adaptor depending on the pipes that need joining. Adaptors can be made of any material, plastic, brass or steel.
What is an adaptor used for
Adaptors are used to end or extend pipes. They can connect to different sizes of pipes.
Types of Adaptor
Female Adaptors, Male Adaptors, Hose tail adaptors, Lock on adaptors, Reducing Adaptor, Swivel Adaptor.
Flange
What does a flange look like
A Flange is a disc of metal connected with screws through holes and used to connect different pipes.
Flanges work by fitting two flanges together with a gasket or seal in the middle.
There are many different types of flange including weld neck, slip-on ring, blind ring, and threaded flanges.
What are they used for
Flanges are used to strengthen, hold in place, or attach to another object. They are ideal for connecting a number of pipe spools and easy to manufacture in a workshop.
Connects pipes, valves and pumps.
Types of flange
Full Faced Flange, Flat Faced Flange, Raised Face Flange, Blank Flange, Slip-on Flange, Ring Type Flange.