The Swagelok Tube Fitting Advantage: A Material Difference

From the melt to machining, Swagelok never compromises on quality. You know that the outstanding performance of Swagelok tube fittings is made possible by our unique design, technical expertise, and manufacturing controls. But without first establishing standards for material that is of the highest quality, all other performance features would fall short. In the video below, learn about the five characteristics that constitute our special recipe creating a material difference in the Swagelok tube fitting.

A Material Difference

Special Recipe, Superior Results – But How?

1. What’s in Your Stainless? – You can be confident we know what’s in ours. Not all stainless is made the same, and metallurgical performance is not what it used to be. Chromium and Nickel are critical components for corrosion resistance and ductility in stainless steel. Swagelok has maintained chromium content in its fittings at a minimum of 17% and nickel at a minimum of 12% for many years. Lower chemistry levels of these two elements can lead to cracking after installation in corrosive environments.

2. It All Starts with a Higher Stock – We place multiple controls on procurement of 316 stainless steel from our approved mills, from its elevated alloy chemistry to the inspection steps used to validate it. These measures help ensure uniform manufacturability when making our tube fittings.

3. Chloride Stress Corrosion Cracking (CSCC) in 316 Stainless Steel – A combination of tensile stresses and a corrosive environment can crack stainless steel, particularly when there is a high chloride concentration present. This is termed Chloride Stress Corrosion Cracking (CSCC). While no stainless steel is completely immune – another reason why raw materials matter – we have performed extensive CSCC testing on Swagelok fittings, validated in Product Test Reports that you can request, with exceptional results.

4. Alloys and Combatting Corrosion – Swagelok offers a wide range of alloys and works closely with customers to solve their needs for fittings with enhanced chemical and corrosion resistance, including sour gas applications (NACE).

5. Engineered Combinations – Traditional thinking: higher alloy tube fitting + matching higher alloy tubing. However, elevated chromium and nickel levels in our fittings mean we can offer engineered combinations as a rated alternative to full exotic alloy solutions in certain applications. Swagelok’s innovative thinking combines 316 stainless steel fittings with 6 Moly, 904L, Tungum, and Alloy 825 tubing.

We’re equipped to handle the demands of industry change as systems operate at even higher temperatures and pressures – we constantly evaluate the performance of our products so that you never need to re-evaluate your choice of supplier.

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