Swagelok Company—Tube Fitting Innovation
We developed the original two-ferrule tube fitting. The Swagelok® tube fitting was patented and brought to market in 1947, resolving problems the chemical industries experienced in order to make repeatable, reliable, leak-tight connections on process instrumentation systems. We continue to improve the leak-tight design of the tube fitting for use in thousands of diverse applications.

Patented Back-Ferrule Geometry
The patented recessed and contoured geometry of the back ferrule creates the hinging and colleting action that grips the tube. It helps eliminate dead spots and entrapment of corrosive fluids better than other connection methods.

The live-loading, spring action, and residual elasticity of the front and back ferrules in our tube fittings compensate for thermal cycling, and thermal and mechanical transients [rapid changes]. The elasticity of the ferrules responds and maintains a seal through these transients, providing you with a reliable tube fitting.

SAT12^sm Patented Surface Hardening Process
The patented case-hardening process applied to the back ferrule provides the differential hardness that achieves tube grip over a broad range of specifications including tubing hardness, wall thickness, dimensions, material, and tube quality. The SAT12 process:

• Increases the hardness of 316 SS case layer at least two times the core material
• Provides carbide-like hardness up to 1200 Vickers (>70 Rc) and 20 µm thickness

Swagelok is the only manufacturer of tube fittings to have independently developed international patents for commercial-scale processes to achieve the SAT12 surface hardening process.  The process, know as Low-Temperature Carburization of Stainless Steel (LTCSS), was developed and patented by Swagelok Company and technical studies were published by Case Western Reserve University.

Summary
The patented case-hardening process and back-ferrule geometry of Swagelok tube fittings produce a colleting grip on the tube, minimizing the effects of vibration. Since this design uses consistent geometry instead of torque for gaugeable assembly upon initial installation, you can use our tube fittings on a range of thick- or thin-walled, hard or soft tubing, while resisting the effects of pressure and thermal cycling.

More Information
Download the Swagelok Gaugeable Tube Fittings and Adapter Fittings catalog.
Find tube fittings and tube adapters in the product search.
See tube fitting resource and reference documents.
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