Choosing between flare fittings and flareless fittings depends on the specific requirements of your application. Certain applications mandate the use of flare fittings due to their specific characteristics. On the other hand, flareless fittings are adequate for other types of applications. This blog post delves into the the difference between flare and flareless fittings and practical applications of them.
What’s Flare Fittings?
Flare fittings are a type of connection used in various systems where a secure, strong seal is needed. They work by fitting a tapered end into a flared piece of tubing. This connection is then tightened with a sleeve and a threaded nut, creating a strong seal that can withstand high pressure and temperature. To prepare the tubing for this fitting, you need to use a tool to flare the end of the tube. This can be done using either a manual tool, like a mandrel or rolling cone, or with a powered pneumatic flaring tool.
These fittings are very reliable over a long period and are often used in critical and hard-to-reach places. This makes them popular in military, aerospace, heavy machinery, and industrial settings. They’re especially good for high-pressure and high-temperature situations, like in hydraulic systems in machinery and equipment.
Flare fittings are a great choice for tubes that are thin to medium in thickness. They’re able to handle a lot of pressure, making them suitable for stressful conditions. Their simple design has made them popular worldwide, and they are used in a variety of fields, including in hydraulic tube and hose systems, as well as in petro-chemical, fertilizer, water, and other fluid systems.
Hydraxio is a manufacturer of stainless steel flare fittings that meet SAE J514 standard which is a 37° flare, commonly referred to as JIC (Joint Industry Council). The three main components to the flare fittings are the body, the ferrule, and the nut. These three parts work together to create a metal-to-metal seal when the nut draws the flared tubing, sleeve and fitting body together.
What’s Flareless Tube Fittings?
Flareless fittings, also known as compression fittings, are a simpler way to connect tubes without needing to flare the tube’s end. These fittings use a nut and a single ferrule/sleeve to create a tight connection. They are popular because they work with many types of tubing and are easier and quicker to connect than flare fittings.
These fittings are often used to attach tubes to threaded parts, like valves and tools. They are especially good for systems that shake or vibrate a lot, as they can handle vibration better than flare fittings. Flareless fittings are also more suitable for tubes that are thicker, because there’s no need to flare the end of the tube for connection.
Hydraxio is a manufacturer of stainless steel flareless tube fittings that meet manufactured to the SAE J514 standard. Flareless tube fitting consists of a fitting body, a flareless tube nut, and a flareless tube sleeve/ferrule.
Applications
The type of tube fitting you use depends largely on how tight your seal must be. When any level of leakage is an issue (gas and high-pressure lines, for example), use flare fittings. When slight levels of leakage won’t cause too much of a problem (water and compressed air lines, for example), use flareless fittings.
Hydraxio is a leading manufacturer and supplier of stainless steel flareless tube fittings and SAE JIC flare tube fittings. We are the ideal supplier of hydraulic hose and fittings of wholesalers, distributors, and brand manufacturers.
