Stainless Steel Tube Fittings

The information provided is for standard stock product and does not encapsulate all available combinations. Please contact your nearest Atlas Steels Service Centre if non-standard product is required and we will enquire about its availability through our global supply network of mills and stockists.

Atlas Steels locations and contacts can be found in main menu of this website.

Round Tube Fittings
Atlas stocks a complete range of stainless steel fittings to complement round tube for fluids, structural and decorative applications. The standard range includes bends (45, 90 and 180 degree), tees, reducing tees, eccentric and concentric reducers, BSM unions and tube clamps.

Tube bends
Bends are stocked as 45, 90 or 180 degree. The three common manufacturing processes for bends are pulled bends (cold drawn bend), pressed and lobster back. The process of manufacturing often relates to the diameter of the bend and the thickness of material used. Up to and including 152.4mm the bends are generally pulled, by far the most commonly supplied bends, pressed bends are from 101.6 to 305mm OD., and lobster back bends 101.6mm and above and these are used primarily for spiral welded tube.

To maintain a level of quality and consistency Atlas stocks pulled bends with an extended leg. The importance of this style of bend ensures each end of the bend is finished off true and accurate. The extended leg gives the ability to maintain the original circularity of the tube and a precise 45 or 90 degree radius measured from across the end face of the bends.

Tees
The two common processes of manufacturing are welded or pulled tees. To maintain product quality and consistency welded tees are stocked as opposed to pulled tees. Tees are stocked in two forms; equal or reducing. An equal tee has all three branches of the tee equal in diameter. A reducing tee has a reduced diameter of tube on the branch section of the tee.

As tube fittings are often used in the food industry and hygiene is important many of these fittings are stocked in a polished finish.

BSM unions
British Standard Milk (BSM) stainless steel unions were designed specifically for tube installation in the dairy industry, but they are now commonly used in food and beverage processing and the pharmaceutical industries where crevice-free hygienic conditions are required. A commonly used term is ‘CIP’ which comes from the phrase Clean in Place.

RJT (Ring Joint Type) – often referred to as a standard union comprises an ‘O’ ring style gasket. This leaves a small crevice internally where the liner and male part of the union overlap, this is not suitable for permanent CIP.

CIP (Australian style) – developed from a RJT union, features a gasket giving the desirable characteristics for CIP installation. The gasket fills the crevice between the liner and male part of the union.

CIPFF – the FF stands for ‘Flat Face’ and refers to a BSM modified supporting CIP installations. The gasket is moulded completely filling the crevice between the liner and male part and allows a small lip to give a flush finish on the ID of the fitting. The liner and male parts of this union have been modified creating a flat face style sealed with a flat face gasket. Flat faced liner and male part used in a CIPFF union are shaped differently to that used in an RJT or CIP union.

Note: Temperature rating for EPDM “E” gasket material is -51°C to 148°C.

Tube Clamp
Atlas stocks a Tri-clamp stainless steel tube fitting for joining plain end tube and therefore eliminating the need for a thread tube jointing system. This joint is common in CIP installation where the seal fills the crevice completely.

A range of spanners and valves (ball and butterfly) are also available to match tube dimensions.