Beyond Tube vs Pipe: Prefabricated Assemblies with Bent Tubing Offer a Range of Benefits

You know that using bent tubing instead of traditional piping in some common applications can slash potential leak points and save time during installation. Now save even more with fully built, leak-tight assemblies that incorporate your pre-bent tubing.

In May of this year, Fluid Handling Pro published an article by Brian Aplin, Engineering Services Supervisor (Americas) for Swagelok Company. The piece focused on the keys to industrial fluid system safety. Aplin's number one recommendation is to simplify your design.

"Complexity introduces more possible failure points. For example, reduce connection points by using bent tubing for direction changes," he wrote (emphasis added).

Tubing systems often have fewer connections than traditional piping systems, which can reduce potential leak points. What's more, Swagelok fittings used in tubing systems can be quicker to install than threaded or welded joints used in piping systems. Tubing can be bent to fit specific configurations, which can reduce the number of fittings needed. This is especially useful in tight spaces or intricate layouts.

Consider too that tubing systems typically don't require welding, so there's no need for hot work. There is usually less waste than with piping. And later, modifying tubing—say to add a new branch or reroute things—is likely to be simpler than modifying piping. It bears mentioning that tubing is often used for high pressure, in fact, for very high pressure applications tubing is preferred. 

Piping is often used to move process fluids. But piping can be time-consuming to install and maintain. This video highlights bent tubing's benefits.

"Consider prefabricated assemblies for a variety of subsystems," adds Aplin in the Fluid Handling article. "Partner with a trusted supplier to ensure you are purchasing the most efficient system for your application."

Design and fabrication of custom assemblies is our specialty. And with our in-house experts, large inventory, fully equipped shop, and decades of experience, we are efficient.

Some advantages of prefab assemblies incorporating bent tubing:

1. Faster install: Since the tubing is bent to precise configurations and includes all the necessary fittings and components, installation is much quicker.
2. Fewer leak points: Bent tubing can navigate a path with fewer connections. Fewer connections means fewer potential leak points, enhancing system reliability.
3. Swagelok quality: We are able to build assemblies under controlled conditions, ensuring consistent quality. They are tested and inspected before shipping, reducing the risk of defects or issues during field installation.
4. Compact design: We can usually simplify and shrink the footprint of a design a customer provides. Bent tubing, in particular, can be designed to fit tight or complex spaces, making it ideal where space is at a premium.
5. Lower labor costs: Not only do simplified designs often specify fewer individual components, you save in onsite labor and reduced installation time.
6. Repeatability: We can generate more copies of the same prefabricated assembly, ensuring consistent quality and including all the same documentation for each one. 

The decision to use tubing versus piping should be based on the specific requirements of the application, the nature of the fluid being transported, the operating conditions, and the skills of the available workforce. Please get in touch to discuss your situation:

Also see:

• Inside a Tube Bending Essentials Class
• Our CNC Tube Bender Makes Quick Work of Custom Orders
• New! Edmonton Valve’s Tubing MTR Self-Serve Portal