5th Time's the Charm: FAQs from your Swagelok Customer Service Reps

This edition's FAQs have been answered by your Edmonton and Drayton Valve associates.

1. What is the difference between PFA, PTFE, and Teflon?

Diane Rode:

Teflon® is a fluoropolymer. PFA (perfluoroalkoxy) and PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) are both forms of Teflon.

PFA was conceived by DuPont Co. and is melt processable. It is most commonly used for lab equipment as it has an extreme resistance to chemicals. PFA flexible tubing is good for highly corrosive process applications.

PTFE is most known for being the non-stick coating for pans and cookware. It is also used in applications for corrosive and reactive chemicals as PTFE is non-reactive. Compared to PFA, PTFE has a higher flex life (capacity to endure repetitive folding) and is slightly more heat resistant. PTFE is also less affected by weathering and water absorption but has a lower salt spray resistance.

Swagelok offers a variety of fittings and tubing in PFA as well as ultrahigh purity PFA fittings. You can use Teflon or metal fittings with Swagelok PFA tubing. Please remember that PFA tubing must be grooved for use with PFA tube fittings.

Most Swagelok hoses are PTFE lined for flex advantage and handling reactive and corrosive chemicals. Swagelok SWAK is also PTFE-based, which helps lubricate threads and prevent costly thread damage due to galling and seizing during assembly.

Don Keith:

A socket weld fitting is a type of weld fitting that incorporates a tube or pipe socket machined into the fitting which provides tube/pipe support ahead of the weld area.  Swagelok pipe socket weld fittings feature socket depths that equal or exceed ASME B16.11 requirements.  

3. What size wrench do I need for Swagelok pipe fittings?

Jon Cool:

The size of wrench depends on the size of the fitting. Please refer to the ‘F’ (i.e. flat) dimension in the Swagelok Pipe Fittings catalogue MS-01-147 for proper wrench sizes.

4. What is the correct orientation of Swagelok ferrules?

Shelley Lott:

Swagelok tube fittings come from the factory with nuts and ferrules already assembled in the correct orientation but we also offer replacement nuts and ferrules, so how do you know if you are putting them together correctly?

The front ferrule (the beveled or cone shaped piece) sits inside the matching bevel on the Swagelok Fitting to form the sealing surface.  The back ferrule (the smaller ring shaped piece) is the tricky one.  It is responsible for gripping the tubing, so it’s important to get it right.  The back ferrule does have a beveled side to it, and that sits inside the front ferrule.  The flat side of the back ferrule sits against the inner shoulder of the nut.

If you are worried about ferrule orientation, or have lots of fittings to rebuild, we do have a handy solution for you.  Our “Nut and Ferrule Sets” offer 5 complete sets of Nuts and Ferrules on an arbor to keep them properly oriented from the factory to your fitting.  Ask your local distributor about these today!

5. How do I find my own authorized Swagelok Sales and Service Centre?

Shelley Lott:

Swagelok is pleased to offer a network of more than 200 authorized sales and service centers that support customers in 70 countries on 6 continents.  Wow!  But how do you know who to contact?

Go to our website [www.swagelok.com] and click the link in the upper tool bar that says “Locate a Sales and Service Center”.

Enter your Postal Code or Address information in the box provided to return the authorized distributor information for your area.

Register as a user on our site to have access to online quoting and ordering features with your local authorized distributor. We look forward to hearing from you!

Have any questions? Ask us!