• CROSS FITTINGS, ALSO KNOWN AS 4-WAY FITTINGS, ARE USED TO CONNECT FOUR SECTIONS OF PIPE
TOGETHER AT 90-DEGREE ANGLES, FORMING A “PLUS” OR “CROSS” SHAPE. THEY ARE COMMONLY
USED IN PIPING SYSTEMS WHERE FLUID OR GAS NEEDS TO BE DISTRIBUTED IN FOUR DIFFERENT
DIRECTIONS. HOWEVER, DUE TO THE STRESS CONCENTRATED AT THE JUNCTION POINT, CROSS
FITTINGS ARE LESS COMMON THAN TEE FITTINGS AND ARE USED MAINLY IN SPECIAL APPLICATIONS.
• UNIONS ARE FITTINGS USED TO CONNECT TWO PIPES OR COMPONENTS IN A PIPING SYSTEM WHILE
ALLOWING FOR EASY DISCONNECTION WITHOUT CUTTING THE PIPE. THEY CONSIST OF THREE PARTS:
TWO END PIECES AND A NUT THAT HOLDS THEM TOGETHER. UNIONS ARE COMMONLY USED IN
SITUATIONS WHERE FREQUENT MAINTENANCE OR DISASSEMBLY IS REQUIRED, SUCH AS IN
PLUMBING, HVAC, AND INDUSTRIAL SYSTEMS. THEY PROVIDE A LEAK-PROOF CONNECTION THAT CAN
BE QUICKLY TAKEN APART AND REASSEMBLED.
• VALVES ARE MECHANICAL DEVICES USED TO CONTROL THE FLOW OF FLUIDS OR GASES IN A PIPING
SYSTEM. THEY CAN START, STOP, OR REGULATE THE FLOW BY OPENING, CLOSING, OR PARTIALLY
OBSTRUCTING PASSAGEWAYS. VALVES COME IN VARIOUS TYPES, INCLUDING GATE, GLOBE, BALL,
BUTTERFLY, AND CHECK VALVES, EACH DESIGNED FOR SPECIFIC FUNCTIONS, SUCH AS ISOLATION,
THROTTLING, OR PREVENTING BACKFLOW. THEY ARE ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS IN MANY INDUSTRIES,
INCLUDING OIL AND GAS, WATER TREATMENT, AND HVAC SYSTEMS.
• FLANGES ARE USED TO CONNECT PIPES, VALVES, PUMPS, AND OTHER EQUIPMENT IN A PIPING
SYSTEM. THEY PROVIDE A SECURE, LEAK-PROOF SEAL BY BOLTING TWO FLANGES TOGETHER WITH
A GASKET IN BETWEEN. FLANGES COME IN VARIOUS TYPES, SUCH AS WELD NECK, SLIP-ON, BLIND,
AND THREADED, EACH SERVING DIFFERENT PURPOSES IN PIPING ASSEMBLIES. THEY ARE
COMMONLY USED IN INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS TO EASILY ASSEMBLE AND DISASSEMBLE PIPING
SYSTEMS FOR MAINTENANCE OR INSPECTION.
• PIPE NIPPLES ARE SHORT LENGTHS OF PIPE WITH MALE THREADS ON BOTH ENDS. THEY ARE USED
TO CONNECT TWO FITTINGS, VALVES, OR OTHER PIPING COMPONENTS TOGETHER. PIPE NIPPLES ARE
COMMONLY USED IN PLUMBING AND PIPING SYSTEMS FOR EXTENDING PIPE RUNS, CONNECTING
DIFFERENT TYPES OF FITTINGS, OR PROVIDING FLEXIBILITY IN PIPING INSTALLATIONS.
• TEE FITTINGS ARE USED TO CONNECT THREE SECTIONS OF PIPE AT A 90-DEGREE ANGLE, FORMING
A “T” SHAPE. THEY ALLOW FLUID OR GAS TO BE DISTRIBUTED IN TWO DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS OR TO
COMBINE FLOWS FROM TWO SOURCES INTO ONE. THEY ARE COMMONLY USED IN PLUMBING, GAS
LINES, AND INDUSTRIAL PIPING SYSTEMS.
• BUSHINGS, SOMETIMES CALLED REDUCER BUSHINGS, ARE USED FOR CONNECTING TWO PIPES OF
DIFFERENT SIZES. THE LARGER DIAMETER OF THE BUSHING FITS INSIDE OF THE LARGER PIPES. THE
SMALLER PIPE IS THEN INSERTED INTO THE SMALLER END OF THE BUSHING.
• PIPE CAPS ACT AS A PROTECTIVE DEVICE AND ARE DESIGNED TO PROTECT PIPE ENDS OF VARIOUS
SHAPES. THE MAIN PURPOSE OF USING PIPE CAPS IS TO WATERPROOF OF THE CONNECTION. THEY
ARE ALSO USED TO CLOSE THE ENDS OF HYDRAULIC OR PNEUMATIC PIPES AND TUBES.
• A PIPE PLUG ALSO REFFERED TO AS A DRAIN PLUG OR FILTER PLUG, IS A CYLINDRICAL FITTING WITH
A DRIVE SECTION AT ONE END AND A THREADED SHAFT ON THE OTHER, IT IS DESIGNED TO SEAL
THE END OF A THREADED PIPE TO DEAD END THE FLOW OF FLUID WHEN YOU NO LONGER NEED
TO USE THE OPENING.
• 45 DEGREE ANGLE ELBOWS CONNECT PIPELJNES AT A 45 DEGREE ANGLE, MAKING THEM POPULAR
FITTING CHOICE FOR PIPING DESIGN. THE ANGLED CONNECTION ALLOWS FOR BETTER FLUID FLOW
AND INCREASED FLUID VELOCITY. IT ALSO HELPS REDUCE THE PRESSURE DROP IN THE PIPING
SYSTEM, ENSURING NO EXCESSIVE BURDEN ON THE PUMP.
•
• A PIPE CLAMP IS A PIPE ATTACHMENT WHICH CLAMPS AROUND THE PIPE TO CONNECT THE PIPE TO
THE REMAINDER OF A PIPE HANGER ASSEMBLY. PIPE CLAMPS ARE RECOMMENDED FOR THE
SUSPENSION OF COLD PIPE LINES AND MAY OR MAY NOT BE INSULATED.
• PIPE WYE FITTING MAY NOT BE COMMON KNOWLEDGE FOR MOST, BUT THEY PLAY A VENTRAL ROLE
IN EFFICIENTLY MANAGING THE FLOW OF LIQUIDS OR GASES WITHIN SYSTEMS. SHAPED LIKE THE
LETTER Y” IT HELPS SPLIT OR COMBINED FLOW EFFICIENTLY.
• BARBED FITTINGS ARE WIDELY USED IN LOW PRESSURE (125 PSI OR LOWER) FLUID, GAS, AND AIR
FLOW CONTROL APPLICATION. THE BARB SERRATION OR RIDGE GRIPS THE INTERIOR WALL OF THE
TUBING AND PROVIDES A SEALING SURFACE WITHOUT DAMAGING THE TUBING WALL.
• THIS SPECIALIZED TYPE OF TEE FITTING IS USED PRIMARILY IN PRESSURIZED HYDRONIC HEATING
SYSTEMS TO DIVERT A PORTION OF THE FLOW FROM THE MAIN LINE INTO A SIDE BRANCH
CONNECTED TO A RADIATOR OR HEAT EXCHANGER.
• A STANDARD WYE IS A “Y” SHAPED FITTING WHICH ALLOWS ONE PIPE TO BE JOINED TO ANOTHER AT
A 45° ANGLE TO DIRECT WATER THROUGH THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM. A DOUBLE WYE IS USED TO
COLLECT WATER FROM TWO DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS INTO A SINGLE DRAIN LINE.
• A REDUCER IS A COMPONENT IN A PIPING SYSTEM THAT CHANGES THE PIPE SIZE FROM A LARGER
TO A SMALLER BORE. A REDUCER ALLOWS FOR A CHANGE IN PIPE SIZE TO MEET FLOW
REQUIREMENTS OR TO ADAPT TO EXISTING PIPING.
• S BEND PIPE ARE COMMONLY USED IN HOUSEHOLD PLUMBING SYSTEMS TO CONNECT SINKS AND
BASINS TO THE WASTEWATER DRAINAGE NETWORK. THE CURVED DESIGN ALLOWS FOR EFFICIENT
DRAINAGE WHILE TRAPPING DEBRIS AND PREVENTING FOUL ODORS FROM ENTERING THE LIVING
SPACE.