HGW Blog

A compression fitting drives one or more shaped elements against tube and fitting body. The external nut supplies assembly force, but pressure normally seals at ferrule, sleeve or body contact—not through the nut threads alone. This distinction corrects many purchasing errors involving general plumbing compression parts, instrumentation fittings and hydraulic flareless systems. Identify the actual

AN terminology comes from Army-Navy standardization and remains common in aviation, racing and performance fluid systems. AN and industrial JIC connections are both associated with a 37-degree flare, which creates physical similarity but not automatic specification equivalence. Let the flare define the seal The male and female 37-degree cones form the pressure seal. Straight threads provide clampi

Hydraulic adapters translate between conductor and port requirements. They may change standard, size, gender or direction. Material is important only after both interfaces and the installed loads are known. State the conversion before naming the metal Identify thread diameter, pitch, taper, seat, O-ring or washer on each end. Record whether the part is a reducer, union, bulkhead, swivel, tee or el

Wire braid and spiral reinforcement describe how a hydraulic hose resists pressure, not a universal division between “medium duty” and “heavy duty.” A modern hose specification combines tube, reinforcement, cover, dimensions, pressure, impulse, temperature, bend radius, and fitting qualification. The correct comparison begins with the exact hose standard and manufacturer data for the required size

JIC and ORFS fittings can carry the same hydraulic function while controlling leakage in different ways. JIC depends on two 37-degree metal seats; ORFS compresses an elastomer in a flat face. The better choice is the connection whose seal, materials, routing, and service process fit the machine. Pressure alone does not decide between them. Size, material, temperature, impulse, vibration, fluid, tu

British pipe threads are frequently confused with NPT because nominal sizes do not equal measured outside diameter and several sizes appear close. The parts may begin to engage, but different thread angle, pitch, taper, and sealing geometry can damage the connection. Choosing the correct British adapter requires two identifications: the thread form and the place where fluid seals. BSPP is parallel

Field language often calls every small connector a fitting. “Adapter” is most useful when a component bridges two sizes, genders or connection standards. This is a functional distinction, not a universal industry rule that places every part into one exclusive category. Describe the two pressure boundaries A hose end may connect directly to a matching port. An adapter can instead join JIC to NPT, O

A universal joint belongs to the mechanical power path of a machine. It transfers rotation between shafts that meet at an angle, while the hydraulic circuit carries fluid through pumps, valves, hoses, fittings, cylinders, and motors. The two systems often work beside each other, but they do different jobs. Recognizing that distinction is the starting point for diagnosing a pump drive, power-takeof

British, German and Japanese hydraulic connections often reach a U.S. repair bench after years of adapters and equipment modifications. Country of origin helps narrow the search, but measurement of thread, seat, seal and flange pattern decides the replacement. Separate BSP taper from BSP parallel ports BSPT uses a tapered pipe thread, commonly with a 55-degree profile. It develops thread interfere

ISO flange and port designations can appear beside instrumentation tube fittings in a fluid-power system, but they solve different connection problems. One clamps an O-ring at a flange face, one compresses an O-ring at a metric stud port, and one sets ferrules around tube. Read ISO 6162 at the flange head An ISO 6162-type connection includes a flanged head, O-ring groove, port face, clamp halves o