Parker Hannifin GmbH

Increasing system pressures and safety requirements, a sustained need to economise on maintenance and operating costs and the requirement for compact, space-saving equipment, characterise developments in hydraulics. For the design of hydraulic systems and against this background, Parker Hannifin now offers with the Complete Piping Solutions programme weldless flange connectors which offer the user, when combined with a wide service and advisory service, huge savings potential.

The Complete Piping Solutions Center – design and manufacture under one roof
At Parker Complete Piping Solutions Centers (CPS), large format tube assemblies and flange systems are developed, produced and assembled into a complete system, all in accordance with customer requirements. Delivery directly to the assembly point, as well as final assembly together with line testing, are part of this system’s performance.

With the Complete Piping Solutions concept, Parker customers worldwide obtain comprehensive performance from advice on design and pre-assembly of tube lines, up to delivery and installation from a single source. This eliminates time-consuming coordinating activities with various contacts - procurement is much simplified.

After clearance by the customer, the final design data are stored and are recallable immediately for subsequent orders. Then in the CPS Center tube diameters up to 220 mm are machined by cold forming on modern CNC bending machines. Depending on requirements, bend radii of 2 x D and 3 x D are possible. The finish-machined and cleaned tube systems are assembled and later delivered to the near-by Parker European central stores in Bielefeld for onward despatch. If the customer wishes, Parker experts will undertake assembly, flushing and final acceptance of the tube systems on site.

Parflange® F37 – the centrepiece of the Complete Piping Solutions design
The Parflange® F37 system is the core element of the Piping Solutions concept. Development has been carried out for tube lines from 16 mm (½”) up to 273 mm (10”) outside diameter and is suitable for pressures up to 420 bar. The tube connector itself, depending on the application, is manufactured with the help of flare or retaining ring technology. The special orbital flaring process is very convincing when compared with classical welding because of significantly fewer operations. The basis of the system is the well-proven Parflange® technology, by means of which a high-strength flared connection with a rolled, compacted tube-end surface is generated. It joins and positively locks the tubes together. Stress cracking corrosion caused by welding cannot occur, thus increasing the durability of the tube system. Parflange® technology is also energy-saving because it manages without the introduction of external heat. Neither degreasing nor anti-corrosion agents nor subsequent tube cleaning are necessary. If galvanised tubes are being used, re-galvanising can be omitted because the zinc layer is not affected by flaring. Harmful fumes do not occur during flaring or assembly and neither is there any fire or explosion risk. This means it can be used on sites with high safety requirements such as, for example, offshore platforms. Part of the Parflange® F37 system is the Parflange® 170 machine, giving crease-free, absolutely smooth flaring on site. The remarkably short cycle time – only one to two minutes for total machining, depending on tube properties – makes very clear the significant advance in productivity as compared with welded piping systems.

A complete solution from the very start
With Parker’s Complete Piping Solutions technology, projects of every kind can be realised significantly faster. In the CPS Center customers make use of the expert knowledge of the systems engineers and technicians in attendance and thereby reduce their own design costs and increase their productivity. Without tension and coordination problems, capacity is freed up for the machine and equipment builders own core tasks. With the Complete Piping Solutions system, Parker makes available consistently high quality everywhere. In the meantime there are CPS Centers at the most important industrial focal points in the world.

Author
Andreas Voss, Product Manager Complete Piping Solutions
Parker Hannifin, Tube Fittings Division Europe, DE-Bielefeld