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Swagelok helps R&D labs advance scientific discovery by enabling the effective design, installation, and maintenance of highly accurate, leak-tight, and safe-to-operate fluid systems.
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Advancing Science With Fluid Systems
Your research already demands your full attention—fluid system leaks shouldn’t be part of the equation. Rather than spend your resources on designing, sourcing, building, and testing an assembly, you could leave it to our experienced fluid system specialists. We offer you convenient access to a global network of engineers, technicians, and other professionals ready to support your project from concept to completion.
There are many ways Swagelok acts as an extension of your laboratory, engineering, or research and development team, including:
Focusing on manufacturing quality and extreme precision that have supported both public and private R&D efforts and institutions for decades
Offering a wide array of products designed to help you deliver fluids from source to point of use, safely and accurately, with minimal waste and inefficiency
Providing access to experts who can support you at every step in the process and who understand your technical and business requirements for achieving optimal results
From high-pressure to ultra-high vacuum applications, you can rely on Swagelok for the fluid system expertise that keeps your operation safely on the path to the best outcomes so that your idea goes to market faster.
Research and Development Applications
Swagelok supports R&D across industrial market sectors and assists national research labs, university groups, facilities management teams, and architectural firms in reaching their goals for high-performing amenities and equipment. As a resource for those who strive for process excellence, we can assist you with an array of fluid system application needs including for:
Autoclaves
Catalytic reactions
Centrifuges
Chemical synthesis
Chemical vapor deposition (CVD)
Fermenters
Gas chromatography equipment
Gas distribution/delivery systems
Gas reactors
General lab equipment
Heat exchangers
Hydrogenation reactors
Incubators
Lab instrumentation
Oil modular skids
Pilot plants
Polymer chemistry
Purification panels
Solvent lines
Solvent filling stations
Test rigs
Vacuum systems
Water electrolysis
Products for Research and Development
Many R&D facilities find value in our products that help them meet stringent industry and customer requirements. As our founder Fred Lennon once said: “The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.” We consider your total cost of ownership for every component or assembly we design and build. And we’re proud to bring you more fluid system solutions supported by a Limited Lifetime Warranty.
VCR® metal gasket face seal fittings offer the high purity of a metal-to-metal seal, providing leak-tight service from vacuum to positive pressure. Also find pipe fittings, weld fittings, and many types of Swagelok® tube fittings in prevalent 1/4 in., 1/8 in., and 1/16 in. sizes―all in one place.
Connect quickly and with confidence using our wide variety of quick connect configurations to reduce spillage and air inclusion in your system. We offer full-flow, instrumentation, miniature, and PTFE-sealed Swagelok® quick connects.
Get the set of capabilities you need from your regulators. Swagelok® pressure-reducing regulators (spring-loaded or dome-loaded), back-pressure regulators (spring-loaded or dome-loaded), and specialty regulators maintain pressure and minimize droop over a wide range of pressures and flows. Specialists can also help you determine the best gas distribution subsystem for your application including source inlets, changeover regulators, gas panels, and point-of-use systems.
Choose from a variety of core materials, reinforcement styles, and end connections to suit virtually any pressure and temperature requirement. Get bulk hose, hose assemblies, and custom hose lengths in sizes 1/8 in. to 2 in. Also find metal core hose rated to 1000°F and PTFE core hose rated to 450°F. Plus, our PFA and vinyl flexible tubing gives you even more chemically resistant options for low-pressure applications.
Source the reliable tubing you need from us, including support systems, swaging tools, tube benders, and tube cutting and preparation tools. Our catalogs are loaded with detailed product information including materials of construction, pressure and temperature ratings, and many different tubing options such as jacketed and electric-traced, that allow you to build systems that last.
Weld precisely and consistently with our orbital welding system, which provides cost-effective, reliable orbital gas tungsten arc welds (GTAW) for stainless steel tubing, pipe, and exotic metals. Orbital welding systems are easy to use, enabling quality welds with fewer preparations than manual methods. Orbital welding also poses less of a fire hazard, helping your lab or research facility avoid incidents and injuries.
We have a variety of gauges designed for conditions ranging from low pressure to severe service. Multiple-mount configurations also make Swagelok® gauges convenient to install. Additional measurement devices include pressure transducers, flow sensors, thermometers, flowmeters, and MPC products for miniaturization.
A wide selection of sample cylinders that are compliant with various transportation industry standards helps you overcome the challenges related to chemical transfer. These durable, pressure-rated metal cylinders also prevent samples from escaping during grab sample system operation, and they are easy to clean.
Engineering Services for Research and Development
Labs and research facilities across every industry are facing the same pressures, from increasing safety regulations to an overall loss of fluid system knowledge. This skills gap coupled with pressure to grow profits has many organizations looking for ways to train employees and streamline systems. Take advantage of that expertise with Swagelok® engineering services tailored to your individual needs.
Swagelok offers custom assemblies that support your unique needs. Application specialists can match your need to a proven solution or other times, take your concept and provide you with a finished product. With design and assembly services from Swagelok sales and service centers, you can lower your costs by reducing your in-house component inspections, QA effort, component handling, assembly time, and rework and scrap.
Turn to Swagelok sales and service centers for practical training courses designed for engineers, supervisors, and others involved with fluid system installations and inspections. Help your staff build confidence in their skills by building a basic knowledge of fittings, valves, regulators, hoses, tube bending, and much more. All courses are led by Swagelok-certified instructors and sessions can be conducted virtually where required.
Get the most from your fluid systems with help from certified, local specialists. Fluid system evaluation and advisory services can identify ways to mitigate safety and environmental risks, and can assist you with a plan to eliminate leaks throughout your facility. Also improve sampling system reliability or let us take the pressure of hose management off your staff. Let us help you find more opportunities to gain efficiencies.
Choosing the right corrosion-resistant materials helps keep fluid systems leak-tight. Learn which alloys resist corrosion and how industry standards impact your choices. Swagelok® materials science training is for technical associates, chemists, and anyone involved in the material selection process.
How We Support Research and Development
Technical Expertise
It can be difficult to find the expertise needed to design, install, and maintain the fluid delivery systems that support your facility. Unreliable test results and the consequences of unsafe lab conditions are costs Swagelok can help you avoid. We appreciate the strict protocols that govern project funding, and our sales and service centers work closely with you to achieve the highest levels of process accuracy, reliability, and safety. Engineer a better path to developing scientific capabilities with Swagelok specialists as your technical advisors.
We provide easy access to professional support, particularly for new lab associates who need advice at moments when they feel uncertain
To complement your team, authorized sales and service centers can fill skills gaps or focus our resources where you need an expert’s perspective
Knowledge transfer is another reason many labs choose Swagelok for services—ours is among the most comprehensive fluid system training programs you will find
Design, assembly, and onsite services bring world-class fabrication and engineering capabilities to your front door (or virtual meeting) to solve new challenges
Speed to Market
Increasing technical complexity and ever-changing requirements for applications involving wide temperature, flow, and pressure ranges can challenge lab technicians and chemists to make proper fluid system component selections. We invest considerable time and resources in helping with early-stage R&D planning so that you can accelerate your speed to market with a supplier that remains flexible and agile throughout all stages of the project. Our collaborative sales and engineering process also helps you avoid spending for new infrastructure before it is required to support your research facility.
Within this model, you develop intellectual property, software, design, and regulatory documentation, and Swagelok provides the fluid control solutions to support limited-scale testing and production
Our approach helps you avoid the considerable time and cost that come with making changes to fluid systems that can also slow your project down
By matching our sales cycle to your research and development cycle, Swagelok teams create project synergies from concept to creation, so you go to market faster
We also make it easy to find correct documentation for your project with product certificates and a list of approvals for Swagelok components by industry or category
Precision Thinking
Our skilled machine operators, strict quality control methods, and complete traceability measures all aim to increase safety and reduce error anywhere fluid systems operate. We own the manufacturing process from start to finish so you can trust our products to perform consistently day after day and test after test. From design to manufacturing to distribution, we concern ourselves with the details so you can focus on your mission of advancing scientific discovery.
The inherent quality of Swagelok tube fittings is an advantage over 75 years old that still stands for easy-to-install, leak-tight, low-maintenance solutions that do not require frequent replacement
We forge, machine, electropolish, weld, assemble, and test all in our own facilities, with all fittings marked with our name, the material type, and a trace identifier
Raw material traceability is part of the complete Swagelok Quality System (SQS) that enables process efficiencies throughout our supply chain so that customers can introduce products and establish initiatives in less time with more confidence
We provide industry-specific insight such as clarity for ordering valves requiring ASME NQA-1 certification or the proper pedigree for vacuum and pressure piping systems for transferring cryogenic liquids
We can also meet requirements for special cleaning and packaging of components as specified by ASTM G93 Level C as well as ultrahigh-purity (UHP) products for specialized applications
Swagelok specialists also support the correct setup of production platforms and can help your R&D team meet quality, efficiency, and safety goals for subsequent production
Microreactor technology has developed into an exciting tool for use in modern industrial production, chemical engineering, and process engineering across the globe. Find out how we help companies deliver high reliability for their customers.
Many factors throughout an industrial fluid system may contribute to pressure variations. In this blog, we present a simple three-step process to troubleshoot issues you may be experiencing with your pressure-reducing or back-pressure regulators.
Laboratory staff and management have numerous important priorities, including maintaining reliable gas distribution. Well-designed systems play a major role in the ongoing consistency, accuracy, productivity, and safety needed in any lab environment. Here are a few reasons why:
While many factors contribute to hose longevity, choosing a hose with a strong reinforcement layer is an important one—and not all reinforcements are the same. Here’s what to consider when making the strongest choice for your application:
Request CAD files for all categories of Swagelok products to complete your pressing tasks and keep projects on schedule. Get 2D files, 3D files, and sales drawings emailed directly to you for thousands of fluid system components and accessories.
Simplify component selection with our guide to corrosion and product materials that resist rust and decay. Fittings, valves, clamps, and other connections in corrosive environments can be subject to pitting, cracking, and embrittlement—learn to prevent problems before leaks occur.
Learn how to prepare tube ends, a necessary step for creating leak-tight tube fitting connections. This video covers selection, cutting, deburring, cleaning, assembly, and inspection of tube ends and includes helpful advice on inspection, cutting different metals, and more.
Learn how to manage supply pressure effect in a regulator by implementing a balanced poppet design. This video shows how a spring-loaded, pressure-reducing regulator is susceptible to SPE (especially in high-flow applications) and what you can do about it.
Learn how to use our rebuilding kits for manually and remotely actuated Swagelok® valves. Each kit contains detailed instructions for adjusting or replacing the packing, or for rebuilding the valve if necessary. This video shows you how easy service can be.
