Clamps and fixings

The clamp is the cheapest part of the line and the leading cause of leaks. It is chosen on the actual clamping range of the assembled tubing, on the pressure it has to hold and on the environment, corrosion included.

The worm-drive clamp covers water, air and low-pressure fluids; in 304 or 316 stainless steel it suits damp and salt-laden conditions. The T-bolt clamp, with its wide band and through-bolt nut, takes more torque on large-bore suction and delivery tubing. The two-bolt safety clamp, known as the steam clamp, is the only type permitted on steam lines, and its tightening has to be checked again after the first heat-up. The crimped ferrule gives the most reliable assembly, but a permanent one.

• A worm-drive clamp is not tightened with a power screwdriver: the band distorts and the screw snaps.
• Do not stack two weak clamps to make up for the wrong choice: fit the type rated for the pressure.
• Mixing stainless and zinc-plated steel in damp conditions sets up galvanic corrosion that eats the fixing away.

We supply clamps matched to your tubing and crimp the ferrules in the workshop.