6 Uses for Quick Connect Couplers

Quick connect couplers are fittings designed for changing out lines quickly and easily. They are made to be connected and disconnected without the use of tools, or losing product. This eliminates the need to close valves, purge for trapped gases or bleed the system. Since they can be changed out without losing anything from the line, recharging becomes unnecessary.

These types of couplers are all about savings. Since they can reduce or eliminate fluid spills, this saves on product loss. The speed and ease of changing lines using a quick coupler saves on labor time and can also save on production uptime, connecting your machines to their fluid lines quickly.

Any time a line has to be disconnected and reconnected more than once a week, a quick coupler could be used. If you’re not sure if a quick coupler could work in your facility, here are some examples where they are being used today.

1. Manufacturing

Many manufacturing operations require air, lubrication and control lines that run to different locations on the production line. They may be connecting to specific tools or heavy machinery. Changeover needs to be quick to keep the entire operation running. A down line in one area could mean a stop for the entire operation until the line is up again.

2. Packaging

Packaging facilities can run up to 24/7. This is especially true for the food industry, where the items may be perishable, like eggs and milk. An operator controls the equipment and ensures everything is running properly. If something goes wrong, a quick change in line may be necessary to keep the packaging line running and get the food out of the door.

3. Service and Repair

There are a lot of service shops that use air lines or fluid lines - most notably in automotive repair. These lines might be connected to a set of tools - for example, hydraulic tools and pneumatic tools (tools that are powered by compressed air). Quick connect couplers are used in order to change tools quickly. With a quick disconnect and reconnect using one of these couplers, one tool can be changed for another in moments. This makes faster service time possible, which means more items that can be serviced in less time.

4. Transportation

On the ground, in the air, or on the water - a lot of different types of vehicles use quick couplers. The airbrake lines between trucks and their trailers can be connected and disconnected with quick couplers. This is also a fast and simple way to couple railroad cars. Airplanes and boats also frequently operate with quick couplers. They can save space where they eliminate the need for a shut-off valve and can prevent leaks or spills.

5. Testing

Testing happens in all kinds of industries. There is toxic gas detection, leakage control and blood testing. There are scanners for explosives, narcotics, carbon monoxide, water purity and so many more. And where there is testing, there is testing equipment. Many detection devices require frequent changes in probes for best operation. Also, testing equipment often use special gases or liquids to perform tests. Changing the lines can be very costly and keeping time delays in a testing lab must be kept to a minimum. These industries may use quick couplers on their lines to keep testing running and accurate.

6. Medical

Surgical centers, dental offices, hospitals and therapy centers all have equipment that may attach to a gas or liquid line. The tools attached to these lines need to be removed, cleaned and replaced regularly to keep them sterile. Without the use of quick disconnects this could be a painstaking and time-consuming process. Instead of having to thread connections in and out every time they need to be used, they can just pop the coupler in and out and it is ready to use.

Using Quick Connect Couplers

If you have a liquid line, gas line or hydraulic line in any of your equipment, a quick coupler may be a convenient choice for you. These kinds of couplers can be best for lines that connect to tools and equipment that are frequently changed. They are also a good option for equipment that would require a lot of down time to repair. An easy switch on the line can mean the difference between serious maintenance downtime and a brief disconnect and reconnect. Their design can reduce or eliminate spillage in line changes, which can save you product and money.

Pub. 07/2016

Sources

http://hydraulicspneumatics.com/200/TechZone/FittingsCouplin/Article/False/6420/TechZone-FittingsCouplin

http://www.beswick.com/basics-quick-disconnects

http://www.globalspec.com/learnmore/fluid_power_components/hydraulic_equipment_components/quick_couplers