Refurbishing & Re-Using Swagelok Tube Fittings (Photos, Video, PDF)

If you are taking a system apart for maintenance or repair, and putting it back together in exactly the same way, can you use the original fittings and ferrules? Probably yes. In this article we provide pointers on where it may make sense in your system to re-use and refurbish.

Some customers may worry about re-using parts, especially if they have been using other brands. That is understandable. But when properly installed, Swagelok fittings produce a repeatable, leak-tight seal even after being reassembled multiple times. (To get a hand with evaluating Swagelok fittings for reuse, consider using our Fitting Reclamation Program.)

Swagelok developed the original two-ferrule tube fitting in 1947. The two-ferrule design enables leak-tight performance with a robust tube grip and vibration resistance. Its dependability has been documented in numerous published test reports, including those performed under extreme conditions.

Two-ferrule mechanical grip design

The Swagelok tube fitting is a flareless mechanical-grip type fitting. This type of fitting design has a body, a nut, a front ferrule, and a back ferrule. The two ferrules separate sealing and tube-retaining functions, with each optimized for its job. Here are the four components:

Each ferrule is optimized for its job

One advantage of the two-ferrule fitting design is the ability to reuse the body without leaks. Most of the cost of replacement is in the fittings, not the nuts and ferrules. Sometimes you don't even have to replace the ferrules.

If you have made changes in the system design, by moving a fitting to a new location or changing the tubing, you can't re-use the nuts and ferrules, but you can still re-use the fitting bodies. Even on a simple connector, you are saving a big percentage of the cost of using all-new parts. Think of a cross or a tee that is more robust - there is a huge cost savings opportunity there.

Before disassembly, mark a line along the nut and body flat and use these marks to ensure that the fitting is reinstalled properly. Please watch the video demonstration below for the proper instructions:

In this step-by-step video, we show the most effective way to reassemble tube fittings while maintaining a leak-tight seal

This video includes detailed illustrations of a Swagelok tube fitting's parts.

Technical detail on replacement parts is available in the Swagelok Gaugeable Tube Fittings and Adapter Fittings catalogue. You are also welcome to shop "Ferrule Sets - Replacement Parts & Accessories" at swagelok.com.

As mentioned above, if you are in doubt, consider taking advantage of our Fitting Reclamation Program. Working together, we'll show you where it makes sense in your system to re-use and refurbish. Just click below and answer a few questions. A senior member of our team will follow up within one business day. There is no obligation created. We are here to help.