One of the essential factors to consider when choosing any types of parts and components as an oilfield supplier or a manufacturer is the quality of the parts is paramount for your end customers. With the high-pressure applications used in much of the drilling industry, it is critical that all components are able to stand up to the pressure both for typical operation as well as extreme types of applications.
In the oilfield, it is often necessary to reduce the size of a pipe. In this type of application, a standard type of pipe coupling is not effective, but the use of swage fittings or swage nipples offers a larger inlet to a smaller outlet. The process of swaging is used to create the shape without any joints or seams, eliminating the risk of failure at these areas of potential weakness.
What is Swaging?
In metalworking, there are various processes used to create the final shape. Swaging is one of these types of specific processes. This does not require machining which removes part of the workpiece, but rather it uses pressure on the part to create the desired shape. Typically swaging involves both pressure as well as hammering the metal or using a die to create the shape.
Unlike other types of extrusion process or forging, there is no heat applied to the metal to produce swage fittings. This eliminates the development of internal stress in the part or component, further reducing the risk of failure along stress lines.
There are different options in swage fittings to conform to different types of pipe requirements used in Texas oilfield applications. They can be threaded on both ends or just one, and they can also be beveled to allow for welding. These fittings are available in a variety of sizes and bores, and they can be concentric or eccentric based on the system requirements.
