Press systems are a newer way of carrying out fittings compared to more traditional solder and screwed methods. They can offer time and cost savings as well as many other benefits.
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Press-fitting systems use hydraulic press technology to provide a high-quality and easy to fit joint method. While this helps save a considerable amount of time on jobs, it can be difficult for first-timers to know where to start with more manufacturers coming on board.
Our beginner’s guide to press-fit tools provides a great overview to get you started.
When beginning to think about press-fit tools, the first question you need to ask yourself: What will I be installing?
With more systems coming onto the market, selecting the right pipe type is key.
For more traditional methods, you’ll have manufacturers of metal press systems. But plastic composite systems like Multipipe MLCP is gaining popularity.
Our hybrid pipes are a great alternative to conventional methods, which might struggle on specific jobs where flexibility and hygiene are key to a quality installation. But still offer benefits of a metal system like lower expansion rates and 100% oxygen barrier.
All pipework systems in the UK are made to a BS EN standard, but depending on the manufacturer, these standards might differ.
The most common British standard for plastic pipes is BS EN . BS EN is the multilayer (MLC) standard and BS EN is the Copper tube standards.
These standards dictate the manufacturing process, pipe dimensions and wall thickness, all of which are hugely important in selecting the right pressing jaws.
To press a joint onto these systems, you’ll need a set of compatible jaws as different pipe and fitting manufacturers use different jaw profiles.
These profiles are manufactured to the pipe dimensions and the set of ridges inside the profile help to press down on the sleeve to get a watertight joint.
There are common types of profiles used by several manufacturers which would give you the best flexibility across different pipe types. But there are also a lot of individual company profiles so making sure you have the right jaws is key to a good join. Be aware that you cannot mix jaw profiles of different manufacturers.
Below are some key examples of jaw profiles. These are cross-sections of the most popular jaws and they show the subtle differences across the profiles when they are pressed.
Most MLCP systems use U or TH profile jaws.
These profiles are used for most copper press systems on the market.
The last consideration in our guide to press-fit tools, is the pressing strength of the tool. Most press tool manufacturers have a small and a larger gun, but what exactly is the difference? The answer is that it’s mainly the strength of the hydraulic press.
Usually, the bigger the gun = the bigger the hydraulic press. Compact guns typically press up to 28/32mm pipes, with larger guns up to 108/110mm.
This means you need to consider what sizes of pipe you need to press. Some fitting manufacturers require specific press strengths for their systems, so be sure to factor this in. Our Multipipe MLCP press system requires a 15KN press tool for sizes up to 32mm and a 32KN press tool for up to 110mm pressing.
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Press Fittings were first developed in Europe during the s. From that point on, the use of Press Fittings has grown dramatically, and expanded beyond its original Copper/Plumbing applications. Today you can find Press Fittings in multiple industries/applications that require pipes, and tubes, to carry media.
With multiple Press Fitting and Press Tool Manufacturers producing quality products today, it can be a bit overwhelming when trying to understand what the differences are; and what all of this information means. Different materials, different Press Profiles, and different Press Tools can lead to a lot of confusion.
The difference in material characteristics of the Copper, Stainless Steel, and Carbon Steel Press Fittings across all major manufacturers is negligible. Meaning the Carbon Steel material used by Manufacturer A for their Press Fitting is not very dissimilar to the Carbon Steel material used by Manufacturer B for their Press Fitting. Press Tooling Manufacturers know this and have designed their Tools with this knowledge. Press Tools are based on a certain “Pressing Force” to overcome the properties of the Press Fitting Materials, so their Tools can correctly Press the Fittings. This means that if a Press Tool can be used to install a Carbon Steel Press Fitting from Manufacturer A, that same Tool can be used to install the same Carbon Steel Fitting (Product Type and Size) from Manufacturer B.
Press Tools come in a variety of styles, as each one has a different Pressing Force it can apply. This Force, along with the Stroke Length of the internal Piston, directly determines what type of Press Fittings it can be used with.
Tool Pressing Force
Copper Force Stroke Size Range 15kN 32mm 0.5" - 0.75" 24kN 32mm 0.5" -1.25" 32kN 40mm 0.5" - 4" Carbon Force Stroke Size Range 24kN 32mm 0.5" - 1" 32kN 40mm 0.5" - 2" 32kN 80mm 0.5" - 4" Stainless Steel Force Stroke Size Range 24kN 32mm 0.5" - 1.25" 32kN 40mm 0.5" - 1.25" 32kN 80mm 0.5" - 4" 120kN 60mm up to 6"Note: The Tables above are a general representation of multiple Press Tool Manufacturers’ capabilities. With the addition of various Boosters, and other attachments, Size Ranges may differ from these figures.
While Press Tools may be interchangeable, Press Jaws are not. To start, Copper Tube Size (CTS) and Iron Pipe Size (IPS) have different diameters for the same Nominal Dimension. Looking at a piece of 1” CTS Copper Tube, it will have an outside diameter of 1.125”, while a 1” IPS Stainless Steel Pipe has an outside diameter of 1.315”. In addition to this, there are 3 main types of Press Profiles which can be used on either CTS or IPS Tube/Pipe:
V-Profile
M-Profile
Grab-Ring Profile
Determining factors as to why a certain Profile is used over another are generally based on the malleability of the Tube/Pipe material, and the Size of the Tube/Pipe.
Smaller diameter Copper Press Fittings (0.5”-2”) utilize the Tube/Fitting deformation to create Metal-to-Metal contact, and do not need the added strength a Grab-Ring provides. However, larger diameter Copper Press Fittings (2.5”-4”) predominantly utilize a Grab-Ring to provide added strength.
Schedule 5 & Schedule 10 Stainless Steel Pipe is malleable enough where the Stainless Press Fittings can be secured with either Metal-to-Metal contact, or through the use of a Grab-Ring; and as a result, utilizes all 3 of the Press Profiles.
Sch 40 Stainless Steel Pipe is not as malleable, and therefore requires the use of a Grab-Ring Profile.
Carbon Steel Pipe does not deform as much as Copper Tube, or Stainless Steel Pipe. Therefore, Carbon Press Fittings are secured with a Grab-Ring on IPS Pipe sizes 0.5”-4” to ensure a secure connection.
Even though Press has been around for over 50 years, there still exists a lot of questions surrounding it. Thankfully, many Manufacturers have comprehensive information listed on their websites to help answer any questions that may come up; but remembering the basics covered in this overview will help answer many of those that you may have.
Author: Marcus Estrella, Director of Product Line Management, Merit Brass Company
3/28/ 11:54:41 AM
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