Product FAQs
At ATP we want to provide you with all information you need to make your purchase successful. We have years of experience and training in pneumatics hosing, tubing, fittings and more.
Pneumatic Tubing FAQs (14)
What is the most flexible ATP tubing?
Flexibility is determined by the size of the tubing chosen, the wall thickness and the durometer of the material. Many customers will use minimum bend radius from the ATP tubing catalog to determine flexibility. Minimum bend radius is the maximum you can bend the tubing in a circle before kinking. The issue is that it doesn’t calculate the force it takes to bend to that size. Generally, Vinyl-Flex™ is the most flexible ATP tubing because it has a 75 shore A durometer.
What high temperature tubing does ATP offer?
Generally, the temperature is considered high above 200° F. Fluoropolymer tubing is used in high temperature applications. ATP offers Mercury™ PTFE tubing that has a maximum temperature of 500° F and a milky white natural color. Venus™ FEP tubing has a maximum temperature of 400° F and is a semi-clear color for visual identification.
What ATP tubing should I use with specific chemicals?
ATP offers a chemical resistance chart in the back of the tubing catalog. It’s a general reference guide. If you need more assistance, please call customer service at 937-349-4055 and they can review a large comprehensive guide for you.
You have two LLDPE tubes Value-Tube™ and Imbibe™ that look the same. What are the differences?
Both tubes are generally used in the same applications, but Imbibe™ is also used in drinking water/beverage applications because of the NSF61 Certification.
What ATP tubing is best used outside?
Outdoor applications require UV resistance at a minimum and UV stabilization is best. ATP recommends the color black as the most natural UV resistance available. Our Nylochem® Nylon 12 tubing has a UV stabilizer built in and so does our Surethane UV™.
I am an automation distributor and would like to find straight tubing to sell to my clients who build factory machinery. Do you have In Stock product that can be shipped immediately?
Yes. We carry inch tubing and metric tubing in stock that can be shipped out within 24 to 48 hours.
My clients who work in the automation industry need multiple tubes grouped together for their pick and place equipment that can be bonded with thermal bonding. Is this available in stock for immediate shipment?
Yes, we thermally bond Surethane® Polyurethane Tubing in group bondings – twin line, triple line … We can put a lot of different tubes into the tubing bundle and carry them in stock and custom make.
Our clients like bonded tubing because they can use varying color combinations. Bonded tubing allows for quicker installation. Also, bonded tubing saves our clients money because they do not have to pay for vinyl sleeving, cable ties, and spiral wrap to hold the tubes together.
Can you spiral multiple bonded tubing?
Yes. We are experts at spiraling multiple line tubing. We will custom create the number you need.
Do you have fittings that work with the bonded tubing – straight and spiral?
Yes, we carry a huge variety of fittings including brass push to connect and resin push to connect fittings. We also carry 2 piece brass compression fittings and brass barb fittings. It is high quality at a value price.
How do I figure out what type of tubing I need? My automation industry client wants the same type of tubing that they are currently using.
Call us and let us know the application the tubing will be used for. We will ask you for information like working pressure, indoor or outdoor use, application, flexibility, color, temperature of environment, temperature of the media inside or it – air, liquid, chemicals…
How is tubing measured?
Tubing is generally measured by the OD Outside Diameter because it is used with push-to-connect fittings. Polyurethane (in general), nylon, and polyethylene tubing all commonly use a push to connect fitting.
Softer tubes that use barbed fittings or compression fittings are measured by ID Inside Diameter. PVC tubing is a prime example of a softer tube that would use barbed fittings or two piece compression fittings to make the connection.
Is there any limit to the length of tubing that I can purchase?
From our In Stock tubing, we sell tubes up to 1000 foot spools. Our custom tubing length is only limited by the amount of tubing that can fit in a pallet box. We have filled orders for 10,000 and more feet of tubing within one pallet box to the agriculture industry for farming and spraying of fertilizer, environmental industry for ground water testing, and the robotic and automated equipment industry.
The NSF (National Sanitation Foundation) has established legal requirements for tubing in our industry – food and beverage. Does your tubing meet these standards?
Our Surethane® Polyurethane Tubing is NSF 51 certified for food and beverage. Be sure to note that we do not just meet the NSF Standard, but this tubing is NSF Certified.
Our Imbibe™ Polyethylene Tubing is NSF 61 Certified for Potable Water Applications.
Do you have a high pressure tube for misting applications?
Generally, nylon tubing is used for these applications. In-stock tubing can be used for misting. Additionally, our clients give us their pressure standards then we custom make the nylon tubing that is the proper thickness to meet the specification. We have customized high pressure tubing for cool water misting in amusement parks and factories, water misting of vegetables in grocery stores, and chemical misting of housing and buildings to eliminate mosquitoes or other pests.
Couplers vs. Safety Couplers FAQs (2)
What are the benefits of a safety coupler?
The safety coupler has two features that a non-safety coupler does not have:
- The safety coupler has a locking device that prevents tools disengaging with each other
- When disconnected, the safety coupler purges out the air from air tools to prevent air bust out.
What are the benefits of a coupler that is not a safety?
A coupler that is not a safety couple is faster to attach to hosing. Additionally, they tend to be less expensive and a more economically choice.
NPT vs. BSPT Pipe FAQs (7)
Why are there both NPT and BSPT threads?
NPT threads are commonly used in the United States. BSPT are widely used in other countries.
What do the initials mean?
- BSPT -British Standard Pipe Taper
- BSPP -British Standard Pipe Parallel
- NPT -National Pipe Taper
- NPS -National Pipe Straight
Does ATP offer fittings in BSPT, BSPP, NPT and NPS?
We offer almost all of our fittings in multiple available thread patterns. Please look at our Fittings Catalog or Contact us if you wish to confirm availability.
Can NPT or NPS be fitted to BSPT?
Never try to mate a BSP fitting with an NPT or NPS fitting if the pressure holding capability is at all critical.
Are NPT/NPS threads compatible with BSPT?
No, the thread forms are different and most have a different pitch.
How are the thread pitches different?
NPT/NPS threads have a 60° included angle and have flattened peaks and valleys ; BSPT threads have a 55° included angle and have rounded peaks and valleys.
How do I determine the pitch?
Use a thread gauge or count the number of threads that fall into a 1″ span.