HYDRAULICS: PIPES, VALVES, FITTINGS, AND MUCH MORE…IN PLASTIC!
Writing and speaking about plastic today is almost risky. In a time when “plastic-free” is praised for everything, defending this material doesn’t win much favor. However, since its introduction in the 1960s, plastic has been an undisputed protagonist. From furniture to design, from fashion to art, from automotive to the food industry, this new material has become essential, or at least close to it, in everyday life.
Despite the ongoing quest for a suitable substitute for plastic in many industrial sectors and beyond, the idea of replacement seems far, far away. One such sector is undoubtedly hydraulics. The hydraulic market, a sub-segment of the construction and engineering industry, encompasses a wide range of activities involving fluid circulation, including water supply, wastewater treatment, irrigation, hydraulic engineering, pumping systems, heating, and conditioning.
Opting for plastic components in this sector offers numerous advantages. Plastic is lightweight yet resistant to corrosion, reduces acquisition and maintenance costs, and simplifies installation.
Plastic plays a significant role in various applications within this sector, including hydraulic pipes, fittings, valves, tanks or containers, seals, and not to be forgotten, threaded or snap caps, protection plugs, caps with gasket, quick and sealing caps, flange protectors, covers, and many others.
These articles, in fact, are often crucial and serve multiple purposes. They protect open ends of hydraulic components during transportation, provide isolation and sealing, facilitate component identification through color or markings, and even act as temporary “test plugs” to assess system integrity and strength.
Industry experts understand the importance of seemingly simple “caps” as their size, shape, color, and material vary depending on the specific application and the type of fitting or pipe they need to close or protect.
