2021:AN Fittings and Hose Guide

We know that AN hoses and joints are often used in racing cars and AN pipe fittings in the aerospace industry. AN stands for Army-Navy, because the specification is based on the flexible fluid connection standard used during World War II. AN fittings have a variety of different angles to assist wiring and gaps. They are straight, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120 , 150 or even 180 degrees.

Types and sizes of AN Fittings

Common types generally consist of crimping types, reusable hose ends, and push locks.

Crimp type connector:

It requires a hydraulic press with a specific mold to correctly crimp the collar to the end of the hose, so it is often used in facilities that manufacture a large number of hoses. These machines and molds are often expensive, so you won't see individuals or small fleets using them. Crimped hose requires a new crimp ring to be reused, but if crimped correctly, it is considered the strongest and most reliable joint.

Reusable hose end:

The end of the hose uses a two-part system to hold the hose in place to be reusable. Practical performance is often used with braided hoses made of stainless steel or nylon braid.

Push lock:

They are single-piece units with barbed ends, so push-lock hoses are the easiest to assemble. Push locks are used with coated hoses because they have no function to prevent the braid from spreading. The barb can be used alone to hold the hose in place, the hose is pressed against the barb and secured, or additional clamps can be used.

Size category:

Each size number has its own standard thread size, which has a specific relationship with the hose inner diameter, tube outer diameter, and SAE thread size. There are 13 types of AN fittings sizes from line 2 to line 32.

As shown below:                                    
 

How are AN pipe fittings made?

When the process or material is different in the manufacturing method, in order to let everyone better understand the aluminum parts as an example, the following shows you the production process.

1. The first step in the manufacturing process is to choose the right material (here we take 6061 aluminum as an example).

2. Prepare the production part of AN pipe fittings, including: pipe end, intermediate pipe, socket, nut and lock wire.

3. Making the middle tube: use the size reserved in the drawing to cut and bend the middle tube so that the middle tube can be obtained.

4. Pipe end parts: use CNC to make two identical pipe end aluminum parts.

5. Manufacture of sleeve and nut: Since this is a fixed part to prevent leakage, the material is selected for more durable alloy to make sleeve and nut.

6. Lock thread: Use metal cutting to prepare stainless steel thread.

7. Welding: Use welding technology to weld and polish the two pipes in the middle of the pipe until there are no omissions or welding traces.

8. Assembly: Assemble the manufactured parts and pipe fittings.

What are the common surface treatments of classic AN Fittings?

The surface treatment of AN has many kinds, the most classic ones are as follows:

A Polishing

B blasting

C Different color anodizing or multi-color anodizing

D paintings in different colors

E screen printing in different colors

How to check the quality of AN Fittings?

Detection is a complex and accurate process. The flow of AN fittings detection is as follows:

1. Application test: AN Fittings has a leak-proof function, we need to detect its leak function, and a pressure water test kit will be needed. All you need to do is to assemble your test components into the test kit, and then check for bubbles of water. If not, then the test result is good.

2. Anti-rust test: Because different AN Fittings may encounter different environments in use, we need to carry out anti-rust test of AN fittings in order to achieve a better service life. We will use salt water testing to ensure the durability and rust resistance of AN Fittings parts. VMT has such a test environment test machine, which can quickly give you a detailed result.

3. Surface quality test: from appearance to surface quality and other compliance rate to ensure high-quality quality accessories.

Summarize    

When looking for AN fittings parts suppliers, it is sometimes difficult to determine the best fit for your needs. In order to help you choose the right factory, the following points must be met:

1. The factory must have a strong production capacity, including internal equipment such as CNC lathes, CNC milling machines, and bending machines.

2. The supplier should have a good procurement system and provide suitable materials to ensure quality.

3. The factory needs an excellent engineering team that can make AN Fittings according to the drawings and tolerances. If you need technical answers about the end of the hose, you can talk to an expert.

4. The company can do secondary processing and finishing for the safety accessories.

5. The factory should have a good quality control system and an experienced QC team. This can ensure the safety of your parts and funds.

6. The price may not be the cheapest, but it should be reasonable. In addition, the quotation turnover rate is fast and the delivery is fast.

VMT pursues the highest quality products and has passed ISO9001. We can guarantee our quality and service for any single project of our customers. VMT is an in-house manufacturing plant with advanced machines, including manufacturing machines, punching machines, CNC lathes, three-axis CNC machine tools, and high-precision five-axis CNC machine tools. This supports us in providing strong capabilities for any hose end fitting project. No matter how complex they are, VMT can easily handle them.