Sometimes today in the mad rush to bring a new design into production quickly, the design engineer will sacrifice ergonomics and uniformity of design to install orifices and filtration media into their design. In effect, the design is changed to meet what is perceived as the only available components instead of a design dictating the components.
Today some fitting companies offer filters or orifices in their particular brand of fittings. But in the myriad of choices for fittings and connectors, the chances of finding a match to your particular design are not probable. The permutations are enormous. Take for instance SMC, Parker, or Swagelok products. There may be 1,000’s of possible choices in each company’s product, any of which might be the item that would best suit the design needs for a filter or an orifice.
Many engineers have solved this quandary by specifying a custom retrofit. It’s a small leap to think outside the box and it pays huge dividends. Choose your optimum connector and have a filter orifice installed precisely where the design dictates. The design now is more compact, aesthetically pleasing, as all fittings match, and certainly is ergonomic, as space has not been sacrificed to squeeze in the odd array of special orifices and filters.
The reputation of BIRD PRECISION for such custom retrofits has continued to grow as the recognized leader for these services. The company over the years has built up an impressive array of components to facilitate a wide latitude of commercially available fittings and connectors. Choose just about any item from your favorite fitting and connector house and it can be reconfigured with the appropriate filtration or orifice by BIRD. Choose Swagelock, Cajon, Parker, SMC, Value Plastic or any number of suppliers or perhaps a custom component and chances are it can qualify for a retrofit. Stainless steel tube fittings, brass tube fittings, plastic tube fittings, threaded connectors, Luer, push to connect, the choices are endless.
Filter choices are stainless wire mesh, plastic mesh, sintered metal, and porous plastic, with micron ratings of 5, 25, 43, 75, and 150.
Orifices can range in size from .0004″ thru .081″ depending on fitting choice. Orifices are typically ruby and sapphire although custom metal orifices are also possible.