Thread Type
Thread Type
Thread Type
The increasing demand for hydraulic and pneumatic equipment has resulted in numerous fittings and connectors worldwide. This has resulted in a variety of threads making the task of identifying the right thread type difficult. Pipe threads are the most common to people involved in fluid and pneumatic industry. For identification purposes tube fittings and threaded connectors can be divided into four different thread types: UN/NF NPT/NPTF BSPP/BSPT(tapered) Metric parallel/Metric tapered
Joining threads These joints are made pressure tight by sealing the threads. The threads are tapered
externally and are tapered parallel. They may also taper internal threads.
Fastening threads Here both threads are parallel and sealing is performed by compression of a soft material
on to a flat gasket.
British Pipe threads have similar sizes as American Pipe threads BSP but they are not interchangeable due to different flank angle except at and where both have same pitch.
Note: The threaded pipe is tapered and so the Caliper touches the Pipe at two points
2. Determine Pitch: Pitch is defined as number of threads per inch (TPI) Usually the pitch is measured using a Pitch gauge .To determine the correct pitch several gauges have to be used to ensure that the right gauge mate the required thread type.
3.
Determine Size: The two methods for sizing threads are based on fact that the threads are either pipe or non-pipe. Pipe sizes do not refer to any physical dimensions. To determine the size of a pipe, the outside diameter of each pipe or fitting must be measured and compared to the table for size identification. Refer to the table at the end of the
article for Taper and Straight thread dimensions. Pipe threads are base on inside diameter threads the actual size is measured using the caliper. 4.
(1)
Designate the thread This process is designating the thread type in standard format. For example a Pipe thread with a nominal inside diameter of having a defined pitch of 18 is designated as -18 NPT. The most common global pipe thread forms are NPT NPSC NPTR NPSM NPSL NPTF BSPP BSPT American Standard Pipe Taper Thread American Standard Coupling Pipe Thread American Standard Taper Railing Pipe Thread American Standard Straight Mechanical Pipe Thread American Standard Straight Locknut Pipe Thread American Standard Pipe Thread Tapered(Dry seal) British Standard Pipe Thread Parallel British Standard Pipe Thread Tapered
The British standard threads are usually designated by letter G. A typical reference on a drawing might be G12, for internal thread; G12 A, for external thread, class A and G 12 B, for external thread, class B. Where no class reference is stated for external threads that of class B will be assumed.
Tapered Thread
NPT Size (in) 1/8 1/4 3/8 1/2 3/4 1 1 1/4 1 1/2 Pipe O.D. 0.405 0.54 0.675 0.84 1.05 1.315 1.66
1.9
Straight Threads
NPSH ODM (max) IDF (min) NPSM ODM (max) 0.397 0.526 0.662 0.823 1.034 1.293 1.638
1.877
BSPT
BSPP IDF (min) 0.358 0.468 0.603 0.747 0.958 1.2 1.546
1.785
TPI 28 19 19 14 14 11 11
11
TPI
TPI 28 19 19 14 14 11 11
ODM (max) 0.383 0.516 0.656 0.825 1.041 1.309 1.65 1.882
IDF (min) 0.337 0.45 0.588 0.733 0.95 1.193 1.534 1.766
14 14 11.5 11.5
11.5
1) Nominal diameter: Nominal size is different than the actual size. It is a dimensionless number. The nominal is a theoretical size with no tolerances. In reality the actual diameter is never equal to nominal diameter. For example a bolt when measured is usually less than .