Tube and Tube Fittings

Tubing elbows are tube connectors with a bend. These are useful for making turns in tube runs
without having to bend the tubing itself. Like standard connectors, they may terminate in male
pipe thread, female pipe threads, or in another tube end:

These elbows shown in the above illustration are all 90o, but this is not the only angle available.
45o elbows are also common.


Tee fittings join three fluid lines together. Tees may have one pipe end and two tube ends (branch
tees and run tees), or three tube ends (union tees). The only difference between a branch tee and
a run tee is the orientation of the pipe end with regard to the two tube ends:

Of course, branch and run tee fittings also come in female pipe thread versions as well. A
variation of the theme of union tees is the cross, joining four tubes together:

Special tube fittings are made to terminate tube connections, so they are sealed up instead of
open. A piece designed to seal off the open end of a tube fitting is called a plug, while a piece
designed to seal off the end of an open tube is called a cap: