It's that time again where ConExpo-Con/Agg is just around the corner. ConExpo-Con/Agg is North America's largest construction tradeshow featuring the latest equipment advances and newest technology applications in construction and agriculture. This show is so large it only happens once every 3 years and brings in around 2,800 exhibitors and includes 150 education sessions. The total show layout covers 2,500,000 square feet.
What is ITAR?
Throughout the past few years, Brennan has earned many certifications and accreditations—one of these being ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations). All manufacturers, exporters, and brokers of defense articles, services, and data must be ITAR compliant. For Brennan, being ITAR compliant has allowed us to expand our product line and customer base. It requires processes that control the manufacturing, sale, and distribution of defense and space-related articles and provides protection over product, blueprints, and our domestic manufacturing facility.
In referring to the various types of flanges used in the world markets, it is important to make the comparison to the Caterpillar Code 61 and 62 flange (SAE J518). As with other flanges, the female port hole on the Caterpillar flange is unthreaded with 4 bolt holes surrounding it at the corners. The male has a flanged head with an O-ring grove and with holes to match the port.
In April of 2017, Brennan Industries took the first step in entering the Aerospace market and became AS9100C and NADCAP certified meaning our fittings became approved for civilian aerospace applications. Approximately one year later, in June of 2018, we became ITAR compliant which expanded our product line and customer base requiring regulations that control the manufacturing, sale, and distribution of defense and space-related articles. Entering these new markets expands our capabilities and allows us to be a contender in a continually growing and developing industry.
GAZ Poclain 24° Flange
Like Caterpillar in the U.S. and Komatsu in Japan, there is a French standard flange fitting known as the Poclain 24 flange. The Poclain flange derives its name from the Poclain excavator company, founded by Georges Bataille in France in 1927 and was a leader on the world market because of its revolutionary hydraulic motor.
As a leading Japanese equipment manufacturer, all of Komatsu® Limited’s equipment uses Japanese couplings with a 30° seat and metric fine threads. Most other Japanese heavy equipment manufacturers use fittings with a 30° seat and BSPP (British Standard Pipe Parallel) threads. This combination is referred to as JIS (Japanese Industrial Standard). However, they are not interchangeable with standard British couplings because JIC fittings do not have an inverted flare.
JIS 4-Bolt Flanges are frequently used in fluid power systems. There are two pressure ratings: Type I Code 61 and Type II Code 62.
As with DIN flanges, the unthreaded female port in a JIS flange has 4 bolt holes at the corners. The male flanged head has holes to match the port and a grooved recess for an O-ring.
The O-ring makes the seal between the flanged head and the flat surface on the port. Threaded bolts are inserted through the 4 bolt holes to securely connect the flange to another mating flange or the flat surface of the port.
German DIN (Deutsche Industrial Norme) style is the most common metric fittings used globally. When a fitting is referred to as metric, more often than not is a DIN connection. DIN Metric and BSPP (British Standard Parallel Pipe) are the most common thread styles in Europe. DIN 2353 24° fittings are most commonly used in the industrial, oil & gas and construction equipment in hydraulic and pneumatic applications; as with BSP standards DIN flanges are SAE Code 61 or Code 62.
One type of international flange is the DIN 4-Bolt Flange. DIN means, "German Institute for Standardization." These flanges are similar to SAE Code 61 and SAE Code 62 flanges.
For this particular flange, the unthreaded female port has 4 bolt holes around it in the corners. The male flanged head has holes to match the port and a grooved recess for an O-ring.
The O-ring makes the seal between the flanged head and the flat surface on the port. Threaded bolts are inserted through the 4 bolt holes to securely connect the flange to another mating flange or the flat surface of the port.
BSP is the abbreviation for British Standard Pipe. There are two distinct types; BSPP (British Standard Pipe Parallel) and BSPT (British Standard Pipe Tapered). These are historically known as Whitworth threads, devised and specified by Joseph Whitworth in 1841, and are still the British standard today. Though commonly confused with NPT fittings, most sizes actually have a different thread pitch, and the O.D.'s and thread form are close, but not the same.
More than Traditional Industrial Manufacturer – Distributor Relationships
Even in the industrial sales channel, e-commerce has been a disruptive force in the traditional supply chain. Today’s buyers are accustomed to having the same detailed data in the workplace as they do in online home purchases. They expect everything from immediate access to pricing, product availability and tracking of the in-route precise location of their order.
As manufacturers generate leads and pass them to distributors who are responsible for the follow up and nurturing process, there can still be a disconnect because systems and process are often very different between the two entities. Plus, top line distributors work with many different suppliers, including competing manufacturers. It is not enough to manufacture top quality product at competitive prices. The companies that are likely to gain more attention from the distributor are those that make the flow of leads, orders and all other transactional activity easier.