TES-LOK brand | Straight Compression Tube to Male Thread | SS 304 / SS 316 / Brass | 6000 PSI | ISO 9001:2015
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A male connector tube fitting is the most fundamental and universally used instrumentation tube fitting in the world. It is a straight, inline (0°) compression fitting with two distinct ends: a double-ferrule compression end that grips the tube OD via a nut-and-ferrule set, and a male-threaded end (NPT, BSP, BSPT, or other standard) that screws directly into a female-threaded instrument port, valve body, manifold, or equipment connection. The two ends work independently — the compression end provides a metal-to-metal tube seal, and the male thread end provides the process connection to the instrument or valve.
Tesco Steel manufactures male connector tube fittings under the TES-LOK brand. They are found at virtually every instrument connection point in process plants globally — connecting impulse lines to pressure transmitters, flow meters, gauge valves, analyzers, and manifold ports. TES-LOK male connectors are dimensionally compatible with Swagelok, Parker A-LOK, and Ham-Let equivalents, enabling direct drop-in replacement without system modification.
| TES-LOK Male Connector Tube Fitting — Technical Data | |
|---|---|
| Brand | TES-LOK (Tesco Steel & Engineering) |
| Configuration | Straight inline (0°) — compression tube × male thread |
| Tube End | Double-ferrule compression (front ferrule + back ferrule) |
| Thread End | Male NPT / BSP / BSPT / UNF / ISO / SAE |
| Fractional Tube OD | 1/16" to 2" OD |
| Metric Tube OD | 2 mm to 50 mm OD |
| Material Grades | SS 304 (1.4301), SS 316 (1.4401), Brass, Monel 400, Inconel 600, Hastelloy C-276, Titanium Gr. 2 |
| Pressure Rating — SS | Up to 6000 PSI (413 bar) |
| Pressure Rating — Brass | 300 PSI / 1000 PSI / 3000 PSI (size-dependent) |
| Temperature Range | 150 °C to 400 °C |
| Standards | ASTM D1710, ASTM D3294 |
| Surface Finish | Electropolished / Passivated / As-machined |
| Certifications | ISO 9001:2015; NABL-traceable MTRs available |
The male connector is the single most common instrumentation fitting — connecting every tube run to a female-threaded instrument port, valve body, or manifold in a process plant.
Two sealing mechanisms: metal-to-metal double-ferrule compression seal on the tube end, and tapered thread (NPT/BSPT) or face seal (BSP) on the instrument port end — both independently leak-tight.
After initial make-up (1¼ turns), the compression end can be re-made multiple times with just ¼ turn — ideal for instrumentation systems requiring periodic maintenance access.
Dimensionally interchangeable with Swagelok, Parker A-LOK, and Ham-Let male connectors — direct drop-in replacement with no system modification required.
NPT, BSP, BSPT, UNF, ISO, SAE — one source covers all regional instrument port thread requirements for domestic and export installations.
SS 316 for chloride and marine environments; Hastelloy C-276 and Monel 400 for strong acids, H₂S, and highly corrosive process fluids.
| Fitting Type | End 1 | End 2 | Angle | Best Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male Connector | Compression tube | Male NPT/BSP thread | Straight (0°) | Tube → female-threaded instrument port or valve body, straight inline |
| Female Connector | Compression tube | Female NPT/BSP thread | Straight (0°) | Tube → male-threaded stud, stem, or nipple, straight inline |
| Union | Compression tube | Compression tube | Straight (0°) | Tube → tube inline join, re-makeable both ends |
| Male Elbow | Compression tube | Male NPT/BSP thread | 90° | Tube → female-threaded port with 90° directional change |
| Male Bulkhead Connector | Compression tube | Male NPT/BSP thread | Straight (0°) | Panel feed-through with male thread on process side; hex locknut for panel mounting |
| Tube OD | Male Thread Size | Typical Instrument Port |
|---|---|---|
| 1/4" | 1/8" NPT / 1/8" BSP | Pressure gauge, transmitter inlet, instrument valve |
| 1/4" | 1/4" NPT / 1/4" BSP | Pressure transmitter, manifold valve port |
| 3/8" | 1/4" NPT / 1/4" BSP | Flow transmitter impulse line to secondary valve |
| 3/8" | 3/8" NPT / 3/8" BSP | Larger gauge or control valve actuator port |
| 1/2" | 1/2" NPT / 1/2" BSP | High-flow process tapping, control valve connection |
| 6 mm (metric) | 1/8" BSP | European instrument panel connections |
| 10 mm (metric) | 1/4" BSP / 1/4" BSPT | Metric tubing to BSP instrument port |
| 12 mm (metric) | 1/2" BSP / 1/2" BSPT | Larger metric tube to BSP valve or manifold port |
Male thread end (into instrument port): For NPT and BSPT tapered threads, apply 2–3 wraps of PTFE tape clockwise on the male thread. Hand-tighten into the female port, then add 1.5–2 turns with a wrench. Do not over-tighten — NPT/BSPT threads seal on the taper, not the shoulder. For BSP parallel (BSPP) threads, use the bonded seal washer or face seal — no PTFE tape required.
Compression tube end (initial make-up): Cut the tube square and deburr. Insert fully through the nut and over the ferrules until the tube bottoms in the fitting body. Hand-tighten the nut until snug. Mark the nut position and turn an additional 1¼ turns — this sets both ferrules onto the tube OD and completes the initial make-up. Re-make: Subsequent disconnections only require tightening ¼ turn from the hand-tight position — the ferrules have already been swaged.
| Industry | Application | Preferred Material |
|---|---|---|
| Oil & Gas | Impulse lines from process tapping points to pressure, differential, and level transmitters; wellhead gauge and valve connections | SS 316, Monel, Inconel |
| Chemical & Petrochemical | Analyzer sample conditioning connections; corrosive process fluid instrument hook-ups on reactors and columns | SS 316L, Hastelloy C-276 |
| Power Generation | Boiler water chemistry instrument connections; steam line pressure gauge hook-ups; turbine oil system instrumentation | SS 316, Carbon Steel |
| Semiconductor | High-purity gas panel connections to mass flow controllers, pressure transducers, and process gas instruments | SS 316L EP (electropolished) |
| Food & Beverage | Hygienic pressure instrument connections on CIP-compatible process lines; dairy and beverage production | SS 316L (3-A certified) |
| Shipbuilding & Offshore | Hydraulic and pneumatic panel instrument connections; deck-level manifold and gauge valve hook-ups | SS 316, Cupro-Nickel |
ISO 9001:2015 certified | Straight compression-to-male-thread | SS 304 · SS 316 · Brass · Alloys | All thread standards | Fast global shipment
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