Camlock or Cam Lock Fitting is used in various industries to transfer different types of liquids, fluids, or chemicals through pipes or hoses. They provide an easy and effective way to combine or separate two pipes or hoses. Choosing the right type of camlock for your industry or type of fluid prevents leakages and corrosion and ensures efficient operations.
Before choosing a camlock, you must know about the different types that are available in the market. The most suitable camlock fitting for your pipe or hose depends on the size, material, and pressure in your system.
Here, we will discuss the type of camlock to help you choose the best cam coupling for your system. Before diving into the camlock types, let’s learn about their two main parts.
Different Parts of a Camlock
Camlocks or Couplings mainly have two parts – a male camlock and a female camlock. The male cam locks are installed on the discharge side of the pump to ensure a quick connection, and typically, the liquid or fluid flows out of a male camlock and into a female cam.
Female camlocks always come with replaceable gaskets and have around one to four locking arms with safety pins.
Now, let’s see how, depending on the type of fluid, you can get the most suitable cam lock fitting for your system.
Ways To Choose The Best Cam Lock Fitting For Your System
1. Consider the Pressure and Temperature
Always decide on the type of camlock after knowing the pressure and temperature of the liquid in your system. Every metal has its own melting and freezing point. Installing a camlock without knowing the temperature can lead to contamination, leakage, or corrosion. Understanding the pressure of your liquid ensures the durability and reliability of your system. If your camlock fails to handle the pressure of the fluid in the pipe, your whole system connection will fail.
2. Check the Material
Camlock fittings are always made of different materials, including aluminum, polypropylene, stainless steel, and brass. You should install a coupling by knowing what kind of material you require for your system or pipes. Evaluating the materials helps you understand the durability, efficiency, strength, weight, and corrosion resistance of a camlock.
3. Know the Fluid Compatibility
Before choosing the camlock or coupling for your system, always check the fluid compatibility. Various chemicals or fluids can react with the type of metal you choose. So, you must choose a non-reactive or non-corrosive coupling material for your system that is compatible with the fluid. For instance, you can choose a Brass camlock for saltwater applications because of its corrosion resistance feature.
4. Measure the Size
To install a cam lock in your system, you must check the size of the pipes and hoses for which you require the camlock. Without knowing the exact size, the camlocks can remain unused, or later it can lead to leakage and contamination. The size of the female camlock is measured by checking the inner diameter, and for the male cam, you measure the outside diameter.
5. Correct End Connection
Just like the correct size camlocks, choosing the right end connection is also necessary for installing a system. Without the end connection, you can never install a cam fitting into your pipe system. If you forget to buy the end connection or have the wrong end connection, the camlock will have no use. The end connections are necessary parts that are needed to complete the system.
Different Types of Cam Lock Fitting Designs
- Type A – Male cam with female thread
- Type B – Female camlock with a male thread
- Type C – Hose shank with a female cam
- Type D – Female cam with female thread
- Type E – Male coupling with hose shank
- Type F – Male cam with male thread
- Type DC – Dust cap for adapters
- Type DP – Dust plug for plug couplings
Summing It Up
Camlocks or Groove Couplings come in various sizes and types. Hence, you must know which camlock is best for your system. By considering the size, material, temperature, and pressure, you can find the correct camlock couplings for your system.
Camlocks are necessary for a seamless fluid transfer from one pipe to another. Thus, choosing the correct camlock will prevent leakage, corrosion, and contamination in the transferred liquid.