On August 15th 2017, Production Fastening Systems, L.L.C. was awarded US Patent (#9,732,884) for their T-SEP™ Assembly (Tube Separation Assembly). Since its inception in 2000, Production Fastening Systems’ T-SEP™ Assembly has continued to evolve while keeping one goal: preventing crevice corrosion by efficiently fastening, aligning, separating, and elevating pneumatic tubing in one assembly. PFS’s pneumatic tube separation assembly is designed to maintain separation within pneumatic tube delivery systems while significantly reducing the opportunity for crevice corrosion.
Traditionally, parallel runs of pneumatic tubing have been separated through the use of “saddles” or “notching”; a method that is effective in terms of tube separation, but allows corrosive elements to gather at the points of separation or beneath the tube. Furthermore, the saddle / notch method creates difficulties in the installation process. Without a snap-in-place aspect, other locking systems require multiple persons / hands to secure the tubing in place until the top retainer is ready to be fastened.
Tubing runs venturing from ladder tray to another structure all while maintaining separation thanks to the T-SEP Assembly.
The T-SEP™ Assembly’s unique design allows harmful offshore elements (salt water, salt spray, chlorides, etc.) to escape the tubing before corrosion can develop. Through diligent research and utilization of evolving technology, PFS stands by the T-SEP™ assembly as the most efficient method of pneumatic tube separation. The latest version of the T-SEP™ Assembly is the non-metallic version, which is designed to maintain a 3/16” separation within pneumatic tube delivery systems while significantly reducing the opportunity for crevice corrosion by avoiding metal-to-metal contact with the tubing.
Every surface that makes contact with the tubing is both non-metallic and utilizes a round-on-round geometry to limit surface contact and maximize the opportunity to inspect the contact points. This also allows for effective application of fresh water cleansing from time to time. The other elements of the assembly that do not make contact with the tubing (flat bar & mounting hardware) are manufactured out of stainless steel grade 316.
For more information about T-SEP™ Assembly and the Non-Metallic Tube Spacers, visit www.pfsno.com, email sales@pfsno.com, or call (800) 216-1827.
Production Fastening Systems LLC, based in New Orleans, Louisiana, is a complete line stud welding distributor and metal fastening specialist serving the offshore, shipbuilding, and steel fabrication industries since 1987.
Link to T-SEP Patent Press Release Article
