Flow Is Everything – Understanding Orifice Plates

Flow Is Everything – Understanding Orifice Plates

Orifice Plates Can Make All The Difference

Since pipes vary in sizes, plates with a range of diameters are required. Different styles of plates offer the system technician flexibility, as does having a range of production materials to select the most appropriate orifice plate. Discovering a high quality orifice plate manufacturer you can rely upon will prove helpful when designing or improving a sanitary pipe system.

Points to Remember About Orifice Plates

Orifice plates are generally manufactured in standard style or with tabs. Metal tabs can be helpful in assuring correct alignment of the plate, while reducing the workload when used in combination with the appropriate slotted clamp during adjustments of a sanitary pipeline system. These tabs can be permanently engraved to mark gasket size and hole diameter. In addition, most companies will custom engrave tabs with any additional information requested.

Common sizes range from 1/2″ to 6″ in diameter and are drilled with eccentric or concentric shapes.

Higher quality plates are designed to be self-draining, preventing soil retention within pipes.  Mini “steam trap” orifice plates can be used as an alternative to traditional steam trap devices. Plates are designed to improve system performance, reduce flow rates, balance back pressure and equalize back flow.

Electropolish Finish Enhances Durability

Products manufactured from 316L stainless steel with an electropolish finish will provide the most durability over the long term. Some of the best elastomers for orifice plate production include:

  • FKM Fluoroelastomer
  • Platinum Silicone
  • EPDM
  • Buna
  • PTFE (fluoropolymer)
  • Tuf-Steel®
  • Detectomer® Metal Detectable/Xrayable
Flow Is Everything – Understanding Orifice Plates

Each elastomer offers specific advantages based on the needs of a sanitary piping system. With unusual pipe sizes, custom products can be manufactured with specialized holes or non-standard patterns. Most companies will strive to meet additional client needs when requested.

Quality Orifice Plates Guaranteed

Quality products can be assured by checking that your orifice plates meet strict pharmaceutical standards including:

  • U.S. Pharmacopeia Class VI Certification
  • Cytotoxicity Criteria
  • Title 21 CFR 177.2600
  • Title 21 CFR 177.1550
  • USDA and 3-A Sanitary Standards
  • Current Good Manufacturing Practices (CGMP)
  • ASME-BPE Standards
  • Animal Derived Ingredient Free (Except the Buna Elastomer)

Rubber Fab Technologies is a state of the art orifice plate manufacturer. With a large and varied product line offering standard as well as custom sizes in a variety of elastomers, customers will find they are able to meet all of their needs for orifice plates in sanitary pipeline systems through just one company.

Get more information about the variety of orifice plate gaskets we offer, or contact us to get more information.