What are Flat Face Couplings and why do you need them?

Flat face couplings are made up of a nozzle and a receiver that sit flush or flat up against each other during fluid transfers. A ‘flat face coupling’ always consists of both a nozzle and a receiver component. The ‘coupling’ is the matched pair connected/coupled together. Flat face couplings are specifically designed for situations where there is an absolute need for no-leak performance during filling and no fluid loss during quick disconnect. This minimises environmental risk and avoids expensive fluids ending up on your people, your machines, or the ground.

Limiting the risk of fluid contamination and spills not only avoids equipment breakdowns and saves you money, but it’s also incredibly important to the safety of your employees. Flush face couplings have mating surfaces designed to give a perfectly flush seal that protects what is in your machines as well as what’s on the outside. Basically, flat face couplers describe flat-end quick couplings designed to connect fluid transfer lines with no fluid loss. Fluid transfer nozzles and receivers featuring a flush-faced design have no deep recesses to allow particulate contaminants into your machines. Simply wipe them off and connect, confident that you are not also pumping dirt and grime into your machines.

Banlaw’s flat face couplings are engineered to be reliable and made with durable materials that resist the kind of wear and tear commonly encountered on industrial worksites worldwide.

Fluid Transfer Products

When people think of oil couplings and fluid transfer products, they often imagine a fuel tanker unloading at a petrol station. This is a great example where a large flush face API Coupling is used to ensure the fuel in the bowsers is free of contaminants and gets there safely.

While this is one of the uses of a flat face coupling for fluid transfer, there are, in fact, many kinds of fluids that benefit from this kind of flush connection. Any time there is a fluid that needs to be transferred from one place to another cleanly, safely, and efficiently, a Flat Faced Coupling could help.

Diesel Refuelling Products

Banlaw diesel refuelling receivers are a great example of a flat-face equipment filling component. Made of durable stainless steel, they enable high-flow diesel refuelling and can last for years. What’s more, Banlaw high-flow diesel refuelling components can be purchased with integrated Auto-ID technology as standard, leveraging IoT to connect all of your fuel-consuming assets.

Lubricant, Oil, and Service Fluid Products

With safety, cleanliness, and maximised efficiency as the desired outcomes, Banlaw’s service fluid couplings contain a ‘ball-lock’ latching mechanism for a more robust lock connection. Flat or flush faced couplings aim to minimise the particulate contaminants, like dirt or dust, which could make it into the fluid path. Each set of Banlaw oil couplings is also brightly colour-coded, helping the operator quickly identify matched fittings. Only correctly matched flat face couplings from Banlaw will fit together, eliminating the risk of fluid cross-contamination.

(Banlaw flat faced coupling nozzle for oils)

(Banlaw flat faced coupling receiver for oils)

Banlaw Evacuation Coupling

This unique piece of equipment Banlaw innovated as an effective fluid evacuation tool. It is compatible with all the Banlaw Flat Face Receivers from size 1 to size 12 and removes waste fluids cleanly using a vacuum rather than gravity. This dramatically increases the efficiency of machine servicing events and allows waste fluids to be kept clean and stored for recycling. The Banlaw fluid evacuation coupling features a fluid-tight connection that prevents spills during fluid removal and a check valve to ensure no waste product can flow back the wrong way into your machines.

(Banlaw flat face coupling for waste fluid evacuation)

Bulk Fluid Transfer

Our Bulk Fluid Transfer Coupling is designed for the bidirectional transfer of diesel at rates of up to 500lpm (132gpm). Designed initially for in-line refuelling during long-haul rail trips, the coupling will not leak under load and vibration. Due to its unique locking system, when it’s correctly connected, it stays connected. Our product range is extensive. Contact Banlaw to discuss suitable products for the bulk transfer of fuels, lubricants, hydraulic fluids and other types of liquid.

Grease Transfer

The Banlaw grease transfer flat faced coupling reduces the risk of common grease transfer related injuries, which often involve the user being exposed to high pressure jets of grease. It also increases productivity by enabling a higher grease transfer rate when compared with competitor products. Unlike typical grease couplings, the Banlaw GTX cannot discharge grease from an open bore, and flow only occurs when the nozzle and receiver are correctly connected. With the user in mind, grease transfer flat face transfer couplings are designed for industrial environments, with features such as:

• Exceptional durability
• The ability to avoid fluid contamination and spillage
• Safe and easy-to-use
• Flush-faced design
• Positive-connect feel
• Exceptional grease transfer rates

DEF Transfer

The Banlaw DEFMate AdBlue / DEF Fittings are all stainless steel DEF quick connect fittings that are designed for chemical compatibility with your diesel exhaust fluid transfer and storage processes. DEFMate comes with an optional receiver heater for very cold worksites and the closed system minimises leaks, spills, sprays, contamination, and DEF crystallisation.

Fleet maintenance cost reduction and productivity improvement

A Flat Face Coupling Case Study

A Banlaw mining client sought to decrease unscheduled downtime of heavy mining equipment and streamline equipment servicing. A series of breakdowns had recently occurred due to an incorrect fluid being pumped into machine lubricant compartments. This one mistake caused multiple haul trucks to break down in quick succession, a very unwelcome and expensive surprise.

To address the root cause of the fluid cross-contamination issue whilst also improving machine service intervals, the following changes were implemented:

• Banlaw flat face oil couplings were installed on the fleet as well as in maintenance bays
• Only matched and colour-coded fittings will connect, so the cross-contamination risk was entirely resolved
• High flow Banlaw fluid transfer nozzles and receivers delivered improved flow rates for machine servicing and top-ups
• A Banlaw Evacuation Coupling was introduced to remove waste fluids using a vacuum rather than gravity, extracting fluids more quickly, and depositing them in storage tanks as part of the same process, ensuring cleaner machine servicing and allowing a single device to remove liquids from all receiver types (rather than using numerous different hose tails)
• Beyond the process efficiency gains realised, for every contamination-related breakdown avoided, this client saves around $40,000

Only the Best with Banlaw

Banlaw is committed to delivering cleaner, safer, faster fluid transfer. Since high-quality flat face couplings ensure no-leak performance, all current range Banlaw receivers are of flush face design as standard. For more information on how Banlaw can set you up with a system including Flat Face Couplings, click here to go to our Contact page, where you can find contact details for Banlaw’s global operations and trusted distributors. You can also fill in our online contact form, and a Banlaw specialist will contact you shortly.