Aluminum plugs pass institute's leakage tests:

The Milwaukee School of Engineering's Fluid Power Institute recently conducted tests to establish minimum
torque values to achieve a zero-leak seal and confirm the durability of aluminum Zero-Leak Gold Plugs from EPCO
Products, Fort Wayne, Ind. The plugs successfully completed proof, burst, and 2,000,000 cycle endurance tests.
All plugs from size 3/8 -24 to 1 1/10 -12in. withstood 2,000,000 cycles at 6,000 psi without leaks and withstood
burst pressures of at least 19,000 psi.

"We already have test data to prove the fatigue, burst and proof performance of steel Zero-Leak Gold Plugs,"
said Fritz Aichele, president of EPCO Products. He offers that the tests demonstrate that aluminum plugs provide
an alternative to steel plugs in applications where weight conservation is just as critical as zero-leak performance, or where the corrosion resistance or metal compatibility of aluminum makes sense. The Fluid Power Institute concludes, "All of the EPCO anodized aluminum Zero-Leak Gold Plugs with the exception of the -2(5/16 -24in.) size, successfully completed the 2,000,000 cycle impulse test. All of the plugs, including the -2, successfully completed the proof and burst evaluation."

The anodized aluminum plugs passed the one million-cycle impulse requirement by NFPA fatigue standard T2.6.1R2-2000 and were run an additional one million cycles and passed with no failures, according to the Institute.

The burst pressures ranged from 18,853 to 32,040 psi, with the requirement of 12,000 psi to pass. The client requested all plugs be pressurized beyond the 4:1 requirement (12,000 psi) and continue increasing pressure until
failure of the fitting or limitations of the equipment are reached. The plugs also passed the proof test.

Reprinted with the permission of Hydraulics & Pneumatics magazine.

Phone EPCO at 800/879-3726 • 260/747-8888