Grayloc clamps technology has been developed and included in various products ranging from clamp connectors to other advances connection systems. These connections have several advantages that include design optimization, reduced maintenance, cost efficiency, and lower installation time.

Grayloc fittings offer the following advantages to the users.

1. Their design has proven to be effective in the field.
2. These clamps conserve space and have lower weight as compared to others.
3. It is easy to assemble and disassemble them, which means that their installation is quick.
4. The components used in grayloc fittings are easily serviceable
5. They are also suitable to be used in extreme conditions like very high and low temperatures, pressures, thermal shock, vibration, corrosion, and leaks.

How grayloc technology came into use?

Somewhere in the 1950s, those operating in the oil industry started looking for faster and more efficient ways to join connectors. This was the time when Gray Tool Company introduced its grayloc clamps design, which caught everyone’s attention. The plan was liked by everyone and is popular even today.

During the same time, Cameron Iron Works also introduced a similar kind of concept. But what they did was maintain the API rings and grooves. They mixed new and old ideas and laid the foundations of the API connectors as they stand today. Cameron made a unique and innovative design of connections utilizing the self-sealing seal ring. This unique design became popular among commercial establishments.

Further, this clamp connection has been advertised as the one which is easy to make it more convenient to use. This connection also had the 360-degree infinite rotation feature which soon made it famous. Moreover, it offered a solution to many of the connection’s spacing and arrangement problems.

When Cameron introduced clamps, it focused on two configurations made of cast and steel. Since then, several improvements have been made in the design and shape of the braces and connectors. Several criticisms to the model helped the manufacturers introduce new and advanced changes in the connectors. In 1968, Cameron came up with new and improved hubs having ring grooves. This solved many of the problems faced in making the connections.

The designs made by Cameron hubs were reviewed from time to time, and API decided to eliminate a few of the models which had higher stress levels.

The first edition of API’s Spec 16A came out in 1986, which was an amalgamation of some of the properties and features of the hubs developed by Cameron and other manufacturers. Some hubs used RX ring gasket, and there were those that used BX ring gaskets.
Then the 17D first edition of API came out in 1992, and its specifications acknowledged many of the shortcomings of the previous models and eventually tried to improve them.

There are different specifications of various types of hubs manufactured by different companies, and you need to be sure of their usage before you employ them. Read the entire manual before putting them to use.