EXTON, Pa., Sept. 24, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Omega Flex, Inc. (Nasdaq:OFLX) announces its newly developed and soon to be released AutoSnap® fitting for use with its TracPipe® CounterStrike® flexible gas piping system. This revolutionary patent-pending design will greatly simplify the installation process adding to overall utility. The new AutoSnap fitting reflects the Company's continued commitment to innovation, while at the same time addressing installer requirements for both speed and ease of installation.
Omega Flex has been awarded several other patents for similar devices which provide broad technical protection against potential future competitive offerings. Because of the reliability and simplicity of the AutoSnap fitting, it has been selected for introduction.
The AutoSnap has successfully completed all required testing by independent listing agencies as well as extensive field trials across the country by existing trained TracPipe CounterStrike installers. Scheduled for launch late this year, AutoSnap will be available initially in straight fitting sizes from 3/8" to 1", and will eventually be available in all sizes and most configurations. The existing AutoFlare® fitting which revolutionized the industry when first introduced back in 1997 will continue to be offered indefinitely.
Corrugated stainless steel tubing (CSST) has been in use in the United States since 1989 and is installed in millions of residential and commercial buildings across the country. First developed in Japan after the Kobe earthquake, CSST was designed to be a safer product as compared to rigid piping that fails from leakage, cracking and breakage that can cause extensive damage from fires or explosions. Japanese utilities state, "These flexible gas pipes excel in corrosion resistance and seismic resistance. Since a flexible gas pipe can be laid over a considerable distance without any joints, these pipes are effective for preventing leaks. Installation is also easy, so most gas utilities use flexible pipes." In a study performed in 2012 by the University of California San Diego, CounterStrike CSST was tested side by side with rigid steel pipe, and the research showed that steel pipe broke early in the testing, but there was no failure of the CounterStrike.
CSST is made to a stringent performance standard — ANSI LC-1, Standard for Fuel Gas Piping Systems Using Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing, and is thoroughly tested for safety. Rigid steel pipe is not tested for safety, is imported, and has well-known issues, such as fracture from unintended building movement, porosity from poor metal castings, and failure from corrosion resulting in leakage that can lead to fire, explosion and deaths. There are approximately 65 deaths per year from gas explosions according to National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) statistics. There has not been a single fatality CONFIRMED TO BE CAUSED BY CSST since its introduction in 1989.
With an installed base of over 800 million feet, CSST has demonstrated its safety in millions of U.S. homes—and offers enhanced performance for continued success. For more information on gas piping safety, please visit the website www.CSSTFacts.org
Omega Flex is the world leader in flexible gas piping systems having designed and introduced the industry's first offering of diameters up to 2" suitable for commercial markets, TracPipe PSII, a patented dual containment system for underground use, and its greatest achievement, CounterStrike, which has been designed to withstand considerable exposure to electrical energy from indirect lightning strikes. CounterStrike, like its new mating fitting, carries extensive patent protection making it the best in its class.
More information will be available on the company's website at www.tracpipe.com