Liquid Handling Components and Custom Manifold Fabrication for Industrial and OEM Applications
Liquid handling in industrial and OEM manufacturing environments involves more than moving fluid from one point to another. The components involved — tubing, fittings, connectors, valves, pumps, and the manifolds that integrate them — have to be specified for the media being handled, the operating pressure and temperature, the cycle requirements of the system, and in regulated environments, the compliance requirements that govern material contact.
A fitting rated for water that is deployed in a solvent application, a pump not sized for the actual flow rate and head pressure, or a manifold configuration that creates dead zones in a sanitary process — these are specification failures that show up in production, not in the catalog.
AOP Technologies has supplied liquid handling components to industrial and OEM manufacturers in the Pacific Northwest since 2002. We distribute across a range of configurations and manufacturers, and our engineering staff can work through application requirements with customers on both standard component selection and custom fabrication needs.
What We Carry and Support
Tubing and Hose
Flexible tubing and hose for fluid transfer in industrial, food production, laboratory, and OEM applications. We stock in a range of materials — polyurethane, nylon, PTFE, and others — suited to different media compatibility, pressure, and temperature requirements. For applications with specific regulatory requirements, we carry tubing with appropriate food-grade or chemical compatibility certifications.
Representative brands: Freelin-Wade, Parker, Pisco
Fittings and Quick Disconnects
Push-to-connect fittings, compression fittings, barbed fittings, and quick-disconnect couplings for fluid circuit assembly. We carry configurations in plastic, brass, and stainless across a range of thread standards and tube sizes. For applications requiring frequent connect/disconnect cycles without fluid spillage, we stock dry-break and low-spill quick-disconnect options.
Representative brands: Colder (CPC), John Guest, Parker, Pisco
Valves and Flow Control
Manual, solenoid, and check valves for fluid circuit control, along with flow control components for metering and regulation. Selection depends on the media, operating pressure, actuation requirements, and the system the valve needs to integrate with. We help customers work through those requirements before specifying.
Representative brands: Clippard, Parker, Pisco
Pumps
Centrifugal and positive displacement pumps for fluid transfer, circulation, and dosing applications. Pump selection depends on flow rate, head pressure, media compatibility, and duty cycle. For applications where a pump is handling aggressive chemistry or food-grade media, material selection is as important as the performance specification.
Representative brands: Parker
Manifolds and Custom Fabrication
For applications where a standard off-the-shelf component does not fit the system requirements, AOP fabricates custom plastic manifolds using dedicated CNC equipment. Machining plastics requires different tooling, speeds, and techniques than metal machining, and we have been doing it since 2008.
Custom manifolds consolidate multiple flow paths into a single component, reduce the number of connection points in a system, and allow fluid circuit layouts to be optimized for the available space and flow requirements. For OEM manufacturers who build the same system repeatedly, a custom manifold can also simplify assembly and reduce the per-unit labor required to build the fluid circuit.
Materials we machine include Acetal (Delrin), UHMW, Nylon, Polycarbonate, Polypropylene, PVC, and ABS.
Application Considerations
Media compatibility is the starting point for any liquid handling specification. What a component is made of determines what it can reliably handle. Elastomers, plastics, and metals all have different compatibility profiles with the fluids they come into contact with, and operating conditions — temperature, pressure, concentration, and cycle frequency — affect how quickly incompatible materials degrade.
For customers in food and beverage production, pharmaceutical, or medical device applications, compliance requirements add another layer to the specification. FDA, NSF, and USP certifications cover specific materials and their suitability for defined contact applications. We carry components with the relevant certifications for those markets and can help customers document material compliance for their specific application.
For OEM manufacturers designing a new system, getting liquid handling specifications right at the design stage is significantly less expensive than retrofitting components after a failure or a compliance review. We are available to work through those specifications with customers before the design is finalized.
Stocking and Custom Fabrication Lead Times
We maintain liquid handling component inventory across our Auburn, WA and Portland, OR locations for standard stocked items. For custom manifold fabrication, lead times depend on the complexity of the design and current shop capacity. Contact us early in your design process if custom fabrication is part of your project.
Working With Us
Liquid handling applications range from simple tubing and fitting replacements to complex multi-path manifold systems in regulated manufacturing environments. The specification requirements vary accordingly.
If you are working on a liquid handling application in the Pacific Northwest — whether it is a standard component need, a media compatibility question, or a custom manifold fabrication project — contact our team at automation@aoptech.com or call 253-735-5449. We are based in Auburn, WA with a branch in Portland, OR, and serve manufacturers throughout Washington, Oregon, and Idaho.
[Contact AOP Technologies] | [View Machining Services] | [View All Distribution Services]
Shop at Our Online Store
For volume discounts or if you can't find what you are looking for, contact us directly as odds are we can get the item for you at a very competitive price.
