AN and JIC fittings both use flared tubing to form a metal-metal seal. AN fittings are designed for military applications and are similar to their industrial cousins, but they aren’t interchangeable, and you need to check for specific requirements before using one over the other. Essentially, the differences between AN and JIC fittings are the thread class and the metals they’re made from.
For general applications, JIC fittings provide the best versatility and can connect to any foreign or American port. They can handle any size jump and are available from many vendors. However, JIC pipe threads are prone to overtorqueing, which can result in cracks or flares. In these instances, o-ring face seal fittings are recommended, and these fittings are also cheaper to buy.
Glacier Tanks – for all you brewery supplies can be used in automotive applications. JIC fittings can be used with many different types of motors, and the flare nut is important to distributing compression forces evenly on the tube. JIC fittings can be made from forged carbon steel, stainless steel, or machined brass. Some JIC fittings are made of nickel-copper alloys. AN fittings are also available in large volumes.
Which one is better for your application? The answer to that question will depend on the type of application you have in mind. The two standards have different specifications. SAE J514 is the industrial version, and it uses a lower thread quality than the military version. However, they both have similarities. You may want to consider the ANSI standard first before choosing a JIC fitting, and then check whether that meets the ANSI standard.
The difference between SAE and JIC fittings is in the flaring angle. SAE metric fittings are generally used for low-pressure applications, while ANSI metric hardware is typically used for high-pressure applications. ANSI metric and SAE metric fittings are interchangeable in many instances. You can find a JIC 37 degree flare and ANSI 45deg flare from QC Hydraulics.
JIC and AN fittings are almost identical in size, but they perform different functions. While they’re both threaded, AN fittings have a 37-degree flared connection. JIC fittings have a straighter thread class. ANSI is for aerospace applications, while AN is for air planes. They were designed for the same purpose, but are designed to be stronger and less expensive.
In order to properly connect a male and female NSPM pipe, the tube must fit on the flare of the fitting’s body. Once it’s in place, the threads must be aligned in order to tighten the connection. This can cause leaks when the two parts are misaligned. This can be easily prevented by avoiding misalignment of the threads.
The difference between AN and JIC is the size of the end fittings. The former is smaller and is made from flexible metal tubing. The latter is used to connect fittings to hoses. It is also made of EPDM, an elastomer. While both are useful for plumbing and heating, they differ in other ways. In general, JIC fits smaller diameters and ODs than AN.