The integral fitting is the fabrication of a separable connector (union) as part of, and at one end of, a fluid carrying tube. The paper discusses the integral fitting development with regards to aircraft fluid transmission system requirements, design principles involved, manufacturing techniques, separable fitting performance as compared to conventional fittings, and the role of the fitting in future high performance-high temperature hydraulic systems. As a result of this concept, the system engineer can design a fluid transmission system with equal endurance life for both the tubing and the fittings.
