Originally Posted by
tmac100
It would be interesting (and expensive) to do a stress study of such joints. A Mech Engineering M.Sc. would be helpful..
A simple look at the tensile yeilds of the materials involved will tell you that even a stainless plumbing union won't hold for long.
S&S Couplers are CNC machined zero-tolerance multi-splined joints milled from PH 17-4 stainless lugs with a tensile yield of 150,000psi, (1034 MPa).
Stainless plumbing unions are (commonly) ASTM A182 forged steel with a tensile yield of 39,900psi (275MPa).