Technology | PLS Co., Ltd.

OUTLET METHOD

The PLS outlet method

The main pipe is never cut. A hole is drilled, the branch outlet is seated on it and welded. Nothing has to be joined back together, so material, welding and risk all go down together.

Welded tee against a branch outlet — less material and less welding lead to lower cost and greater safety — What is removed
Nothing has to be cut, so material goes down; there is only one place to join, so welding goes down. Those two together become lower cost and safer installation.

Conventional method — a 150A main pipe is cut twice and a tee is fitted in and welded — Conventional method
A 150A main pipe is cut in two places and a tee is fitted into the gap and joined. Every cut brings a weld with it.

Outlet method — the main pipe is not cut; a hole is drilled and the branch outlet is welded on — Outlet method
The main pipe is never cut. A hole is drilled, the branch outlet is seated on it and welded once. The main pipe runs unbroken, so the pipe itself stays strong.

Outlet installation sequence — drilling, seating the branch outlet, completed weld — Outlet installation sequence
Drill → seat the branch outlet → weld. Three steps and it is done. The seating position is fixed, so no eccentricity arises.

COST SAVING

What is saved against conventional methods

What goes down when a conventional method (welded tee insertion, or a socket and nipple assembly) is replaced by PLS Outlet Fittings.

Conventional method — the main pipe is cut into several lengths and every joint is marked in red as a weld — The main pipe is cut away and a tee is fitted into the gap. Every cut joint has to be welded, and each one needs bevel preparation before welding.

Outlet method — the main pipe runs unbroken and only the branch is marked in blue as a single weld — The main pipe stays whole; only a hole is drilled in its side and the outlet is joined there. Cutting and bevel preparation disappear altogether.

Welded tee insertion

→ BT · ST Outlet Fittings

The main pipe is cut and a tee is inserted. The outlet method only drills a hole, so cutting, bevel preparation and double-sided welding disappear altogether.

Fitting costLower than a welded tee

Weld points2 points → 1 point

Welding timeReduced

Pipe cuttingNot required

Bevel preparationNot required

Labor costReduced

Construction periodReduced

Socket + nipple assembly

→ BT-PT · ST-PT (a single part)

Many sites join a socket and a nipple instead of a welded tee. That assembly is replaced by a single BT-PT or ST-PT part.

Number of parts2 parts → 1 part (1 fewer)

Assembly steps1 step fewer

Work timeReduced

Labor costReduced

Leak pointsFewer joints, so fewer points of risk

※ The saving in money depends on your site rates (material and labor). Send us drawings and quantities and we will work it out for that site.

Ask for a calculation for our site

SIDE BY SIDE

Conventional vs PLS

What is used, and how many, to make the same branch. Principle, materials required and the pros and cons are set out side by side in three rows.

ItemPLS outlet methodConventional method

Principle

PLS outlet method drawing — the branch line is taken off the side of the main pipe without cutting it

Conventional method drawing — the main pipe is cut, a tee is fitted in, and reducers and nipples are threaded together to form the branch

Materials required

AA: 1 × upward outlet
BB: 1 × cross-main branch tee
CC: 1 × butt weld outlet

Materials 3 items

AA: 1 × concentric reducer 25A×15A · 1 × nipple 25A · 1 × tee 40A×40A×25A
BB: 1 × threaded tee 50A×50A×50A · 2 × nipple 50A · 2 × concentric reducer 50A×40A
CC: 1 × tee 150A×150A×50A

Materials 9 items

Advantages and drawbacks

Advantage — Can be fabricated both in the shop and on site
Advantage — Fewer steps, so productivity goes up
Advantage — Less material stored on site and a shorter fabrication period
Advantage — Pad reinforcement and the weld groove angle give excellent weld strength
Advantage — Less weld surface is exposed to the fluid, so corrosion and leakage risk is low
Advantage — Cold forging gives excellent mechanical properties
Advantage — Fewer welds and threaded joints lower the cost and raise safety
Advantage — Withstands high-temperature and high-pressure conditions well

Advantage — Threaded piping makes it easy to adapt to site conditions
Drawback — Long construction period with high material and labor costs
Drawback — Cutting the pipe away wastes material
Drawback — The inside of the weld meets the fluid, so corrosion is more likely
Drawback — Many threaded joints mean a high risk of leakage
Drawback — Site fabrication means heavy loss of labor whenever the schedule slips

BT VS ST

The same outlet method — what differs

The BT Series is insert-aligned in the main pipe, so eccentricity isremoved and a consistent root gap is formed.

AspectBT — Bevel-prepared Branch Outlet FittingST — Saddle type Branch Outlet Fitting

Branching methodExtruded — inserted into a hole formed by hole flanging the main pipeNon-extruded — a saddle matched to the pipe curvature is seated and joined

AlignmentInsert-aligned in the main pipe — eccentricity is eliminatedSeated on the outer surface — the installer sets the position

RootA consistent root gap forms automaticallyA simple process with shorter weld length and fewer passes

Weld qualityInsertion depth and root gap are fixed, so weld quality is standardizedQuality assured to the KFI approval criteria

Welding timeHigh repeatability cuts the time furtherShorter than a conventional tee

Key advantageWelding variables (welder, site) locked in by geometryCost efficiency · variety of connection types

TECHNOLOGY

BT / ST technology

BT Series — Extruded collar type

Bevel-prepared Branch Outlet Fitting

A branch outlet fitting that is inserted and welded into a hole formed on the side of the main pipe by hole flanging. Welding variables that used to depend on the welder and the site are locked in by the mechanical geometry of the fitting, raising weld quality and the safety of fire-protection piping.

Patents · approvalsPatent No. 10-2328611 · LH New Technology · Registered Item for Public Procurement

Design standardBranch reinforcement design applied — ASME B31.3 Area-Replacement & MSS SP-97 Integrally-Reinforced Branch Outlet Fittings

· Weld-optimized design

A stopper flange sets the insertion depth, eccentricity limit, vertical alignment and root gap automatically as soon as the branch is fitted. Working efficiency improves by more than 50%.

· Reinforced weld strength

The press-fit stopper forms the root gap, and the beveled outer edge secures the torch approach angle and the weld groove angle. Deposited metal and penetration both increase, ensuring high weld strength and uniformity.

· Leak and deformation prevention

Weld metal is kept from entering the pipe, and the gentle inner gradient prevents local loss at the branch. Flow stays smooth and deep cracking is minimized.

· KFI-approved product

Certified by the performance approval testing of the Korea Fire Institute (KFI).

BT-PTBT-SPPTBT-SPPFBT-RNWBT-BWBT-GR

ST Series — Non-extruded type

Saddle type Branch Outlet Fitting

A non-extruded branch outlet fitting: a hole is drilled in the side of the main pipe, and a saddle-shaped fitting matched to the curvature of the pipe surface is seated on it and welded.

Patents · approvalsDesign Registration No. 30-1257230

Design standardConforms to the MSS SP-97 Integrally-Reinforced Branch Outlet Fittings design philosophy

· Cost saving

Markedly lower cost than a conventional tee fitting. Shorter weld lengths and fewer passes simplify the process and raise productivity.

· A wide range of connection types

Butt weld, threaded, grooved, socket and other types are available to suit site conditions.

· KFI-approved product

Certified by the performance approval testing of the Korea Fire Institute (KFI).

ST-PTST-SPPTST-SPPFST-SWST-BWST-GRST-MT(15A)ST-MTNPT(15A)ST-MT(20A)ST-MTNPT(20A)

BT PATENTED TECHNOLOGY

Welding variables locked in by geometry

Welding conditions that used to swing with the welder and the site are fixed by the shape of the part itself.

Patent No. 10-2328611LH New TechnologyRegistered Item for Public Procurement

Section through a BT outlet fitting — on the left the cut part itself, on the right a section drawing of the same place — On the left, the actual cut face; on the right, a section drawing of the same place. The numbers match the notes beside it.
Figure — PLS product brochure

Beveled outer edgeBevel Edge Design
Secures the torch approach angle and weld groove angle → a sufficient penetration path at the root → less incomplete penetration and lack of fusion
Stopper flangeStopper Flange Design
Stopper flange + press-fit alignment → consistent insertion depth and root gap → repeatable penetration
Press-fit bodyPress-Fit Body
The body inserted into the main pipe hole melts together during welding to induce full penetration → integral stiffness reinforcement of the extruded collar
Gentle inner gradientInner Gradient Design
Inserted at the branch entry → less local loss and pressure change → lower risk of sediment and turbulence inside the pipe