Dry disconnect couplings are designed for the quick and spill-free connection and disconnection of hoses and pipelines when transferring expensive hazardous product that is costly to clean up, reprocess, or dispose of. Dry disconnects are used by producers of ink, adhesives, fatty acids, pharmaceuticals, liquid soaps, petroleum, chemicals, agriculture, and a wide variety of caustic substances and specialty acids.

In the last two years, we have seen crude oil prices fluctuate from trading at historic lows of $13.78 price per barrel in April 2020 to a new eight-year high of $111.53 in March 2022. Quite the increase wouldn’t you say? A +709% increase to be exact. Oil prices have been notoriously volatile throughout our country’s rich history. Why? Because of the long list of everchanging factors that contribute to the fluctuations of this raw material’s price.

Have you ever gotten out of the car and reached for the door only to be met with a shock? The small zap, caused by static electricity, is alarming, but in this scenario it’s harmless. However, when it comes to tank trucks hauling petroleum and other highly flammable products, a static shock can spark a dangerous situation.

No, this is not a blog about expanding a company by creating internal growth. Internal expansion as it pertains to the manufacturing industry is the process of internally expanding a hose coupling to allow for “full flow” in a hose assembly. A full flow hose assembly reduces the amount of buildup in the hose at the hose/stem interface and is best suited for thicker media that includes plaster, concrete, and slurries.

From doing a load of laundry to turning up the heat in your home, everyday life wouldn’t be the same without valves. We can trace the origin of the valve back to the Romans who regulated the flow of water using branches, tree trunks, and stones. They were the first to create anything resembling a formal canal system — and are therefore credited with creating the valve.

If you’ve ever been stuck in traffic on the Capital Beltway around Washington D.C., you know how many cars, trucks, and motorcycles depend on fuel for their daily commute — about 267,000 per day to be exact for that region. So, when fuel shortages occur, like in the 1970s, energy policy and alternate fuel sources become hotly debated issues. Today, industry experts are naming hydrogen as the fuel of the future.

At Dixon®, we provide a wide range of interactive tools on our website to help our customers consider the many factors that can impact the best selection and use of our products. One of our most utilized tools is our end force calculator. Keep reading to learn more about this tool and how it's used.

In an earlier blog post on natural gas, we introduced LNG. Next, we will discuss Dixon's role in the LNG transfer and bunkering sectors. To begin, let us review the characteristics of LNG. LNG is natural gas methane that is composed of one Carbon atom and four Hydrogen atoms (CH4), then cooled to -260°F (-162°C) to enter a liquefied state. By converting natural gas methane into a compacted liquid state, it reduces the volume by roughly 600 times allowing larger amounts to be safely stored and transported to remote areas all over the world.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent supply chain and labor shortages, the manufacturing industry faced a number of challenges in 2021. As a result, manufacturers have had to find creative ways to rapidly respond to customer demands while at the same time staying one step ahead of industry trends and the competition.

When you think of natural gas, you may envision something like your gas cooking range or the butane inside a lighter. Even with natural gas being a pivotal part of the U.S. energy sector, the consensus is that most Americans are not too sure what natural gas is or what it does. In this blog, we are going to break down this energy source and explain natural gas (NG), liquified natural gas (LNG), and natural gas liquids (NGLs). From its formation to its application, we’ve got you covered.