Cutting and cleaning

The improper cutting and cleaning of metal tubing is the largest single cause of chromatographic problems and premature valve failure. The use of our precision cut and finished tubing with VICI fittings and valves maintains the flow uniformity and cleanliness that high performance systems require.

VICI's electrolytic cutting process yields polished tubing with flat ends, minimizing the potential for dead volumes or leaks caused by the uneven ends and burrs left by the tools common in the general laboratory environment - wire cutters, files, jewelers' saws, and most tubing cutters. These non-precision cutters are likely to generate particulates and deform inner and outer diameters, which can introduce dead volume and flow anomalies.

Each piece of VICI metal tubing is specially cleaned with micro-filtered steam from deionized water to remove both organic and inorganic contaminants, representing a major improvement over the common practice of using organic solvents to "clean" tubing. Our test reports have been confirmed by most of the major instrument suppliers: the VICI process provides analytically clean tubing.

Electrolytically cut  and polished

File cut

Plier cut

Further reference

Electroformed nickel tubing
Tubing in pre-cut lengths
    Stainless steel
    Polymeric
Tubing in custom lengths
    Metal
    Polymeric
Clean-Cut tubing cutter for polymeric tubing