Pneumatics...

[artdutra04]

Not receiving any push-to-connect fittings in the KoP was (for me) the same as not giving teams one official soccer ball in the KoP: a somewhat inexpensive gesture that could have alleviated most teams from having to track down a really obscure component. Anyway, after searching high and low among various suppliers online, we found that Automation Direct had the best prices on COTS push-to-connect fittings. (If you want the cheapest, just search eBay for "push to connect").

Here's links to all the various 150PSI, 1/4" tube, push-to-connect fittings that may be useful, the bold ones especially so:

Three-way Union T: http://www.automationdirect.com/adc/...Union_Tee/UT14
90 Degree Elbow: http://www.automationdirect.com/adc/...ion_Elbow/UL14
Three-way Union Y: http://www.automationdirect.com/adc/...9/Union_Y/UY14
Four-way Union Cross: http://www.automationdirect.com/adc/...ion_Cross/UX14
Straight Connector: http://www.automationdirect.com/adc/..._Straight/US14
1/4" NPT Male to Tube (Straight): http://www.automationdirect.com/adc/...dy%29/MS14-14N
1/8" NPT Male to Tube (Straight): http://www.automationdirect.com/adc/...dy%29/MS14-18N
1/8" NPT Female to Tube (Straight): http://www.automationdirect.com/adc/...aight/FS14-18N
1/4" NPT Male to Tube (Elbow): http://www.automationdirect.com/adc/...Elbow/ME14-14N
1/8" NPT Male to Tube (Elbow): http://www.automationdirect.com/adc/...Elbow/ME14-18N
1/8" NPT Male Run T: http://www.automationdirect.com/adc/..._Tee/MRT14-18N
1/8" NPT Male Branch T: http://www.automationdirect.com/adc/..._Tee/MBT14-18N
1/8" NPT Male Meter-In Flow Control Falve:* http://www.automationdirect.com/adc/...r-in/FVR14-18N
1/8" NPT Male Meter-Out Flow Control Valve:* http://www.automationdirect.com/adc/...-out/FVS14-18N

* Either meter-in (slows air into the pneumatic cylinder) or meter-out (slows air coming out of the cylinder) works, just be sure to keep it consistent. Back when push-to-connect fittings were in the Kit of Parts, teams were given meter-out fittings.