Pipe fitting product attributes

A pipe fitting record has to describe every outlet, not just the fitting. A reducing tee has a run size and a branch size, and a transition fitting can be threaded on one end and press, solder or grooved on the other. Supplier files commonly give one size and one end type, which leaves the branch or second end to be guessed from the part number.

Material and pressure data are easy to misread. Class 150 and Class 300 are designations within a dimensional standard, not the working pressure in psi, and plastic fittings lose rating as temperature climbs. A pressure figure without its reference temperature cannot be compared across suppliers. Press fittings add a sealing element whose compound decides whether the fitting is suitable for water, fuel gas or another medium.

Evidence fields often decide the sale on commercial and public work. Lead-free certification, UL or FM listings for fire protection, and domestic melt-and-manufacture status for Buy America requirements each apply to specific materials and sizes. Capturing them per SKU, with the standard named, lets a counter rep answer a spec question without calling the manufacturer.

The pipe fittings attribute template

18 candidate fields in 5 groups, ordered the way a record gets built: identify the item, capture its specifications, then record fit and the evidence behind any claim. 9 are marked Core: without them the item cannot be identified or filtered. Example values show the expected format only; they do not describe a real SKU.

Identity

Which exact item, variant and pack this record describes.

Check before use: Preserve leading zeros and punctuation, validate against the manufacturer record, and check the GTIN check digit and packaging level before linking.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Manufacturer Part Number manufacturer_part_number	Identifier	Core	PF-150-RT-1075
GTIN / UPC gtin_upc	Identifier	Channel / evidence	00614141250080

Technical specifications

Measured or rated values that must travel with their unit and test conditions.

Check before use: Store the number and unit separately. Convert only when the source unit and test conditions are known.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Nominal Size (NPS/DN) nominal_size_nps_dn	Text · in	Core	1 in x 1 in x 3/4 in (run x run x branch)
Pressure Class / Schedule pressure_class_schedule	Controlled list	Core	Class 150
Maximum Working Pressure maximum_working_pressure	Number · psi	Core	300
Temperature Rating temperature_rating	Text · °F	Buyer decision	-20 to 150 °F at full rating

Selection attributes

The type, material and option choices buyers filter and compare on.

Check before use: Map supplier wording to a governed vocabulary only after checking the source text and which variant it applies to.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Fitting Type fitting_type	Controlled list	Core	Reducing Tee
Body Material / Alloy Grade body_material_alloy_grade	Controlled list	Core	Malleable iron, ASTM A197
Finish / Coating finish_coating	Controlled list	Core	Black (uncoated)
Sealing Element Material sealing_element_material	Controlled list	Buyer decision	None (threaded joint)
Service / Media service_media	Controlled list	Buyer decision	Natural gas, compressed air

Fit & compatibility

What the item mounts to, mates with, replaces or works alongside.

Check before use: Keep model and series qualifiers. A similar-looking part is not a verified fit until a source says so.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
End Connection — End 1 end_connection_end_1	Controlled list	Core	FNPT
End Connection — End 2 end_connection_end_2	Controlled list	Core	FNPT (branch)

Evidence & compliance

Listings, standards, classifications and origin claims that need a document behind them.

Check before use: Link the manufacturer document or label with its edition or date. Never copy a certification from a neighboring SKU.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Dimensional Standard dimensional_standard	Controlled list	Buyer decision	ASME B16.3
Thread Standard thread_standard	Controlled list	Buyer decision	ASME B1.20.1 (NPT)
Lead-Free Certification (NSF/ANSI/CAN 372) lead_free_certification_nsf_ansi_can_372	Controlled list	Channel / evidence	Not certified; non-potable service
Listings & Approvals listings_approvals	Controlled list	Channel / evidence	UL Listed; FM Approved
Country of Origin / Melt & Manufacture country_of_origin_melt_manufacture	Controlled list	Channel / evidence	United States; melted and manufactured

Normalize supplier values

The same value arrives in many spellings. Map each raw string to one governed value, and keep the raw text beside it so a reviewer can see what the supplier actually wrote.

Often missing from supplier files

These fields are commonly absent from price lists and basic feeds, even though the information usually exists in a datasheet, label or installation manual. Treat an empty value as a request for evidence, not as permission to fill it from a similar model.

• End Connection — End 2 (second end)
• Sealing Element Material
• Pressure Rating Basis (reference temperature)
• Domestic Melt & Manufacture / MTR
• Center-to-End Dimension

Questions the record must answer

Buyers and counter-sales reps choosing pipe fittings ask questions like these. Each one needs a specific field, sourced for the exact variant.

• Is this tee threaded on all three outlets, and what size is the branch?
• Is it suitable for a natural gas line?
• What pressure is it good for at the temperature this system runs?
• Is it melted and manufactured domestically for a Buy America job?

From supplier file to record

1. Resolve identity first. Link the supplier SKU, manufacturer part number and packaging identifiers without merging distinct variants or pack sizes.
2. Extract with the source attached. Pull values from rows, tables and datasheets, keeping the raw text, unit and page or row reference.
3. Map to your classification. Assign the ETIM, ECLASS, UNSPSC or internal class your company licenses, and keep the supplier's original terms.
4. Review, sync and watch. Hold conflicts and safety-related values for a category expert, write approved values to ERP or PIM, and recheck when the supplier sends a new file.

For the full method, see how to build a category attribute template and the category catalog gap audit.

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