EK®, the premium water cooling gear manufacturer, is expanding the Quantum Torque fittings line with Micro Hard-Tube Compression fittings aimed at SFF builders and use-cases where spacing is an issue. EK-Quantum Torque Micro HDC 12 are premium 12mm fittings made for solid tubing, such as acrylic, PETG, and brass. A much smaller footprint will allow tube placement in places where a regular fitting would be too large or inconvenient.

EK-Quantum Torque Micro HDC 12

It earned the name Micro due to an installed height of only 11.5mm, which is 23% shorter than standard Torque HDC 12 fittings. The outer diameter of the fitting is also significantly smaller than its bigger brother, with only 16mm across the fitting. This micro HDC 12 series consists of 5 different models with varying finishes.

They are all CNC machined out of brass with high-quality O-rings for sealing. They come in the following finishes:

• Black Nickel
• Nickel
• Gold
• Satin Titanium
• Black

Since there is no space for conventional knurling, the base of the fitting extends through an opening in the top face where a 9mm Allen key has to be used to secure it in place. EK recommends the use of the EK-Loop Multi Allen Key for this application. The locking (compression) ring has an o-ring that secures the tube over the base of the fitting and prevents leaks.

Availability and pricing

The EK-Quantum Torque series Micro HDC 12 fittings are made in Slovenia, Europe, and are available to order through the EK Webshop and Partner Reseller Network. In the table below, you can see the manufacturer suggested retail price (MSRP) with VAT included.