Many components, such as isolation valves, elbows, and adjacent area changes, do not need to be modeled graphically when a simple k factor will suffice. In these cases, the AFT Fathom user can simplify and avoid unnecessary workspace clutter by integrating this data into a single pipe specification, using the Fittings & Losses tab.

Fathom has a built library of component loss data provided by Miller, Crane, and Idelchik. The Fathom user can quickly and easily pick from a database of components, enter the quantity, and click OK. It is important to note, however, that Fathom uses the size of the pipe to get the correct k factors, so the Fittings & Losses dialog will not be available until a pipe size is specified in the Pipe Model tab.