How do you control what angle plumbing joints go in at?
There is a range between &quot;tight enough&quot; and &quot;too tight&quot; - most alignment for NPT threads is done by using that.
Then again, there are unions and compression fittings (Swagelok, and lesser versions) that remove the connection between the threads and the sealing surface. The vast majority of &quot;complicated lab gas manifolds&quot; I did many moons ago were done almost entirely with Swageloks.