Swagelok Hoses and Flexible Tubing

Why Use Hoses and Flexible Tubing

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Industrial hoses are a convenient and quick option for connecting two points in your fluid system. Hose and flexible tubing offer many benefits that can help eliminate downtime and reduce safety incidents in your fluid system operations. Consider some of these important features:

  • Fewer end connections equals fewer leak points
  • Easy to install
  • Pressure or vacuum tested
  • Backed by Swagelok Limited Lifetime Warranty

How to Select the Proper Hose 

Identifying which hose to use is not always easy and actually depends on your fluid system application. There are, however, some general guidelines that can help in your hose selection process. 

Understand Why Using the Correct Type of Hose is Important

Depending on the application, hoses can be exposed to various temperatures, pressures, flow requirements, and chemicals. If the hose is not compatible with these variables, a hose can fail, which may result in:

  • Production downtime and inefficiencies
  • Safety risks to personnel from the hose itself or exposure to system fluids
  • High repair costs and overall inflated operating costs
  • Poor product quality
  • Increased fugitive emissions 

Know How to Match the Hose Type to Your Application

When specifying a hose, you should understand your application's need for pressure, temperature, and chemical compatibility. A hose has four major components you'll want to consider: 

  1. Reinforcement layer: Helps improve pressure containment and flexibility. Usually stainless steel or fiber woven braid improves pressure containment and flexibility. You should consider the hose bend radius, as well as “force to bend.”
  2. Cover: Provides protection as the hose's first line of defense. An outer layer (commonly silicone, polyurethane, or rubber) protects the underlying layers, as well as your personnel and surrounding equipment. The conditions of your plant can help you determine which cover material you need.
  3. End connections: The performance of your hose depends largely on proper end connection assembly. You can have a good hose and a good end connection, but if the assembly is not correct, you will have leaks. Our hoses are made by certified assemblers and every hose is tested before it leaves our facility. 
  4. Core hose material: As the innermost layer, the core material of your hose is the most important consideration. The material must be chemically compatible with the system media, tolerate temperature range, and provide acceptable levels of permeation, and absorption. (See Figure 1 for comparisons.)

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Core Hose Material: Questions to Consider

As previously mentioned, the core hose material is the most important part of the hose. Below are some questions to help you better understand what your fluid system needs. 

  • Is the core material chemically compatible with the system media? Will it corrode or deteriorate over time?
  • Can the core material tolerate the temperature range of the system media?
  • Will the core tube material prevent or limit permeation and absorption? (Depending on your application, permeation and/or absorption may not be an issue.)
  • Will the core material withstand your system’s cleaning practices? This includes temperature, pressure, and material compatibility with any solvents and cleaning agents.

Find out how to choose the right industrial hose for your fluid system:


Get assistance in selecting hose end connections:

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Core Hose Material

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Hose Connections

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Shop Our Hoses and Flexible Tubing

If you're in need of hoses now, we offer a broad range of hose and flexible tubing products for a variety of fluid handling systems. We can also build your hose assembly with exactly what you need:

  • Any length in sizes: 1/8 to 2 in.
  • Material: stainless steel, convoluted core, PFA core, PTFE core.
  • A wide choice of end connections: Pipe, tube, sanitary, flare, and pipe flange.
  • Hoses can include silicone covering, covers, and insulation.
  • Other options include: Nonconductive core, marks, or tags.
  • Need something specific? Just ask!

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Watch this video to learn more about the different types of hoses we offer:

Trust Us with Your Customized Hose Assembly 

If you're short on time or resources, let Swagelok Minnesota | North Dakota | Appleton take on some of your hose assembly workload. We have an experienced team supporting our in-house hose assembly operations designed specifically to help customers. Our fine-tuned process means that you can trust us to provide hoses and tubing that are expertly crafted from quality materials, and our assemblies are tested to stringent standards. When our customers need their hoses quickly they turn to us because: 

  • Our supply is in-stock and ready to ship
  • We're set up to build and ship custom deliveries fast
  • Same-day delivery when requested (based on availability)
  • On-hand stock in pre-cut lengths, sizes, and end connections available to fill your stocking needs
  • No minimum order quantity

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Insulated Hose Solutions to Prevent Condensation

Hoses help powerful chillers regulate the environment necessary for production processes. Overlooking your hose selection can lead to unnecessary risks and costs in your operations. We offer insulation solutions for media temperatures as low as -65 degrees F. With our insulated hose options, you can solve many fabrication challenges such as:

  • Maintain optimal fluid temperature control: Increase efficiencies and minimize energy costs.
  • Combat condensation: Avoid damage, slip hazards, and downtime.
  • Minimize contaminants: Cut down on particle generation.
  • Customize to your requirements: Choose the layering thickness your system needs.
  • Save money: Improve your process without high costs.
  • Discover more benefits. 

BROWSE INSULATION OPTIONS

 

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How to Maximize the Life of Your Hose

Once you've invested in hoses for your fluid system, you'll want to know how to obtain the longest life possible from them without compromising safety. Some things to keep in mind to preserve the life of your hoses are to make sure you're: routing them properly within your fluid system, storing hose inventory correctly, and following a hose maintenance plan. 

Proper Hose Routing 

Understanding how to properly install your hoses can greatly improve the quality and efficiency of your hose solutions. Consider these important tips:

  • Hose length: Improper hose length can accelerate unnecessary deterioration. If the hose is too long, it can rub against itself or the machine. If the hose is too short and tightly stretched, you increase the risk for leaks at the end connection.
  • Installation: Do not allow a hose to hang vertically from a horizontal end connection. Install a 90-degree elbow fitting first as shown in this image:

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Proper Hose Storage

Keeping hoses on hand at your facility is important for maintenance and quick replacement. Here are just a few points to remember when storing hoses:

  • Store in clean, dry conditions between 50 and 70 degrees F
  • Protect from UV light/sunlight
  • Cap the hose at both ends to prevent contamination
  • When hanging hose, avoid kinks by not exceeding the hose's bend radius
  • Store coils horizontally on a surface

Proper Hose Maintenance

Hoses should be checked and replaced regularly. Waiting for a problem or a dangerous leak can lead to serious safety issues and length downtime. To always stay ahead of hose issues, we can help you create a hose maintenance plan. A solid plan includes: 

  • Tracking the life and performance of every hose
  • An inspection schedule
  • A replacement schedule
  • An inventory plan to stock key components

Learn More About Maintaining Your Hoses

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Swagelok® Onsite Services, Training, and Support

Don’t face your fluid system challenges alone. With Swagelok onsite services, you can partner with our team of field engineers and fluid system experts who will visit your facility for a thorough evaluation. Whether you are seeking to ensure reliable fluid system operation, boost process efficiency, reduce unplanned downtime, increase processing margins, lower operating costs, or all of the above, our services are designed to help you succeed. Take a look at what we offer:

Swagelok® Hose Advisory Services

Maintaining hoses in your facility can consume your time and resources. If you're growing tired of unplanned downtime, repeatedly replacing hoses, wasting product, and worrying about safety incidents, now is the time to use Swagelok Hose Advisory Services. We can provide a certified Swagelok hose advisor to take the pressure off you and address your hose needs.

An experienced Swagelok hose advisor will partner with you to focus on preventative maintenance and system optimization through an onsite survey process that includes: A thorough discussion of your facility's goals, a visual analysis of all hose systems, a detailed, expert-reviewed report containing:

  • Overall findings
  • Prioritized improvement recommendations
  • Hose selection, installation, inspection and maintenance guidance
  • Preventative maintenance schedules and inventory suggestions
  • A hose register with survey findings or new database

Watch this video to see what Swagelok Hose Advisory Services can do for you:

 

How Can Swagelok Hose Advisory Services Help?

  • Improve facility efficiencies: Save time and resources while being able to focus on more pressing priorities.
  • Reduce spend: Prevent costs associated with continuously replacing the same problem hoses, unplanned downtime and wasted product.
  • Extend hose life: Save money through proper hose selection and installation.
  • Enhance maintenance: Better predict when systems will need attention and understand what steps are necessary to keep everything running smoothly.
  • Increase safety: Keep your plant and processes safe, predictable and dependable with leak-tight products to reduce the risk of injuries and environmental damage.

Swagelok Leak Detection Services

Fluid system leaks carry associated costs and can introduce avoidable safety risks. We help you identify leaks, quantify leak rates and provide a comprehensive report with prioritized solutions to the most critical issues based on safety, cost and productivity.

Swagelok leak detection services provide recommendations to help you:

  • Mitigate safety risks
  • Improve fluid system performance
  • Increase reliability of outputs
  • Reduce energy consumption
  • Reduce operating costs from unknown leaks
  • Reduce emissions in everyday operations

Watch this video to learn more about our leak detection services:

Swagelok Steam System Audit

Find out where your plant is losing energy with a thorough steam system audit performed by Swagelok specialists. We will help you conduct a detailed assessment of your plant’s steam systems and components, document and tag areas needing attention, and share best practices for repairing and maintaining your facility’s systems.

A Swagelok steam system audit can help your facility experience:

  • Higher product quality
  • Less production downtime
  • Reduced emissions
  • Lower maintenance expenses
  • Improved worker safety
  • Assured performance in line with design specifications
  • Reduced energy costs
  • Increases in productivity with lower operating costs

A refinery drastically reduced steam loss, maintenance, and component spend by undergoing a steam system audit. See how much money they saved by reading this brief case study. 

CASE STUDY

Training

Swagelok® training programs provide a range of valuable and practical tools for meeting day-to-day challenges related to fluid system and sampling system design, operation, and maintenance. In-depth, hands-on courses taught by experienced instructors help both new team members and industry veterans. Whether you need to build a foundational understanding of fluid and sampling systems or you want to stay up to date on the latest technologies and best practices, Swagelok offers robust training.

Business Support

Beyond onsite services, design and assembly services, and training, Swagelok Minnesota | North Dakota | Appleton can also provide business support services to make it as simple as possible to work with us.

B2B Purchasing Support

Our e-Procurement resources make it simple and cost-effective to conduct transactions in a manner that suits your procurement processes. Make convenient online orders, and all purchases will be delivered through your local authorized sales and service center. Research, specify, and purchase Swagelok products online via marketplace channels such as Ariba®, Coupa®, and Proactis®.

Inventory Management

Our mission is to ensure you have the components you need when you need them. At the same time, we aim to reduce your procurement and inventory costs. Our sales and service representatives understand the importance of having the right fluid system components on hand when you need them, which is why they offer inventory management, logistical assistance, and other value-added services. Learn more by clicking here.

Product Consulting

Choosing the right or wrong fluid system product can make the difference between a reliable and unreliable system. To avoid unplanned downtime and lost revenue, work with experts at your local sales and service centers to find the right fit for your needs based on pressure, temperature, CV, material compatibility, different types of valves or actuation, assembly, and many other factors. We can also provide expert consultation on corrosion resistance, leak mitigation, safety factors, and process and system accuracy and design. Email us to learn more about product consulting. 

Other Key Components to Your Fluid System

Materials

Materials Science

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Tube Fittings

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Seamless Tubing

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Additional Resources

Services Tailored to Your Needs

Swagelok can support your success wherever it takes you. Our associates worldwide work together to provide factory support, field engineering, technical services, coordinated deliveries, inventory replenishment, and a range of special expertise, all designed to take the pressure off you.

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Design & Assembly

Design consultation and construction of high-quality standard and configurable fluid and sampling systems assemblies.

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Onsite Services

Boost system safety, performance, and efficiency with prioritized and actionable recommendations personalized for your business.

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Training Services

Enhance your team's critical skills for developing, building, and maintaining high-performing fluid and sampling systems.

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Swagelok Products

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