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by Jeff Hopkins, on 1/15/20 8:45 AM
We can build hose to your order right in Fremont, sometimes faster than you think
"The wrong hose—or even the right hose improperly installed or used—can slow down production, and you may not even be aware of how much time and money it’s costing."
- From Our Hose Experts Can Help You Get The Most From Your Hose
What's the difference between hose and flexible tubing? To be a hose, it must have some reinforcement around the core. That helps increase resistance to pressure, kinking and crushing. 
Cores and covers
The core of a hose might be made of metal, PTFE, PFA, vinyl, nylon, polyethylene, or rubber. Each type of core is good for some things and less good for others. Metal cores, for example, work well under a wide range of temperatures, but can suffer from flex fatigue if they need to move around. PTFE cores, on the other hand, are flexible, but they aren't as compatible with small-molecule gasses such as helium and hydrogen as all metal hose due to permeation.
In a tightly regulated industry like biopharmaceuticals, plant operators can’t change parts on a whim. Fortunately, Swagelok U series PFA hose has all the necessary FDA compliance, and documentation comes with each hose certifying the materials of construction, and the pressure testing. The non-aging and chemical compatibility characteristics of the PFA are combined with ultra-flexibility and outstanding kink resistance to provide superior reliability.
Cores can be either smooth or convoluted like the bendy part of a flexible drinking straw.
Some hoses also have a cover. Covers are good to have in conditions where the hose is likely to get scuffed, or if you are concerned about someone getting burned because the fluid inside the hose is really hot. But covers by themselves don't increase flexibility or increase the ability to handle pressure.
Bend, not Oregon
The tightest radius you can bend a hose is called, naturally, the bend radius. But it's also important to consider the force needed to make such a tight bend. A hose bent under too much force shortens its life and puts extra stress on the equipment it is attached to.
Hoses that are over-bent will kink. That cuts down flow and can damage the hose itself. If the hose has a natural curvature and you try to bend it in the opposite direction, you can cause similar damage. We offer the correct fittings for those times when you need to attach a hose in a way that goes against its natural curvature.
When we measure a hose, it's typically end-to-end, including the fittings. That means the flexible part is a little shorter than the full length. We call that shorter portion the "live length."
Labeling and Packaging
In addition to the hose itself, we offer a variety of labeling options. Choose from self-adhesive labels, matte tags that are color coded, or Perma Tags with up to five lines of information and protected by a silicone gel and sleeve. In the future we plan to offer RFID tagging as well.
Fast Action
A leaking hose can shut down an entire operation. A customer with that kind of emergency needs a replacement now. A lot depends on the individual specifications and stock on hand, but in an emergency we can have a 20-foot hose ready at our Fremont will call counter within about two hours.
Different hoses have different materials of construction that affect maximum length, but we have built some hoses up to 1,800 inches long. If a customer is willing to accept splices, there's virtually no length limit at all.
We help our customers quickly, and our products work. There really isn't much we can't do when it comes to hose.
Just ask
Swagelok Northern California has a great deal of exposure to all aspects of fluid system design and engineering. Whether you have a simple question or a complex challenge, we're glad to hear from you.
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