Hoses
| Materials: | Plastics, Rubbers, Metals |
|---|---|
| Transformations: | Drawing, Forming, Casting, Molding, Extruding |
| Tools: | Wrenches, Pliers, Screw drivers |
| Techniques: | Clamping, Coupling |
Introduction
A hose is a flexible hollow tube designed to carry fluids from one location to another. Hoses are also sometimes called pipes (the word pipe usually refers to a rigid tube, whereas a hose is usually a flexible one), or more generally tubing. The shape of a hose is usually cylindrical (having a circular cross section).
Hose design is based on a combination of application and performance. Common factors are size, pressure rating, weight, length, straight hose or coilhose, and chemical compatibility.
Applications mostly use nylon, polyurethane, polyethylene, PVC, or synthetic or natural rubbers, based on the environment and pressure rating needed. In recent years, hoses can also be manufactured from special grades of polyethylene (LDPE and especially LLDPE). Other hose materials include PTFE (Teflon), stainless steel, and other metals.
Challenges
