Explore how a silicone hose is more than just silicone!

A silicone hose from Flex Technologies is not a one-size-fits-all product, nor should it ever be! If you’re ever shopping around for a silicone hose and the manufacturer rushes you into a hose without asking you questions about its use or the industry you’re in, walk away!

Flex Technologies manufacturers silicone hoses to meet the demands of your industry. Learn more about silicone hose construction and how it varies in today’s post.

Silicone Hose Products

It’s vital to customize your silicone hose as much as you can to get the best performance out of it — the longer it lasts, the fewer replacement costs and production downtime you’ll encounter, which is always an improved ROI.

Customizations aren’t only the color or shape, but the materials used in the construction of your silicone hose.

Typical Silicone Hose Construction And Materials

The three basic components of a silicone hose include:

• Silicone tube or core
• Fabric reinforcement
• Silicone cover or outer layer

Silicone

When you begin to research silicone hoses, you want to ensure you’re investing in a high-quality silicone product. Many overseas suppliers use fillers in their silicone, making the finished material resembling more of a plastic than a silicone. Not only does this impact the quality but it damages its performance.

At Flex Technologies, all of our production is done right here in the USA. We use 100% silicone and never any fillers, for a safe, durable silicone product.

Tube

The tube of a silicone hose is typically constructed of the same silicone material, but depending on your industry or needs, other materials such as fluorosilicone or fluorocarbon can be implemented and line the tubes, making them chemical and oil resistant.

Connect with a representative at Flex Technologies for assistance in finding the ideal lined silicone hoses for your industry.

Fabric Reinforcement

When it comes to the construction of silicone hoses, there are many misconceptions surrounding the fabric reinforcement layer. While there are some silicone hose types that do not require a fabric reinforcement, many silicone hoses have this feature to provide some rigidity to better prevent the hose from kinking.

There are a variety of fabric reinforcements used in silicone hose production including:

• Polyester
• Fiberglass
• Nomex®
• Meta-Aramid

It’s important to remember that the higher the temperature ranges for the fabric reinforcement, the more expensive they will be, so polyester the most common fabric reinforcement and the most affordable.

Wall Thickness and Plies

The wall thickness is figured by the number of plies the silicone hose has. The ply of the hose refers to the number of layers that it comprises, with 3-ply and 4-ply silicone hoses being the most common. Both the 3- and 4-ply silicone hose meet the SAE J20 standard, however, some industries may need additional plies.

Most silicone elbows are 6-ply and many large diameter hoses (marine) will be 6-ply.

Cover

The cover over the silicone hose is the last ply and comes in traditional colors of blue, red, and black with a matte or glossy finish and may or may not have a printed logo.

Flex Technologies can customize the cover color to better match your company's colors or to better distinguish a specific type of hose.

Flex Technologies Gets Silicone Hose Construction Right!

Because we’re involved in every step of the manufacturing process of our silicone hoses and products, we ensure a premium silicone product that’s high-quality, reliable, and meets the demands of your industry.

From 100% silicone hoses (no fillers), unmatched fabric reinforcements, and a variety of plies, we provide the widest selection and customization of silicone hoses on the market.

Start customizing silicone hoses with Flex Technologies today!