While rubber hydraulic hoses have been the traditional choice for decades, thermoplastic hydraulic hoses continue to grow in popularity due to their various performance benefits over rubber.

Thermoplastic versions of hydraulic hoses first started appearing in the 1970s, bringing with them benefits beyond what could be achieved from the traditional rubber constructions of the time. These benefits include greatly improved abrasion resistance, smaller bend radii and the ability to perform at extreme temperatures. Also, they do not swell, flake or otherwise degrade after prolonged contact with most hydraulic fluids or oils, providing the benefit of eliminating potential instances of system contamination.

Figure 1: Thermoplastic hydraulic hoses provide benefits in the designing of hydraulic systems. Source: Kuriyama of America, Inc.

Thermoplastic hydraulic hoses also provide benefits in the designing of hydraulic systems. Their smooth covers and smaller bend radii allow for easier installation, as well as for their use in areas with aggressive bends, where other hoses could be prone to kinking.

Subsequently, they’re popular for use with various types of ariel equipment, such as scissor lifts, where long lengths of hose need to be routed through tight hose bundles. Another popular use is over the sheaves and pulleys on forklift masts, where their tight bend radius is a benefit.

The power of polyurethane

The first thermoplastic hydraulic hoses were typically manufactured from polyvinyl chloride (PVC), however, as polymer technology advanced, other materials such as polyurethane and nylon began to be used in their manufacture.

Figure 2: Polyurethane quickly emerged as superior to rubber as a cover compound, in large part because of its higher tensile strength and tear resistance. Source: Kuriyama of America, Inc.

Polyurethane quickly emerged as superior to rubber as a cover compound, in large part because of its higher tensile strength and tear resistance, making it more durable and less prone to failure under demanding conditions. Polyurethane also possesses superior abrasion resistance to rubber, providing for extended hose service life in applications where the hose is subjected to repeated rubbing or dragging against rough surfaces.

Another significant benefit of thermoplastic hydraulic hoses is their ability to flex at very low temperatures. While most rubber hydraulic hoses are not suggested for use at temperatures below -40° F (-40° C), certain thermoplastic hydraulic hoses have been shown to flex at extreme temperatures as low as -65° F (-54° C), making them well suited for use in cold environments.

Piranhaflex hydraulic hose

At the forefront of thermoplastic hydraulic hose innovation is Piranha Hose Products in Cadillac, Michigan, who in 2007 first introduced their line of Piranhaflex hydraulic hose and fittings.

Figure 3: At the forefront of thermoplastic hydraulic hose innovation is Piranha Hose Products in Cadillac, Michigan. Source: Kuriyama of America, Inc.

Founded in 1945 under the name Polymer Corporation, Piranha was a perfect candidate for thermoplastic hydraulic hose development, given their decades long history of quality and innovation in the development of high-pressure thermoplastic hose products. Their well-known line of high-pressure Piranha sewer hose is widely regarded as an engineered industry leader in its category, and many of those same technological advancements benefitted the development of the line of Piranhaflex hydraulic hose.

The Piranhaflex hydraulic hose line consists of various fully engineered and validated, SAE 100R3 type, 100R7, 100R8 and 100R18 hose options, with a wide range of one- and two-piece fittings options, which can be coupled using various equipment within the KuriCrimp System.

The line has a demonstrated reputation for quality, providing end user peace of mind. As high-quality, U.S.-made products, the hoses are subjected to rigorous testing, unmatched in the industry, including force to bend testing, fitting retention testing, abrasion testing, low temperature testing and hose kink initiation testing.

The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) provides the most commonly accepted hydraulic hose standard in North America through standard SAE J517. Piranhaflex hoses are validated to meet or exceed their respective SAE J517 standards at Piranha’s state-of-the-art, ISO 9001 registered quality assurance testing lab, following the approved SAE J343 testing procedures.

Innovation at work

With a focus on customer driven innovation, the Piranha engineering team is constantly developing new value-add hose benefits, such as the ability to perform at extremely cold temperatures; their slick, Slither covers and Piranha’s proprietary Kink Resistant Technology.

• Extreme low temperature flex — All Piranhaflex R7 and R8 hoses are designed to flex at temperatures as low as -65° F, making them well suited for equipment used in cold storage applications such as poultry plants.
• Slither^® cover — Piranhaflex “Plus Slither,” PFP series hoses, incorporate Piranha’s low coefficient of friction, “Slither” cover additive. This allows the hoses to slide more easily through tight spaces — such as long hose bundles on aerial equipment — greatly reducing time-consuming installation processes. In addition, the Slither cover further increases the hose’s resistance to abrasion by reducing the hose cover’s coefficient of friction.
• Kink Resistant Technology — Piranhaflex PF267 and PF528 series hoses incorporate Piranha’s proprietary, engineered design technology, exhibiting up to 53% better resistance to kink initiation, well outperforming traditional R7 and R8 designs in especially tight bend radius applications — such as over the sheaves and pulleys on forklift masts.

Engineering quality solutions

With its demonstrated history of quality and innovation, the line of Piranhaflex Hydraulic Hose and Fittings represents the culmination of decades of research, development and testing, and the Piranha engineering team looks forward to continuing to develop solutions to the toughest hose design challenges.

Figure 4. Source: Kuriyama of America, Inc.

For more information on Piranhaflex Hose Products, visit the Kuriyama of America website.

Piranha Hose Products, Inc. is a Kuriyama of America, Inc. company. Kuriyama of America, Inc. is a global manufacturer and distributor of industrial hose and couplings, for manufacturing, agriculture, mining, construction, oil and gas, and food processing. The Kuriyama network consists of multiple hose manufacturing and distribution facilities, located throughout North America, South America, Asia, Oceana and Europe, and includes well-known, manufactured brands Piranha, Kuri Tec, Tigerflex, Hose Tec and Tipsa.