Tubing vs. Hose: Understanding the Difference for Your Industrial Needs

Tubing vs. Hose: Understanding the Difference for Your Industrial Needs

Tubing and hose are vital components in fluid transfer systems. While sometimes used interchangeably, these two products are not synonymous. In this article we outline the differences of both, and when to decide between tubing and hose.

Let’s start with the primary difference between tubing and hose. A hose will always have some form of reinforcement while a tube is unreinforced. Depending on the design of the reinforcement, there can be multiple uses or applications in which the hose can be used. Take for example Nylobrade®, this product uses a polyester cross braid to reinforce the tensile strength and the radial burst strength of the PVC. This product will excel in applications where the fluids being transferred will experience elevated internal pressures such as coolant or hydraulic lines. Now, if you look at the design of our Newflex® products, you will notice a spiral PVC reinforcement. Such design does not provide equivalent benefits to tensile and radial burst strength as the cross-braid present in Nylobrade®. However, it does provide resistance to vacuum pressures. Where Nylobrade® may start to collapse upon itself if used in an application pulling vacuum, Newflex® will maintain its original concentricity.

NewAge offers a variety of hoses each designed to meet all your needs. Nylobrade®, Silbrade®, and Urebrade®, each use a polyester braid reinforcement. Newflex®, which uses couple versions of a PVC spiral reinforcement, and Vardex®, which uses a steel spiral reinforcement to help the hose resist full vacuum.

As for tubing, in most instances this product lends itself to lighter duty applications. While still versatile, and capable of withstanding both positive and negative pressures, they typically will not compare to identical materials in hose constructions. A benefit to tubing is that it can be produced with smaller internal diameters than hoses. Like our hoses, we offer a range of tube products in various material compositions.

The extremes of your application should be carefully considered when choosing the material(s) and construction(s) of your tube or hose. Will your system require a constant full vacuum, or will it only be seeing variance in the pressure occasionally? Is it going to be placed in a high traffic area where it may be prone to crushing? Are you simply looking to transport a fluid or gas from point A to point B with minimal change in flow rate or pressure?

At NewAge Performance Products® (NAPP®), we offer a comprehensive range of tubing and hose solutions engineered to meet the diverse needs of industrial applications. Our team of experts is committed to providing high-quality products, personalized support, and innovative solutions to help you achieve your fluid transfer goals. Contact us today to learn more about our products and services.
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