Hydraulic hoses play an important role in the construction industry. I'm pleased to be here today to show you step-by-step how hydraulic hoses are manufactured at our hydraulic hose manufacturer factory - Sinopulse hose factory.
Hydraulic Hose Structure
Most hydraulic hoses have a three-layer structure.
The main function of the outer layer is to protect the reinforcing layer from external forces, while the inner liner protects the reinforcing layer from internal forces. The liner and cover are made from a variety of rubbers, including nitrile, natural rubber, butyl rubber, styrene-butadiene (SBR), and EPDM.
The first layer, the "tube," has two functions: to contain the fluid being transported and to resist its breakdown. It is created when rubber is pressed into a profile to create a specific size.
The second layer is the skeleton, a reinforcement. If the pressure of the contained fluid increases rapidly, the pipe may require fabric or wire skeleton reinforcement. In this way, the hose is protected from internal pressure and external forces. Skeleton reinforcement materials are woven, knitted, spiraled, twisted, or braided.
The third and outermost layer is the "cover.". The cover provides the hydraulic hose with additional defense against external damage and degradation caused by the environment (e.g., ozone).
Manufacturing Process of Hydraulic Hose
You already know the structure of a hydraulic hose - A hydraulic hose consists of three parts, including the inner tube, the reinforcing layer, and the outer jacket.
The hydraulic hose manufacturing process is a combination of processes for manufacturing constituent parts. The constituent parts of a hydraulic hose include the outer cover, the fabric or metal reinforcement, and the inner tube. The outer cover is designed to provide reliable service and protect the hose from weather and operating conditions. Specific production processes include hand lay-up , xtrusion, calendering, spiral winding, and molding.
Manufacture of hydraulic hose
All of our high-pressure hydraulic hoses are manufactured under a strict quality control system. Here, we will introduce you to the entire manufacturing process so that you can learn more about high-pressure hydraulic hoses and our company.
Preparation of raw materials (synthetic rubber and stainless steel wire)
At the beginning of the manufacturing process of hydraulic hoses, we need to prepare all the raw materials in advance, in this case synthetic rubber material and stainless steel wire. You can find out what hydraulic hoses are made of by clicking here. We will prepare enough raw rubber material in the hydraulic hose manufacturer's workshop.
Synthetic rubber material
You can see the rubber parts here, ready to manufacture the inner tubes for hydraulic hoses. We use a Banbury Rubber Mixer to mix the rubber material so that the rubber becomes the raw material for making hydraulic inner tubes.
Stainless steel wire
Stainless steel wire is also prepared for the manufacture of the reinforcement layer of the hydraulic hose.
This is the stainless steel wire used to make the reinforcing layer for the hydraulic hose. We purchase very long stainless steel wires, up to 50k metres per roll, in preparation for the next step.
We then need to twist some of the stainless steel wire together to form a thick stainless steel wire. The reinforcement of the hydraulic hose is to increase the strength of the whole hydraulic hose in order to work properly under high pressure.
The more stainless steel wire you have, the stronger the hydraulic hose will be. Typically, our fabricators can combine 7-8 stainless steel wires into one, but of course, we can twist the stainless steel wires to your specifications. We then coil the combined stainless steel into a stainless steel cylinder hydraulic hose.
Extruding Inner Rubber - Extruding synthetic rubber to create an inner tube with a smooth surface and uniform thickness.
Now it's time to make the inner tube of the hydraulic hose. We use a rubber extruder to extrude the rubber material to create the inner tube.
This is the steel rod in the rubber extruder that is used to extrude the empty hose. The diameter of the steel rod is equal to the inner diameter of the finished hydraulic hose
After the extrusion process, we get the inner tube of the hydraulic hose, which has a smooth surface and looks shiny.
Manufacture of reinforcement - braiding or spiral process.
Now we prepare stainless steel wire to make the reinforcing layer of the hydraulic hose. There are two different ways to manufacture the stainless steel reinforcement layer, so we can make two types of hydraulic hoses in this step: braided hydraulic hoses and spiral hydraulic hoses.
We use a hydraulic hose braiding machine to create the braided reinforcement layer to obtain a braided hydraulic hose.
The machine used to create the spiral hydraulic hose is different, this is the 4-wire spiral machine for braided hydraulic hoses.
Extruding the rubber cover and applying the label to protect the hydraulic hose from corrosion and abrasion.
We then need to extrude the rubber to create the outer cover to wrap the reinforcement layer, which is the third and final layer of the hydraulic hose.
Print Private Label
In this step, we can customize the surface of the hydraulic hose cover with your own label or hose company logo. All hydraulic hose specifications and your brand name will be printed on the surface of the hydraulic hose lay line.
You can read the basic parameters from the finished hydraulic hose, and we can print whatever you want, such as your own label, company logo, hydraulic hose specifications, and so on. Currently, hydraulic hoses are manufactured with a smooth surface without any texture.
Creating surface textures
To create texture and make the surface of the hydraulic hose cover look special, we use a press cloth to create the desired texture on the surface of the hydraulic hose by applying a lot of pressure to the surface of the hydraulic hose. The rubber material is very soft, so the press cloth will leave the designed texture on the surface.
Vulcanization - direct steam heating of the vulcanizing pan or continuous vulcanization.
Vulcanized hydraulic hoses are vulcanized in a vulcanizing boiler plant and it is really important that the press cloth protects the hydraulic hose during the vulcanization process, the rich steam heating matures the rubber material and makes the rubber molecules tighter, giving the hydraulic hose a stable performance.
Hydraulic release and pressure test - test working pressure and burst pressure
Pressure test is needed to test the quality of hydraulic hose by measuring burst pressure and high pressure.
Size Test - Measure the size of the hydraulic hose.
1. OD Measurement: Fix the rubber hose, plastic hose, or hydraulic hose assemblies on a flat workbench and measure the outer diameter of the hydraulic hose using a tape measure or OD caliper. Aim the end of the tape measure or caliper at the end of the hydraulic hose and gently compress the hose so that it fits snugly on the scale, read and record the value of the outside diameter.
2. Inside Diameter Measurement: Use an inside diameter caliper or micrometer to measure the inside diameter of the hose. Insert the two caliper tabs of the I.D. caliper into the ends of the hydraulic hose, gently expand the tabs so that they fit snugly against the inside wall of the hose, and read and record the value of the inside diameter. If a micrometer is used, the inside diameter can be measured by the scale value of the vernier caliper.
3. Length Measurement: Use a tape measure to measure the length of the hydraulic hose. Align the starting point of the tape measure with one end of the hydraulic hose, slide the tape measure along the surface of the hose to the other end, and read and record the value of the length.
Packaging hydraulic hose
Hydraulic hoses that have passed the rigorous pressure test are coiled with a hydraulic coiling machine to prepare them for the packaging process.
We use woven bags to package hydraulic hoses. Although packaging materials vary, plastic film and woven bags are the most commonly used materials for packaging hydraulic hoses, and the packaging materials are strong enough to store hydraulic hoses well inside.
How Sinopulse Manufacturing Hydraulic Hoses
At Sinopulse's manufacturing factory, we produce quality components and integrate them into the manufacture of braided and spiral hydraulic hoses. The basic components include the inner tube, which is designed and formulated to meet the required chemical compatibility. The hydraulic hose reinforcement, made of fabric or wire, gives the hydraulic hose its strength and pressure rating. The laminate, which sits between the reinforcement and the outer layer of the hydraulic hose and bonds them together, is the protective outermost component.
To manufacture the hydraulic hose, a mandrel is used as a mold for the inner tube. The mandrel is removed after the finished hydraulic hose is cured. Rigid mandrels are still used for certain types of hydraulic hose in production runs of 150 feet or less. Here, the more common flexible mandrel is extruded. Its outside diameter is accurate to four decimal places to ensure an accurate inside diameter of the hydraulic hose. It is then cooled, coiled, inspected, and prepared to produce the inner tube.
Other hydraulic hose components must also be prepared with maximum integrity. In our facility, the coiling of the reinforcement is a complete process. The plies we place between the reinforcement layers are mixed, processed, and quality controlled in our own facility to maintain our exacting standards.
The manufacturing of the actual hydraulic hose begins with the inner tube. The specified compound for the inner tube is loaded into the extruder. A test run is made in order to check material quality and tube thickness. When specifications are met, actual inner tube production begins. A mandrel is loaded and the inner tube extrudate is then immediately applied to the mandrel.
The inner tube is then prepared for the reinforcement stage. For fabric-braided hydraulic hoses, a fabric reel is loaded into the braiding machine. The inner tube then passes through the machine as the fabric is braided around it. Note that the mandrel remains inside the hydraulic hose, maintaining the exact internal dimensions of the hydraulic hose. For wire-braided hydraulic hoses, a similar machine braids coated steel wire around the inner tube.
The steel wire reinforcement for spiral hydraulic hoses is produced and applied in a similar manner. To bond the multiple reinforcement layers and prevent internal friction, an integrated laminate is applied between the reinforcement layers. Here, it is applied between the tandem braiders. After the reinforcement stage, the hydraulic hose cover is extruded onto the hose stock. This is what holds everything together and protects the hydraulic hose during the work.
During this process, the laying line is applied; here, it is applied by an inkjet printer. The laying contains critical hydraulic hose information. Also laylines, as well as embossed laylines. The lay lines identify the hydraulic hose's purpose and pressure rating, the manufacturer and date code, and other data.
Assembled hydraulic hoses are prepared for vulcanization or curing, using smooth polymer casings or tape wraps. These temporary coverings prevent the hydraulic hoses from sticking together in the curing oven. The hose is then vulcanized or cured in a large, pressurized steam-heated oven. Curing parameters are computer-controlled. After curing, the temporary covers or tapes are removed, and the mandrels are blown out of the hydraulic hose.
The finished hydraulic hose is then subjected to a 30-second proof test at twice its working pressure. In addition to the standard cover, Sinopulse offers hose types finished with braided fabric, wire, or stainless steel covers for special or severe applications.
From the completion stage, Sinopulse Hydraulic Hose enters a packaging operation, ready for shipment to our distributors and customers.
As a factory, Sinopulse's flexible manufacturing capabilities offer a variety of options for hydraulic hoses to ensure you get the hose that is most suitable for your OEM hydraulic equipment. In addition, Sinopulse has in-house testing capabilities and provides high-quality, high-pressure hose products that meet ISO 9001:2015 certification to help OEM hydraulic equipment manufacturers reduce downtime, increase safety, and avoid costly damage due to malfunctions.
When you contact us, you will get more detailed information about hydraulic pipes, Please provide your hose detailed requirements at the same time, which will help us provide you with an effective quotation.
