Why not consider Stainless Steel Griplock hose?

Flexible metal hose and tubing is used across a wide range of industrial applications where strength, temperature resistance and flexibility are important. From exhaust and extraction systems to material handling and industrial ducting, selecting the correct type of flexible metal hose can have a significant impact on the performance and reliability of an installation.

For demanding environments, stainless steel stripwound hose provides a robust solution capable of combining flexibility with excellent mechanical strength.

What Is a Stripwound Metal Hose?

Stripwound metal hose is manufactured by forming a continuous metal strip into a flexible tubular section. Depending on the construction, the metal strip can be interlocked to produce a strong yet flexible hose capable of accommodating movement and vibration.

Unlike many polymer hoses, a stainless steel flexible hose can be particularly useful where an application involves elevated temperatures, mechanical stresses or the risk of crushing.

Whitehouse Flexible Tubing’s Stainless Steel Griplock uses a fully interlocked stripwound construction to provide flexibility, high mechanical strength and good flow characteristics.

Where Is Flexible Stainless Steel Hose Used?

The versatility of stripwound construction means flexible stainless steel tubing can be found in a variety of industrial environments.

Typical applications include:

• Industrial air ducting
• Smoke and fume extraction
• Exhaust systems
• Dust extraction
• Dry bulk material handling
• Grain handling
• Plastic pellet transfer
• Paper trim extraction
• Protective casing for cables and wires
• Applications involving vibration or movement

The correct hose should always be selected according to the operating conditions and material being conveyed.

Flexible Metal Hose for Exhaust Applications

Temperature is an important consideration when selecting an exhaust or extraction hose.

Many conventional flexible hose materials have limitations when exposed to high operating temperatures. A stainless steel stripwound hose can provide an alternative for applications requiring both flexibility and increased temperature resistance.

Whitehouse Stainless Steel Griplock has a maximum operating temperature of +650°C, making it suitable for many high-temperature ducting, extraction and exhaust applications.

As with any exhaust installation, the complete operating conditions should be considered before selecting a hose, including temperature, diameter, movement and the media passing through it.

Handling Dust and Dry Materials

Flexible metal hose is also widely used for handling dry materials.

Griplock can be used for applications involving materials including ash, dust, grain, paper trim and plastic pellets. Its fully interlocked construction provides good mechanical strength while maintaining the flexibility required by many industrial installations.

Flow direction can be particularly important when conveying abrasive materials. The internal construction of Griplock provides a smoother surface in one direction, so installing the tubing according to the recommended flow direction can help optimise flow and reduce potential damage to both the hose and the material being conveyed.

Managing Vibration and Movement

Not every application involves simply connecting two stationary points.

Industrial machinery can produce vibration, while equipment and ducting systems can experience movement and thermal expansion during operation. Flexible metal tubing can help accommodate this movement while maintaining a connection between components.

Stainless Steel Griplock is particularly suited to applications involving vibration and thermal expansion and can also assist with noise attenuation in suitable installations.

Choosing the Correct Flexibility

The required flexibility can vary considerably between applications.

Stainless Steel Griplock is available with different flexibility characteristics, including Stiff/Stayput, Midflex and Loose/Floppy options on applicable sizes.

Midflex is the standard construction and is suitable for many general applications, while other options can be specified where increased rigidity or greater freedom of movement is required.

What Sizes of Flexible Metal Hose Are Available?

Industrial applications can require anything from small-bore flexible tubing to large-diameter ducting.

Stainless Steel Griplock is available in a comprehensive range of inside diameters, with sizes from 6mm through to 457mm listed as standard. Intermediate diameters and non-standard lengths may also be available for applications requiring a more specific solution.

Finding the Right Flexible Metal Hose

Choosing a flexible metal hose should involve more than simply matching the diameter. Temperature, flexibility, bend radius, media, movement and the operating environment should all be considered.

Whitehouse Flexible Tubing manufactures and supplies flexible metallic tubing for a wide range of industrial applications and can assist with non-standard sizes, lengths and made-to-order assemblies.

For applications requiring a robust stainless steel flexible hose, view our Stainless Steel Griplock range or contact our team to discuss your application.