A manufacturer of high-pressure steel-wire-reinforced hoses will explain the classification of rubber hoses.

　　A manufacturer of high-pressure steel-wire-reinforced hoses will explain the classification of rubber hoses.

　　 High-pressure steel wire-braided hose Manufacturer: What are the common classifications of rubber hoses?

　　Although industrial applications do not impose specific requirements on hose types, wire‑reinforced high‑pressure hoses are widely used due to their excellent pressure resistance and oil‑resistance. They are employed in equipment connections, construction machinery, hydraulic supports, and other applications where operating pressures can reach 70 MPa.

　　Rubber hoses with fabric reinforcement can handle a wider range of fluids; large‑diameter hoses are suitable for industrial water, slurry, hydraulic oil, emulsified oil, hot water, and steam. Six‑layer wire‑reinforced hoses with spirally wound wires are commonly used under negative pressure. Among exported products, steel‑reinforced hoses and standard rubber hoses account for the majority, while high‑tech automotive hoses represent a smaller share. Fiber‑reinforced, braided, spiral‑wound, and resin‑lined hoses together comprise over 60% of the market, approaching international advanced levels. With product designs aligned with global standards, this trend is conducive to boosting China’s rubber hose exports.

　　China’s production capacity for major rubber hose products ranks first in the world, and its rubber hose industry has essentially met the conditions for substantial exports. However, actual export volumes remain modest: in recent years, annual rubber hose exports have accounted for less than 1% of the total annual value of rubber product exports, equivalent to 9.5% of the annual tire export value and 1.4% of the annual rubber footwear export value. Moreover, estimates suggest that rubber hose exports represent approximately 10% of the sector’s total output value.

　　 High-pressure steel wire-braided hose Manufacturer: Hose Forming Process

　　The basic manufacturing processes for rubber hoses include rubber compounding, fabric and canvas processing, hose forming, and vulcanization. For hoses with different structures and reinforcement configurations, the methods used to process the reinforcement layer and the equipment employed for hose shaping vary accordingly.

　　Since all rubber hoses are without a reinforcing carcass, they can be extruded directly using an extruder; fabric‑reinforced hoses require a forming machine that wraps fabric around the inner rubber layer; suction hoses must be wound with a metal helix before the inner rubber is applied during shaping; hose braiding and winding necessitate specialized fabric‑braiding or winding machines; and knitted hoses require knitting machines, among other equipment.

　　The forming methods for rubber hoses are primarily distinguished by whether a mold is used, and they are classified into the coreless method and the core‑in‑place method (which further includes the soft‑core method and the hard‑core method).

　　 High-pressure steel wire-braided hose Manufacturer: Coreless Forming

　　Coreless molding of rubber hoses is performed using an extrusion molding machine—typically a screw extruder—where the carcass layer and the outer rubber layer are directly formed on the extruded inner rubber tube.

　　By means of the extruder screw’s conveying action, the material is stirred, mixed, plasticized, and extruded within the barrel, moving toward the die head to form a product of a specified shape. Extruders are classified into two types: hot-feed and cold-feed. The former is used for materials preheated in an open mixer, while the latter processes rubber compounds without prior heating.

　　High-pressure steel-wire-reinforced hose manufacturer: Core‑formed construction

　　Core‑in‑mold forming refers to the production of rubber hoses with either a rigid or a flexible core. To ensure that the hose remains under compression during vulcanization, it is wrapped with a water‑soaked cloth (a roll of damp cloth approximately 10 cm wide), string, or lead before being subjected to vulcanization.

　　Vulcanization can be carried out either by direct steam heating in a vulcanizing tank or through continuous vulcanization. Short‑fiber rubber hoses are produced by directly incorporating short fibers into the rubber compound and then extruding them into shape; this manufacturing process is simple and can gradually replace braided and clamped hoses. Modern hose production is increasingly characterized by highly continuous and automated processes. The use of thermoplastic elastomers and plastics eliminates the need for a vulcanization step, significantly simplifying the production workflow.