All industrial production equipment in the world cannot do without power transmission or material transportation. Industrial hoses are generally used to carry the power transmission and material transportation in industrial production equipment. Industrial hoses are used for transporting various media such as gases, liquids, and small solids. This article explains the primary applications and functions of industrial hoses to help you select the right hose for your industry.

Due to the significant differences in the media that need to be transported, such as steam, petroleum, chemicals, food, etc., different industrial hoses need to be selected and matched with different equipment diameters to meet the transportation requirements. Compared to rigid piping, it is flexible and elastic, easier to install, and better suited to the needs of equipment movement, vibration, or temporary connections.

Industrial hoses have high requirements for safety, reliability, durability, and pressure resistance. Compared to civilian hoses, the working environment for industrial hoses is more complex and harsh, and the requirements for conveying pipes are more stringent. This determines that industrial hoses have stricter specifications and standards in terms of design, material selection, production, transportation, and even final storage.

What Are the Main Functions of Industrial Hoses?

Liquid transmission

As a medium for fluid transmission, hoses are widely used in the production processes of industries such as chemical, pharmaceutical, and food. For example, water hoses, suction and discharge hoses, tank truck oil hoses, and some food grade industrial hoses can transport liquids. Through hoses, raw materials, semi-finished products or finished products can be easily transported to various process links, ensuring the smooth operation of the production process.

Gas transportation

In factories, many processes require the use of various gases such as oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, etc. As a pipeline for gas transportation, hoses can effectively deliver gas to the required location and meet production needs. For example: welding hoses, liquefied petroleum gas hoses, steam hoses.

Suction and discharge of sediment

In construction engineering and mining fields, hoses are often used to suction and discharge solid particles such as sediment and slag. Its flexibility and wear resistance enable the hose to adapt to various complex terrains and working environments, improving work efficiency. The most common type is concrete hoses, rotary drilling hose，suction and discharge hose.

Material handling

In the biochemical industry, many production processes require the transportation of materials, which requires the use of industrial material handing hoses, it is widely used in construction, shipbuilding and other industries for cleaning, sandblasting, rust removal, abrasive transportation, etc. Strongflex can provide solutions based on your conveying needs.

Ventilation, Exhaust and Air Movement

Industrial exhaust ducting hoses are used not only for transporting liquids and materials but also widely for the conveyance and exhaust of air, waste gas, fumes, dust, and hot air. In factories, workshops, construction sites, and ventilation systems, flexible hoses connect fans, blowers, equipment, and exhaust systems to deliver air to specific locations or to vent polluted air away from work areas.

Functions of Industrial Hoses

Industrial Hose Applications by Industry

Industrial hoses are widely used in various industrial fields. Different application environments have different performance requirements for hoses, and we can provide various types of industrial hoses to suit different industries.

Construction Industry

In the construction industry, industrial hoses are primarily used to transport materials such as concrete, cement, sand, and gravel. These hoses must possess high abrasion resistance, pressure resistance, and good flexibility; common types include abrasion-resistant composite hoses and rubber hoses.

Mining Industry

Mining operations involve numerous material transfer applications requiring a wide range of industrial hoses. Due to the harsh operating environment, these hoses must demonstrate excellent abrasion resistance, impact resistance, and durability. Common types include heavy-duty industrial rubber hoses, abrasion-resistant rubber hoses, and metal hoses.

Oil and Energy Industries

Industrial hoses in these sectors are mainly used to transport crude oil, fuels, lubricants, and similar substances. Common types include oil transfer hoses, fuel hoses, and steam hoses. They are required to offer oil resistance, antistatic properties, and high-temperature resistance; most are made of rubber or composite materials.

Chemical Industry

The chemical industry frequently requires the transport of acids, alkalis, solvents, and corrosive chemicals. Hoses must exhibit excellent chemical and corrosion resistance and comply with industry standards. Common choices include PTFE hoses, UHMWPE hoses, and other specialized industrial hoses.

Food and Pharmaceutical Industries

In the pharmaceutical and food sectors, hoses are used to transport pharmaceuticals, reagents, milk, beverages, edible oils, and more. Requirements are extremely stringent, including non-contamination, suitability for high-temperature sterilization, ease of cleaning, high-temperature resistance, and smooth inner walls. Common options include silicone, PFA, and PTFE hoses that meet standards such as FDA regulations.

Industrial Hoses in Agriculture

In agricultural production, industrial hoses are primarily used for irrigation, pesticide spraying, the transport of fertilizers and grain, and connections for agricultural machinery. They generally need to be lightweight and easy to handle, UV-resistant, weather-resistant, and—where contact with pesticides occurs—chemically resistant. Common types include PVC and rubber hoses.

Industrial hoses for agriculture

Manufacturing and Industrial Equipment Applications

In the manufacturing and processing sectors, industrial hoses are used to transfer media—such as air, water, oil, and other industrial fluids—between pieces of equipment. They need to be flexible and pliable, easy to install, and highly durable, as they are required to operate continuously for long periods. These are primarily air hoses, water hoses, and industrial suction and discharge hoses.

What Problems Do Industrial Hoses Solve?

Industrial hoses not only transport liquids or gases but also solve the challenge of creating flexible connections where rigid piping is unsuitable; they are indispensable flexible fluid-handling components in industrial systems.
Specific problems they address include:

Flexible routing and installation compensation

In equipment connection areas with limited space or complex piping paths, hoses utilize their excellent flexibility to facilitate routing and compensate for misalignment errors that occur during rigid pipe installation.

Vibration absorption, noise reduction, and equipment protection

For equipment subject to frequent movement or high-frequency vibration, flexible hoses absorb operational vibrations, interrupt the transmission of vibration to downstream piping, and reduce pipeline noise.

Adaptability to high-pressure and extreme conditions

High-pressure hoses featuring steel wire braiding or spiral reinforcement can withstand ultra-high pressures of 40–70 MPa in the hydraulic systems of excavators and mining equipment. They reliably transmit power across a wide temperature range (-40°C to 100°C) and are suitable for harsh underground or field environments.

Safe transport of special media

Industrial hoses made from various materials address specific transport challenges—such as oil-resistant hoses for fuel and hydraulic fluid, PTFE (Teflon) hoses for highly corrosive acids and alkalis, and food-grade silicone hoses for clean media like milk and beverages—preventing corrosion of the hose or contamination of the conveyed material.

Transport requirements for special conditions

Industrial hoses made from specialized, industry-compliant materials ensure the safe transport of goods in environments demanding high hygiene standards (e.g., food and pharmaceuticals), corrosive chemical environments, or extreme temperature conditions.

Mitigating wear from abrasive media

In industries such as mining, construction, and material handling, hoses may transport abrasive materials like sand, gravel, slurry, powders, or granules. While standard hoses may lack abrasion resistance and have a short service life, specialized industrial hoses offer superior wear resistance, reducing replacement frequency and saving costs.

Facilitating frequent movement and disassembly

Some industrial piping systems do not remain stationary after installation but require frequent movement by personnel or equipment. Take spraying or cleaning equipment, for example: unlike rigid piping, industrial hoses can bend and move within a certain range, making them ideal for applications requiring mobile transfer, temporary connections, or frequent handling.

How to Choose an Industrial Hose for a Specific Application?

The medium being conveyed is the primary factor in equipment selection; it is essential to specify the medium’s exact composition and concentration, as well as the presence of solid particles, additives, or corrosive impurities.

Regarding operating pressure, one must consider not only the system’s rated pressure but also the impact of transient pressure spikes during startup and shutdown, as well as long-term, high-frequency pressure fluctuations.

Temperature considerations must account for both the temperature of the medium and the ambient temperature. Fluctuations in the operating environment—such as exposure to intense summer heat or freezing winter cold—must also be taken into account, alongside general environmental conditions.

Parameters specific to the hose itself—such as dimensions (inner and outer diameters), length, flexibility, fittings, structure, and material—must also be considered; any requirements for specialized performance characteristics should be discussed with the supplier.

Strongflex can produce or customize various industrial hoses for transporting various liquids and gases in industrial production. They are widely used in fields such as petroleum, chemical, metallurgical, construction, and machinery, such as transporting crude oil, refinery chemical drugs, liquefied gas, acid-base liquids, etc.

Upstream and downstream of industrial hoses

Industrial hoses belong to intermediate products, the intermediate product industry is the production directly facing downstream industries, mainly producing various raw materials, components or semi-finished products for the production of downstream industries. This type of industry involves multiple stages such as raw material collection, processing, production, and supply, requiring a high level of technological content and production capacity.

The main raw materials required for the production of industrial hoses are high molecular weight materials such as rubber, polyamide (PA), polyethylene (PE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polypropylene (PP), etc. Currently, the vast majority of them come from petroleum and natural gas, and belong to the petrochemical industry products (such as PE, PP).

Rubber raw materials

The upstream of the industrial hose mainly includes the petrochemical, coal, and metal materials industries. The raw material prices of industrial hoses are significantly affected by fluctuations in the international crude oil market, and changes in the prices of production factors directly affect the production costs of the industry.

Industrial hoses have a wide range of downstream applications, covering various industrial production, manufacturing, and circulation fields, and are widely used in industries such as petroleum, coal, engineering machinery, automobiles, and industrial machines.

Industrial Hose Application

What Are Industrial Hoses Used For? Main Functions and Applications