Aflex Hose Ltd is known in the industry as the primary innovator and pioneer of PTFE hose technologies.  We were established more than 30 years ago and pioneered the concept of PTFE lined flexible hoses for the transfer of process fluids in pharmaceutical and chemical plants.  Since then, the company has been committed to a program of continuous development and improvement, resulting in the most technically competent and sophisticated hose range available today.

Our world leading engineering brings cutting edge flexible hose technologies to critical environments.  Whether used to satisfy specific requirements for hygienic and chemical resistance in pharmaceutical manufacturing and research facilities, or to satisfy multi purpose use in chemical or food stuffs process operations, our smoothbore (Bioflex) or convoluted (Corroflon) PTFE hoses can answer all demands.

For industrial applications from motorsport to high pressure steam transfer, our Hyperline PTFE hose product range has been designed to satisfy the most exacting requirements in a wide range of industries.

Wherever the superb temperature resistance, chemical resistance and famous "easy clean" surface properties of PTFE are primary requirements, Aflex Hose have a proven track record of success in finding solutions to Customers problems.

Aflex's reputation for innovative design and build quality is second to none, and has earned the company market leadership of the PTFE lined flexible hose market for Process Fluid Applications worldwide.

LATEST NEWS:

Today's pharmaceutical, chemical and biotech industries place demands on their suppliers to deliver products that are within the rules and comply with FDA, USP, CE Marking, AAA and other specifying bodies.

The Aflex product range of Bioflex, Corroflon, Corroline, Pharmaline and Pharmalex meets and exceeds the criteria set down by these governing bodies.

In recent times, several cases have come to light where competitors' hoses made from PTFE, PFA and FEP contain substances that are detrimental to both the rules and efforts of the advisory bodies and to your products.

As you will be aware, PTFE, PFA and FEP (Teflon) are a family of extremely chemical resistant and robust products and are ideally suited to the demands of todays markets.

The products can be found in everyday use, the most well known being in non-stick cookware and non-stick is the key

There are smoothbore hoses on the market that use highly volatile and toxic glues to bond the inner liner to the supporting outer structure of the hose. This substance can and has come into contact with the product flowing through the hose, causing contamination and possibly catastrophic repercussions for you and your customers.

The theory is that this glue, which contains highly reactive and non-FDA approved chemicals, will never come into contact with the fluid media passing through the hose. The problem is that in practice this can sometimes happen.

In one example, it is known that electro-static discharges can occur which create tiny pinholes in the fluoroplastic hose liner. Although these pinholes do not show as leaks, they do allow the glue to be leached in to the media, therefore causing contamination.

All the Aflex products contain no glue, additives or bonding agents in their construction - NO GLUE, NO RISK TO YOU, YOUR PRODUCT OR YOUR CUSTOMER

Today, many customers who have experienced this issue have changed to our product, allowing them peace of mind to take their products to market.

It's simple - ask your hose supplier if there is glue in their product and if the answer is yes, its time to change!

The World's first fully integrated hose labelling system.

Pharmatag is an encapsulated hose tagging system that offers everything that the competition cannot.

1. The tag becomes an integral part of the hose.
2. Does not protrude beyond the outside diameter of the hose.
3. Uses all FDA approved materials.
4. All USP Class VI Certified.
5. No use of adhesives.
6. SIP, CIP and autoclavable.
7. For use with Silicone and EPDM hose covers.
8. Tamper proof.
9. Colour coded identification.
10. Highly visible hose data.

The Pharmatag system is designed for use with our Bioflex, Corroflon, Pharmaline and Pharmalex products, where a Silicone or EPDM hose cover is used.

Due to the unique way the tags are applied and vulcanised, they can be updated and replaced as and when required, for example when a hose is re-tested or a colour code needs changing due to relocation of the hose, or a change of use - for instance pharmaceutical to chemical, or food to beverage.

The Pharmatag system not only compliments our market leading range of PTFE hoses, but enhances them, giving you a total hose package with full traceability and certification.

Pharmatag - answering the demands of today's markets.

When SS braided PTFE hose is cut up for assemblies the braid flares out at one end, which makes it difficult to push on the ferrules.

• Aflex Hose have acquired a fully automated cutting machine which takes care of this problem.
• Not only are hose lengths automatically cut exactly to length, but the SS wire braid at the ends is annealed to prevent braid flare-out.
• This technology is now available for our self-assembly Customers-instead of ordering random lengths of hose which is then cut by hand, Customers can order such hose cut to the length they require, with perfectly trimmed cut ends.
• This system is applicable to (uncovered) stainless steel braided Smoothbore, Hyperline FX, Hyperline SB and Bioflex hose in sizes up to 1" bore. Cut length quantities of >100 are advised.

Please consult Aflex Hose for further information and prices.

Smoothbore and convoluted grades of PTFE hose are usually supplied in bulk to hose assemblers with oil present in the external wire braid.

This oil is applied as part of the braiding process, and is not normally removed by the hose manufacturer.

Aflex Hose have invented and developed their own proprietary degreasing equipment, which is now being applied to all the Aflex Hose grades of Smoothbore and Hyperline PTFE hose grades.

In future, hose assembly companies who purchase Smoothbore and Hyperline grades of hose from Aflex will no longer have worries about oil stains on the floor, or on employees or customers hands or clothes - the Aflex Hose products will be oil-free, and clean to use.

Due to the success of our Pharmaline Range, and taking into account the ever increasing demands of the Pharmaceutical/Chemical and Food and Beverage industries, we are today expanding the Pharmaline range to include 1 1/2" (38.00mm) and 2" (50.00mm) hose.

The Pharmaline range carries full certification including USP Class VI, FDA and Atex Approval. To compliment these hoses a full range of unlined end fittings are available.

Hoses up to 1" can also be assembled using our reusable end fitting system (Relink). Pharmaline is available as assemblies from our workshops or available in component form for self-assembly. Please see our specification sheet.

The extended range compliments our flagship hoses Bioflex and Corroflon and our industrial range Hyperline, together answering all your hose requirements.

Please contact your appointed Aflex Engineer for further information.

By Rod Anderson, Managing Director of Aflex Hose Ltd. (Original article published at www.pharmaceuticalonline.com)

PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) was discovered in 1938 and became commercially available in 1950. PTFE-lined flexible hose products were first introduced in 1955, mainly for military applications in the United States. It was soon realized, however, that two of the primary properties of this remarkable plastic made it particularly ideal for use in pharmaceutical and chemical plants as a lining material for components containing process fluids - the excellent chemical resistance and ease of cleaning are quite simply in a different league than those of the other materials that previously had been used.

Many pipes, vessels, pumps, valves, and other process fluid components have consequently been lined with PTFE and other fluoroplastics ever since, and various designs of PTFE-lined hoses have been developed to provide a flexible conduit for connecting between components.

Basically, PTFE-lined hose constructions include an inner PTFE liner tube with outer reinforcement and protection layers, including stainless steel wire or textile braids, steel helix wires, and rubber layers and covers in various combinations.

The hose constructions are designed to provide a hose that is able to flex sufficiently in the application without excessive stress being applied and without the risk of damage, kinking, or interference with the function of the hose.

This is where a problem arose, because hoses made up with smoothbore PTFE liner tubes in bore sizes above 3/4 inch (20 mm) were found to be hard to flex and prone to kinking.

This problem was partially solved by making the PTFE, FEP, or PFA liner thin-wall, then bonding it externally to an EPDM or white silicone rubber hose carcass. This was done in order to prevent the possibility of the liner tube kinking inside the hose construction. Such products are widely available today, but have significant disadvantages. First, the adhesive layer outside the thin wall liner is a chemically reactive, non-FDA approved material, which has been known to leak into the hose bore and contaminate process fluids in certain types of applications. Second, when the hose is flexed, the liner at the inside of the bend ripples severely, creating entrapment zones. Third, the hose is stiff, and hose bore sizes above 1-inch bore require excessive force to flex the hose, making it difficult to install on site.

Another widely available hose designed to overcome the problem includes a PTFE tube liner, which is helically convoluted, or 'concertina-ed'. This provides a hose liner design with excellent flexibility and kink resistance, but introduces the significant drawback that the internal convolutions are entrapment zones for the fluids passing through, and turbulent flow is induced by the internal convolutions, which severely reduces fluid flow rates.

In spite of the disadvantages, these PTFE, FEP, and other derivative fluoroplastic-lined hose products are available and in use in pharma, biotech, and chemical plants worldwide with varying degrees of customer satisfaction.

During the last few years, an alternative design of PTFE liner has become available for use in hose constructions that combines a substantially smooth bore (slight ripples) with an excellent level of flexibility. While the bore of the PTFE liner is effectively smooth, the outside surface is heavily convoluted to provide 'hoop strength', so the liner is self-strengthened and does not need to be bonded with an adhesive to the outside braid or rubber layers.

When flexed, the bore does not exhibit severe rippling. The ripples already present become a little deeper, but not severe.

The hose liner is externally reinforced with a stainless steel wire braid and an optional EPDM or silicone rubber cover, without any adhesive layers, to complete the hose construction.

Such hoses can be made into assemblies that are available with 'integral PTFE-lined' end fittings attached, in which the thick-wall PTFE liner is passed through the bore of the end fittings then flared out to form the sealing face. This protects the end fitting material from contact with the process fluid and ensures clean, restriction-free flow of the process fluid through the end fitting.

Finally, pharmaceutical, biotech, and chemical plant engineers are able to obtain what they have always wanted - a genuinely flexible, genuinely smoothbore, fully PTFE-lined hose product, eliminating all the disadvantages of previous designs.

These products are available under the trade names Bioflex, Pharmaline, and Pharmalex, and are available from Aflex Hose Ltd (UK), Aflex Hose USA LLC, or any of the Aflex Hose distributors worldwide.

Rod Anderson was one of the founders of Aflex Hose in 1973 and has been managing director of Aflex Hose Ltd for the past 15 years His primary achievement has been to develop worldwide market leadership in the PTFE-lined hose products that Aflex offers to pharmaceutical, biotech, and chemical plants for process fluids transfer applications.

It doesn't make sense - or does it?

Aflex Hose Products can sometimes cost up to twice the price of other PTFE lined Pharmaceutical or Chemical Hose Products.

However, accelerated life tests and customer’s experience have shown that Aflex Products have at least 3 times the service life of the equivalent competitors products in most applications.

The costs then work out something like this:

Then there are the other considerations, like the health and safety risks if the fluid or gas which leaks is toxic or corrosive. Also, the fact that the carbon footprint to make one hose is less than for 3 hoses.

The final conclusion is clear - Aflex Hose Products help customers to reduce costs, and risks.

Aflex Hose Products

BIOFLEX and PHARMALINE (for Pharmaceutical Hose and Biotech Hose Applications)

CORROFLON (for Chemical Hose and General Process Fluids Hose Applications)

It has recently been claimed by some of our competitors that Aflex’s BIOFLEX product is inferior to the competitor’s product which it is designed to improve upon and replace.

In particular, it has been claimed that BIOFLEX is weaker, and has a shorter service life.

In fact, exactly the opposite is true.

A testing program recently conducted confirmed this. BIOFLEX and CORROFLON samples were run side by side with competitors’ products, including smoothbore FEP, PTFE or PFA lined Rubber hose products, and also smooth flex type products, on a "Rolling U" test rig.

The 1" bore samples were "Rolled" at the minimum bend radius and at the maximum working pressure quoted for the competitor’s product.

Results were as follows:

• BIOFLEX Hose - 1.25 million cycles, no failure.
  - No leakage occurred, so test discontinued. No signs of damage, or wear.
• CORROFLON Hose - 147,159 cycles to failure.
  - Hose leakage caused by rupture of the hose liner.
• Competitor’s smoothbore FEP lined Rubber Covered Hose - 9,149 cycles to failure.
  - Hose leakage caused by severe failure of the hose liner, breakage of the helix wire, and damaged rubber and braid.
• Competitor’s convoluted smooth flex type hose - 7,151 cycles to failure.
  - Hose leakage caused by very severe failure of the hose liner and braid components. (One competitor’s design of smooth flex type hose failed after only 64 cycles!).

These remarkable results have not been exaggerated in any way, yet they very strongly refute the claims made against BIOFLEX by Aflex’s competitors.

In fact, they confirm the claims made all along by Aflex, that BIOFLEX and CORROFLON are the best designed, toughest and most reliable PTFE lined hose products available today.

These results also raise grave doubts about the reliability and potential service life of competitors’ products, in particular the smooth flex product, in critical applications.