Hose re-ending – 'dangerous economy'
March 1st 2007 Re-ending hydraulic hoses can be a false and dangerous economy, according to Ian Morris, a director of the British Fluid Power Association. While understanding that commercial considerations encourage re-ending, Morris says it is in effect an illegal practice in Europe and is contrary to BS EN 982 'Safety of Machinery - Safety requirements for fluid power systems and components – Hydraulics' in the UK. He says "Whilst a re-ended hose may look perfectly good and pass a pressure test, there are a number of critical factors that must be taken into account. The first issue is degradation. All hoses degrade over time. Chemical changes in the hose compound mean that cutting and inserting a new end can alter the molecular structure, rendering it weaker than it should be. The angle of any internal reinforcement can also change to the detriment of the hose integrity when a new end is inserted. Morris continues "Another critical issue is hose length. Cutting a hose will reduce its length to below that installed by the original manufacturer with the result that it can be overstressed when refitted." The BFPA operates a 'Q' Approved Hose Assemblies scheme which seeks to ensure that only approved hoses are fitted throughout the industry. The scheme is open to all distributors of hydraulic hoses sold in the UK. Companies subscribing to the scheme will have their manufacturing processes screened and approved by the BFPA. Once accredited, member companies are inspected every two years. Purchasers can be sure that hoses displaying the 'Q' Approved Hose Assemblies logo were made to exacting standards at every stage in their production. More articles from Thermoteknix Systems Ltd: | 
