Case: Jaw-dropping hose pressure test by customer
Product quality and safety go hand in hand
One thing is when a hose is categorized as Crushproof and can withstand being run over by, for example, a forklift truck in the manufacturing plant. Another is when it is used pressure and temperature sensitive environments where extra attention is paid to employee safety and keeping production running. This could be for CIP cleaning, for example, which typically involves hot water and chemical fluids. Many companies in the process industry therefore ensure that hoses are quality checked before they are installed, including through meticulous pressure testing after delivery - even if this is already documented by the supplier. And it was precisely this situation that recently surprised one of our customers.
What the customer's own pressure test showed
The customer, a global leader in technology for processing food service and pet food products, performed pressure testing of Alfotech's OILY FOOD/SPL hose.
Although this hose on paper was specified to 10 bar working pressure plus a prescribed maximum pressure of 50% on top (i.e. 15 bar in total), it took a full 40 bar before the rupture of the hose itself occurred (see picture above). In other words, it could withstand 25 bar more than the prescribed maximum pressure. Far above the limit, the strong construction of the hose with its built-in steel spiral was what finally gave in, while the hose couplings remained intact due to Alfotech's InterLock system. Thus, the pressure test showed that the hose behaves appropriately under extreme pressure conditions to maintain the safety of both the operation and the employees.
Documented product safety
At Alfotech, we have our own in-house assembly workshop where our specialists - in addition to making customer-specific hose solutions - can pressure test the hoses before they are shipped. As a rule, in relation to food production, a material declaration of conformity and pressure test certificate will always be included, but in any case it depends on the customer's wishes. In this way, customers have the necessary proof of product safety. In addition, we can also provide traceability documentation through the batch number on the hose couplings.
