Clear Polyurethane Tubing and Hoses

Using the wrong type of air tube is an excellent way to ensure that your new pneumatic installation will break down as soon as you turn it on. Unfortunately, many people don’t make good decisions when it comes to buying air tubing. The good news is that polyurethane works in an overwhelming majority of cases. This means you might not have to put nearly as much effort into your purchase as you may have thought.

Nevertheless, it’s important to work with experienced professionals who understand the industry. SMC Pneumatics has crews standing by right now to help you order the specific type of tubing and hoses you need to get the job done.

Our experts have compiled some technical data on clear polyurethane tubing that might be helpful if you’ve never placed an order for air hoses in the past.

What is Polyurethane Anyway?

Polyurethane, also known as PU, is a specific type of plastic that comes in several different form factors. You might have seen it in a variety of colors, though clear tubing is rather popular when it comes to making pneumatic hoses. Engineers have developed methods of making PU-based materials stiff or pliable.

Take a good look around your house. You’re likely to find polyurethane in everything from your mattress to the bowling ball you take out on league night. It’s become so ubiquitous in modern society because it’s essentially a substitute for rubber.

Market conditions during the Second World War made rubber a scare commodity, so technicians were forced to develop a synthetic that could do the same job. As a result, you’re unlikely to find natural rubber tubes in most compressed air-driven tools today. However, this isn’t a bad thing because polyurethane tubing is more durable than rubber and it can be used in many situations that rubber can’t be.

Reasons to Use Polyurethane Air Hoses

Considering that PU is such a versatile material, it can be manufactured in a variety of ways that make it easy to custom tailor an installation to your company’s needs. This is why you’ll find polyurethane air hoses in slightly offbeat pneumatic applications, like carnival rides and other amusements. Technicians can easily route it around corners and attach it to brackets in tight spaces.

Flexibility and stretchiness are just two of the many reasons you might want to go with polyurethane air hoses, however. They’re generally quite resistant when it comes to heat. You generally won’t crack or puncture one these hoses either, which makes them rather attractive for those who have to carry equipment with them between job sites. For instance, those who travel to different fairgrounds or exhibition halls might end up driving compressed air-driven display equipment in the back of a truck. It can take a great deal of abuse banging against everything else stored in the same compartment, so having durable hoses will certainly help reduce the risk of taking significant damage.

Using it Outdoors

A majority of engineers recommend that those who need to lay a system of hoses outside should opt for polyurethane tubing. Cold weather won’t crack it and it won’t get too mushy when it gets warm out. It should be able to hold up well to humidity and condensation as well.

Any kind of moisture brings with it the risk of mold and other contaminants. While mold growth is noticeable on PU hoses, it can be easily cleaned off and shouldn’t compromise the structural integrity of them in most situations. This is especially important for exterior installations where the tubes will be in dark areas, since a lack of light has a tendency to increase the amount of mold that grows on any particular substrate.

Chemical agents won’t usually harm polyurethane tubes either, which makes them suitable for those who have to lay long air tubes down near industrial workbenches. Few people would ever advise pouring caustic compounds directly on air hoses. Doing so is completely inadvisable. However, they shouldn’t take much damage from secondary contact with most things you’d find in this kind of environment so you shouldn’t have to worry about something burning a hole straight through your air line and causing a sudden unexpected drop in pressure.

Dimensions for Clear PU Tubing

One of the other big benefits of going with polyurethane is the fact that engineers have been able to shape it into a wide variety of different dimensions. SMC currently stocks the following diameters in both 100 and 500 ft. rolls:

• 1/8"
• 5/32"
• 3/16"
• 1/4"
• 5/16"
• 3/8"
• 1/2"

Selecting the Right Roll Sizes

Rolls come in either 100 or 500 ft. lengths, which make it easy to order enough to complete any size run. Since 100 ft. rolls are much lighter, they’re a good choice if you want to carry some with you while traveling. They’re also a good idea for placing in storage cabinets at industrial facilities when space is at a premium.

While 500 ft. rolls are larger and heavier, you’ll run out of material much more slowly when using them. If you only use a few feet of tubing at a time, then a 500 ft. roll could last potentially years considering the durability characteristics inherent in using polyurethane. They’re also an excellent choice if you’re just starting out. Hooking up new pneumatic tools might require the usage of a great deal of tubing, so you may want to have access to a healthy amount.

Stocking Up on Air Tubing Today

Keep in mind that there’s no reason you have to buy just one single roll. SMC Pneumatics carries tube cutters that make it easy to make any particular length of air tubing that you might need regardless of how much you have left on hand. This means you’ll probably want to stock up so you don’t find yourself in a position where you don’t have enough material on hand. Contact us today and talk to one of our experts to learn more about what options fit the needs of your business.