Tubing Buying Tip #7: Clarity
Do you need to see the flow of product through the tubing or hose to check for consistency, progression, or to note measurements?
If the product being transferred through the tubing is a thin liquid, it may have no trouble moving right along through the tube. But if it’s viscous or tends to stick, you may need to watch for blockages. In other applications, seeing what’s inside might be the last thing you want, so an opaque color that blocks the view is called for.
Don’t assume that if one style of a particular hose material is crystal clear, all hose of that material is clear as well. The hose’s construction can affect its clarity. For instance, clear PVC hose that’s braid reinforced may still offer a good view of the interior, but a tighter braid pattern, made to handle higher pressures, can limit the view. Other reinforcement, such as wire or spirals, can also impact clarity.
Many tubing materials can be tinted or colored to varying degrees of clarity. Color-tinted transparent tubing allows light to pass through so that objects within or behind can be seen. Tubing materials such as silicone, polypropylene and latex offer translucency and allow light to pass through. Silicone may also be opaquely colored.
Other tubing, like the high performance synthetic rubber Viton™, is available only in solid colors. Tubing materials like polyethylene and nylon are available in colors and can be used to identify transfer lines, conceal fluids within, or coordinate with machinery.
NewAge Industries stocks a variety of clear, transparent, translucent, and solid color tubing and hose.
Be sure to research and select tubing or hose that meets your application’s requirements.
You can find part one and two of our Top 20 Tubing and Hose Buying Tips here.
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