Industrial hose covers the broad spectrum of fluid transfer lines including flow lines for fluids and gases in pneumatic, hydraulic, or process applications, or specialized uses in heavy industry such as mining, geotechnical, and construction. Industrial hose is generally flexible and frequently reinforced; there are many reinforcement materials and geometries. Industrial hose is usually application-specific; consultation with hose manufacturers regarding specific applications is typical.

Typical applications or media handled by industrial hose include general purpose, agricultural, aviation or aerospace, chemical, construction, coolant, cryogenic, discharge, exhaust, fire hose, food and beverage processing, fresh air, garden or landscaping, heavy industry, high viscosity, HVAC, hydraulic, marine, medical or pharmaceutical, oil or fuel, pneumatic, powder or granules, refrigerant, sanitary, slurry, solids, steam, suction or vacuum, vapor or smoke or fumes, and water.

Industrial hose covers the broad spectrum of fluid transfer lines including flow lines for fluids and gases in pneumatic, hydraulic, or process applications, or specialized uses in heavy industry such as mining, geotechnical, and construction. Industrial hose is generally flexible and frequently reinforced; there are many reinforcement materials and geometries. Industrial hose is usually application-specific; consultation with hose manufacturers regarding specific applications is typical.

Typical applications or media handled by industrial hose include general purpose, agricultural, aviation or aerospace, chemical, construction, coolant, cryogenic, discharge, exhaust, fire hose, food and beverage processing, fresh air, garden or landscaping, heavy industry, high viscosity, HVAC, hydraulic, marine, medical or pharmaceutical, oil or fuel, pneumatic, powder or granules, refrigerant, sanitary, slurry, solids, steam, suction or vacuum, vapor or smoke or fumes, and water.

Important dimensions for the selection of industrial hose include the design units, inside diameter, and outside diameter.  Design units can be English such as inches or fractions of an inch, or metric such as millimeters or centimeters.  The inside diameter refers to the inside of the hose or liner.  The outside diameter is often a nominal specification for hoses of corrugated or pleated construction.  Important performance specifications to consider when searching for industrial hose include working pressure, maximum vacuum, minimum bend radius and temperature range.  The working pressure is the maximum service design pressure.  Maximum rated vacuum is most frequently given in inches or mm of mercury referenced below one standard atmosphere.  Minimum bend radius is based on a combination of acceptable hose cross-section deformation and mechanical bending limit of any reinforcement.  The temperature range is the full required range of ambient operating temperature.

Construction options for industrial hose include reinforced, coiled, corrugated or convoluted, articulated, and multi-element.  Reinforced hose is constructed with some element of reinforcement; styles include textile braid, wire braid, wire helix, and many other designs in many ply or layer configurations.  Coiled industrial hose is coiled for flexibility and elasticity; this feature often makes it expandable and easy to store.  Corrugated hose contains corrugations, pleats, or spiral convolutions to increase flexibility and capacity for compression and elongation.  Articulated industrial hose is rigid hose sections that are constructed with "joints" that can be swiveled, positioned, or articulated; often used in cases where hose discharge must be aimed, such as coolant delivery to a workpiece.  A multi-element hose is constructed of more than one hose formed or adhered together in a flat, ribbon, or bundled configuration.  Additional features to consider include integral end connections, anti-static, lay flat, crush proof, flame resistant, and explosion-proof.