Specialties Company fabricates custom metal hose assemblies to order at our 30,000 sq ft facility in Freeport, Texas. Flexible metal hose is what you reach for when elastomers and thermoplastics run out of temperature, pressure or chemical headroom — and unlike rubber assemblies, the ends are welded rather than crimped, which means the assembly is only as good as the shop that built it.

Flexible Metal Hose Construction

Flexible metal hose comes in two families, and picking the wrong one is the most common specification mistake we see.

• Annular corrugated hose — ring-shaped corrugations that flex uniformly and drain completely. Pressure-tight, and the standard for essentially all industrial liquid and gas transfer.
• Helical corrugated hose — a continuous spiral. Better flow characteristics, but it will not drain fully and it is less forgiving in flexing service.
• Stripwound hose — interlocked strip, not pressure-tight. For abrasion, high temperature, ducting and protective casing.

Stainless Steel Braided Hose

Over the corrugated core goes a wire braid that contains pressure and limits elongation. Stainless steel braided hose is supplied unbraided, single-braid or double-braid depending on working pressure and the movement the assembly has to absorb. More braid raises pressure rating but stiffens the assembly, so braid selection is a tradeoff against bend radius, not a free upgrade.

Standard core and braid materials are 321 and 316L stainless for general chemical, steam and cryogenic service. For aggressive media we build in Monel 400, Hastelloy C-276 and C-22, and Inconel — covered in detail on our Monel and alloy metal hose page.

Welded End Connections

End fittings are welded, not crimped. ANSI 150#, 300# and higher flanges, NPT male and female, tube stubs for field welding, sanitary Tri-Clamp, camlock, union and dry-disconnect couplers. Fittings are matched to the core alloy so the weld does not become a galvanic couple — a Monel core gets Monel ends, not stainless.

Pump Connectors and Vibration Isolation

Not every metal hose assembly moves media. A large share of what we fabricate absorbs movement: pump and compressor connectors isolating vibration so it does not transmit into the pipe rack, and flexible connections at equipment nozzles. These are specified from the movement, not from the flow, and getting the live length right is the entire job.

Where the movement is thermal growth along a pipe run rather than continuous flexing, a bellows unit is usually the better device — see metal expansion joints and bellows.

Sizing It Correctly

Metal hose fails from over-bending and torsion far more often than from pressure. An assembly cut to the distance between two flanges, with no allowance for the arc it travels through, will fatigue at the braid-to-fitting transition and fail early. Send us the actual movement — travel, direction, cycle frequency, and whether flexing is constant or intermittent — and we will size the live length rather than just matching port size and centerline distance.

Torsion is the other killer. Metal hose is not designed to twist. If the installation requires the assembly to rotate, say so and we will design around it.

Fabrication and Testing

Assemblies are built in-house, hydrostatically tested, and supplied with test documentation on request. Every assembly is tagged so your maintenance group can trace it later. Send a drawing, a part number, or a photo of the assembly you are replacing, and we will match it.

Typical Applications

Chemical and acid transfer, steam and hot oil lines, cryogenic and LNG service, pump and compressor connectors, thermal expansion loops, tank car and truck loading, exhaust and flue connections, vacuum service, and jacketed process lines.

What to Include in Your Quote Request

• Hose ID and overall length (OAL), or the face-to-face dimension
• Alloy, or the media and temperature so we can select it
• Braid requirement, or working pressure
• End fittings and orientation on both ends
• The movement the assembly must absorb, and whether flexing is constant
• Any documentation or testing requirements

Use the quote form above or call (979) 233-6223. Our team replies with pricing and lead time, usually within 1–2 business hours.

Related Hose Assemblies

• Metal expansion joints and bellows — single, universal, tied, hinged and gimbal
• Monel and alloy metal hose — alloy selection for aggressive and high-temperature media
• Hose Master metal hose — full line stocked and fabricated
• High pressure and custom hose assemblies
• PTFE hose assemblies — when a fluoropolymer liner suits better than metal