How is a fire hose made?
A fire hose is primarily a sturdy pipe which is capable of releasing a fire extinguishing material like water or foam at a great speed. Thus, while manufacturing a fire hose, it is essential to ensure that the hose itself is made of such a material which is capable of withstanding great force and pressure. Hire services from us if you are looking for flexible hose manufacturers.
Moreover, when the fire extinguishing material is released from the hose, it is important to ensure that the foam or liquid has a wider coverage area. In other words, the water or foam must be released at such a high speed that it covers the entire area that is under fire. Hence, a fire hose must be manufactured with the utmost care and by adhering to all standards for the manufacturing of fire hoses. Some steps that manufacturers follow while making fire hoses have been discussed below.
1.Selecting suitable yarn for manufacturing a fire hose
The primary raw materials with which a fire hose is made in nylon and polyester. The primary reason for it is both nylon and polyester have high tensile strengths. In other words, these do not break easily under high pressure. ‘Spun Polyester Threads’ or ‘PP Spun’ and ‘Nylon Filament’ are the preferred raw materials for making the hose itself. These materials are abrasion resistant which means nylon and polyester will not tear even if subjected to high frictional force. When water or foam passes through the hose pipe these will naturally rub against the inner walls of the hose. Thus, it is essential to select an abrasion-resistant material to manufacture a hose, so that the hose does not break or tear when subjected to high frictional force.
2.Spinning the yarn for the pipe
Once the suitable raw material for manufacturing the fire hose has been identified, manufacturers can now proceed with developing or spinning the yarn. The yarns run throughout the inner and outer surface of the hose pipe. These yarns are made by bundling together nearly seven to fifteen individual filaments of nylon and polyester. This adds extra strength to the yarn. There are also separate yarns that run around the entire circumference of the pipe. The ‘warp’ and ‘filler’ yarn are wound together in an entwined or criss-cross manner to give more strength to the hose pipe and make it abrasion-resistant.
3.Manufacturing the inner and outer jackets of the pipe
Once the yarns are made, these have to be fed into the looms wherein the actual manufacturing of the fire hose begins. Unlike normal looms a loom manufacturing a fire hose has two bobbins. Each bobbin is fed with ‘filler’ yarn, and the bobbins move in a circular manner through the ‘warp’ yarns in the loom. This helps create a criss-cross design which adds strength to both the inner and outer jackets of the fire hose. This entire weaving process is carried out at an extremely high speed, and once the weaving is done it is wound on a reel.
4.Making the hose
The outer jacket of a fire hose will naturally have a wider circumference in comparison to the inner jacket, because the inner jacket has to be inserted into the outer jacket. After that, a liner made of vulcanized or cured rubber is inserted into the hose, and the inner surface of the entire hose is sealed. The rubber makes the hose more pliable and. Once this process is completed, various metal objects like couplers, nozzles and regulators for controlling the flow of water or foam are added to the pipe.
5.Quality control
Once the hose pipe has been manufactured, these have to undergo a rigorous quality control process. A fire hose is the only equipment in the hands of a firefighter to successfully stop the spreading of fire. Thus, a fire hose must be manufactured in such a manner that it meets the highest standard with regard to quality. Additionally, the hose itself should be easy to handle. Although firefighters are given adequate training in handling fire hoses an unduly complicated or a badly manufactured hose will only prove to be counterproductive. In a high tension situation like a major fire in a residential area, it is essential that the equipment used to manage the fire is both sturdy and easy to handle. Avail our services when looking for flexible hose manufacturers.
Thus, companies involved in manufacturing of fire hoses and other fire fighting equipment ensure that their products are top-notch and meet all requirements of standardized tests. With modernization and the advancement of technology, the manufacturing process of fire hoses too has become mechanized. However, fire hose manufacturers are always on the lookout for suitable organic materials that can be used to manufacture hoses that are environment-friendly, but at the same time have the same qualities as the ones made from nylon and polyester.