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“Your price was higher than the other quote!” We hear this from customers on occasion. While it can be part of the sales negotiation dance, most of the time, it is due to a disparate comparison to a quote for PTFE hose assemblies that have materials of lesser quality. If your goal is quality, priced at fair value, the comparison of materials in PTFE hose and end fittings is very important. You should consider a lower cost PTFE hose alternative if that PTFE hose still meets the requirements of your process. Just make sure, when cutting corners, it will not diminish the integrity of your production line.
If you are just looking at the purchase cost and not considering the total cost of ownership over the lifecycle of the PTFE hose assembly, it very well could end up costing more as you consider production downtime or additional environmental requirements. An unwarranted breakdown of an initial manufacturing startup due to the wrong materials in your PTFE hose and, or fittings could be a critical blow to the bottom line. You may have to consider environmental demands that are more stringent as well. Will the PTFE hose and fittings be submerged in the ocean, some other outer media, exposed to higher heat or permeability in gas transfer, etc? While these have associated costs, you ensure success for your manufacturing system.
PTFE Materials | Flexibility | Pressure | Temperature | Cost |
---|---|---|---|---|
*thick wall PTFE hose | higher | higher | higher | higher |
thin wall PTFE hose | lower | lower | lower | lower |
Fittings Material | Strength | Corrosion Resistance | Environmental Considerations | Cost |
---|---|---|---|---|
carbon steel fittings | strong | poor | no good for non-toxic applications | lower |
304 stainless steel fittings | strong | good | can build up deposits/rust faster than 316 | lower |
*316 stainless steel fittings | strong | excellent | excellent for sanitary use | higher |
brass fittings | moderate | good | corrosion resistance diminishes over 400° F | higher |
*standard FlexFit Hose PTFE hose and fittings