Parker Hannifin, Parflex Division, has developed a quick to connect hose and fitting system for low pressure hydraulic and pneumatic systems.  The Rapid Assembly Hose system consists of Parflex 515H hose and Parker RA (Rapid Assembly) quick connecting hose fittings and adapters.  Together these products improve assembly time, overall connector costs and system weight. Parflex 515H hose is a light weight, fiber reinforced, low pressure thermoplastic hose that has great kink resistance.   Typically, a 1/4" 515H hose has a 20% smaller diameter than a standard 100R1 hose and a 25% tighter bend radius.  It is also 5 times lighter than comparable hoses.   

For a technician who is building multiple units each day, the light weight of 515H hose becomes an assembly advantage.  Coupled with the Parker RA quick connecting fittings, hose assembly time continues to decline.  Installation and performance tests at several large OEM’s have exceeded expectations in ease of assembly, routing and durability. The brass RA quick connect fittings offer Rapid Assembly convenience in a very compact, anti-corrosive and economical system.  The connector design is very simple, durable and easy to install, eliminating the need for wrenches or other tools.   However, the RA series fittings are not live swivels and care should be taken to insure that relative movement between the adapter and the hose fitting is eliminated.  Sealing is achieved through the use of petroleum and synthetic hydraulic oil resistant elastomeric o-rings.   Parflex 515H hose is exceptionally suited for routing through tight spaces while maintaining the flexibility of a more robust hose and is often used in pilot lines or joy stick applications where multiple hoses are required to fit into a tight space.  Sizes range from 3/16” I.D. up to ½” I.D. in a single or multi-line assembly.