An auto repair shop chose cheap, low-quality clamps for their engine cooling system to save costs. Just one week later, the clamps began to rust and loosen due to poor corrosion resistance, causing coolant leakage. As a result, the engine overheated and lost power, forcing the customer to return for repairs. Not only did the repair costs double, but the shop also faced customer complaints and damage to their reputation.
With so many clamp options on the market—varying in materials, brands, and quality—how can you be sure you’re selecting the right one? In fact, five key factors significantly impact clamp performance.
1. Material Compatibility
Different piping and hose materials—such as metal or plastic—perform differently under various environmental conditions and corrosion risks. For example, some metals tolerate higher temperatures, while certain plastics may degrade when exposed to chemicals or oils. Therefore, it’s essential to choose a clamp that matches the material it will contact.
In addition to offering lined clamps that protect against damage and corrosion at connection points, ETUKUNI supplies a full range of stainless steel clamps—from galvanized W1 clamps for standard applications to highly corrosion-resistant W5 stainless steel clamps.
2. Temperature Resistance
Many systems operate under extreme temperature fluctuations, which cause materials to expand and contract. For this reason, the right clamp must maintain clamping force while adapting to these dynamic changes.
3. Clamping Force
Your chosen clamp must provide sufficient load capacity and tensile strength to handle the required torque and maintain a tight seal. However, stronger isn’t always better—you need to apply the correct torque to avoid damaging components while preserving pressure. More importantly, torque must be evenly distributed across the hose. Depending on your system needs, consider these options:
- High-precision worm-drive clamps, capable of handling up to 17 Nm of torque
- High-torque clamps that support up to 20 Nm
4. Operating Environment
The location of your system matters. Clamps may be exposed to direct sunlight, mechanical heat sources, movement, vibration, or corrosive conditions—especially in settings like boiler rooms or marine applications. That’s why it’s critical to select a clamp suited to its environment.
To meet challenging conditions such as corrosive atmospheres, ETUKUNI subjects its clamps to salt spray testing. The longer a clamp lasts without damage, the better its corrosion resistance. For example:
- W1 clamps withstand 144 hours of salt spray exposure
- W5 clamps endure up to 1000 hours
5. Size & Fit
Last but not least, always match the clamp size to the diameter of your pipe or hose. Additionally, as the diameter increases, the band width should also increase to ensure strength and durability. ETUKUNI offers a wide selection of sizes:
- Clamps fit pipe diameters ranging from 6 mm to 625 mm
- Band widths available from 5 mm to 30 mm
Don't underestimate this small clamp—it could be the most critical component in your system. Rather than facing constant repairs and replacements, choose a high-quality, high-performance hose clamp from the start for greater efficiency and peace of mind.
We also partner with reliable manufacturing plants and can customize hose clamps in any size! Contact us for a free consultation.