Product description
Plastic hose barb fittings are used to connect flexible tubing in pharmaceutical, biotechnology and single-use fluid handling systems. The tubing is pushed over the barbed connection and mechanically retained using a suitable cable tie, clamp or tubing-retention system.
Straight connectors, reducing connectors and branching fittings are available for connecting tubing with equal or different internal diameters. Sizes cover tubing with internal diameters from approximately 1.6 mm to 25.4 mm (1/16" to 1").
Technical overview
Hose barb fittings provide a simple mechanical method for creating fluid-path connections without threaded or welded interfaces. Multiple fitting geometries can be incorporated into disposable tubing assemblies, manifolds and pharmaceutical process systems.
Standard configurations include straight hose barb couplers, reducing couplers and Wye connectors. Branching fittings can be used to divide or combine fluid paths, while reducing connectors allow different tubing sizes to be joined within the same assembly.
Fittings are available in cleanroom-produced and standard production versions. Cleanroom versions are manufactured and packaged under ISO Class 7 cleanroom conditions. Batch-related conformity documentation is available for the supplied components.
Operating principle
The flexible tubing is pushed over the tapered barbs of the fitting. The barb geometry creates mechanical resistance against the tubing pulling away from the connector while also supporting sealing between the tubing wall and the fitting surface.
A suitable tubing-retention method is normally applied over the outside of the tubing. Depending on the assembly requirements, this may include a cable tie, stainless-steel tubing clamp or plastic retaining ring.
Straight couplers connect tubing sections of the same nominal size. Reducing couplers provide a transition between two different tubing diameters, while Wye fittings divide one fluid path into two branches or combine two lines into one common line.
Material options
Hose barb fittings are available in several polymer materials. The appropriate material should be selected according to process-fluid compatibility, sterilisation method, operating temperature and required technical documentation.
Common material options include:
- Polypropylene (PP)
- PVDF
- HDPE
- Additional polymer grades depending on fitting configuration
PVDF is particularly suitable for applications requiring increased chemical and temperature resistance and can be considered for autoclavable process configurations.
Material options are available with USP Class VI conformity and are specified as free from animal-derived components. Exact FDA and material documentation should be confirmed for the selected fitting material.
Available micron ratings
Not applicable. Hose barb fittings are fluid connection components rather than filtration media and therefore do not have a micron or pore-size rating.
If filtration is required within the same fluid path, a membrane, capsule, vent or other suitable filter can be incorporated separately into the tubing assembly.
Design and construction
Plastic hose barb fittings are available in several geometries to support different fluid-path layouts.
Straight hose barb couplers
Straight couplers connect two tubing sections with the same nominal internal diameter. Available listed tubing sizes range from 1/16" through 1".
| Tubing ID | Metric equivalent |
|---|---|
| 1/16" | Approx. 1.6 mm |
| 3/32" | Approx. 2.4 mm |
| 1/8" | Approx. 3.2 mm |
| 5/32" | Approx. 4.0 mm |
| 3/16" | Approx. 4.8 mm |
| 1/4" | Approx. 6.4 mm |
| 5/16" | Approx. 7.9 mm |
| 3/8" | Approx. 9.5 mm |
| 1/2" | Approx. 12.7 mm |
| 5/8" | Approx. 15.9 mm |
| 3/4" | Approx. 19.1 mm |
| 1" | Approx. 25.4 mm |
Reducing hose barb couplers
Reducing connectors provide different hose barb dimensions at each end, allowing two different tubing IDs to be connected without a separate adapter. Multiple combinations are available across the supported tubing range.
Wye and branching fittings
Wye fittings provide three barbed connection points and are used to split, combine or distribute process flow within a tubing assembly or manifold. Multiple tubing sizes are available from small-bore fluid paths through 1-inch tubing systems.
Additional branching geometries can also be considered where the required fluid-path layout cannot be achieved using a standard straight, reducing or Wye connector.
Production and sterilisation
Cleanroom versions are manufactured and packaged under ISO Class 7 cleanroom conditions. Standard versions are also available for applications that do not require cleanroom production.
Depending on the selected polymer, fittings can be incorporated into gamma-sterilised single-use systems or autoclavable process assemblies. PVDF configurations are particularly relevant for processes involving elevated temperatures or chemically aggressive media.
Available conformity information includes:
- USP Class VI
- FDA conformity for suitable material configurations
- Free from animal-derived components
- Batch-related certificate of compliance
- ISO Class 7 cleanroom production option
- Gamma-sterilisable configurations
- Autoclavable material configurations
Typical applications
Plastic hose barb fittings are widely used wherever flexible tubing needs to be connected, reduced or divided within pharmaceutical and biotechnology fluid-handling systems.
- Single-use tubing assemblies
- Single-use bag and bottle assemblies
- Multi-use process assemblies
- Liquid transfer
- Sampling systems
- Cell cultivation
- Cell harvest
- Fermentation
- Pharmaceutical filling
- Fluid distribution manifolds
- Buffer and media transfer
- General bioprocess tubing connections
Key benefits
- Wide tubing range: fittings are available for tubing IDs from approximately 1.6 mm to 25.4 mm.
- Multiple geometries: straight, reducing and branching connectors support different fluid-path layouts.
- Different tubing sizes can be connected: reducing fittings provide direct transitions between different internal diameters.
- Simple tubing connection: the tubing is pushed directly onto the barb and secured using an appropriate retention method.
- Multiple polymer options: materials can be selected according to temperature, chemical compatibility and sterilisation requirements.
- Single-use compatibility: fittings can be incorporated into gamma-sterilised disposable assemblies.
- Autoclave options: suitable material configurations can be used in autoclavable process systems.
- Cleanroom option: fittings can be manufactured and packaged under ISO Class 7 conditions.
Configuration and quotation
Hose barb fittings should be selected according to the tubing dimensions, process fluid, sterilisation method and required fluid-path geometry.
For technical selection and quotation, provide the following information where available:
- Required fitting geometry: straight, reducing, Wye or other branching type
- Tubing inner diameter for each connection
- Tubing material and outer diameter
- Preferred fitting material
- Process fluid
- Operating temperature
- Operating pressure
- Gamma irradiation or autoclave requirement
- Cleanroom or standard production requirement
- Required conformity documentation
- Required quantity or annual demand
- Whether the fitting will be integrated into a complete single-use assembly
Fittings can also be supplied as part of a configured tubing, bag, bottle, sampling or fluid-transfer assembly.