Manufacturer of critical instrumentation protection strengthens service in Europe.

AMETEK O’Brien has announced the establishment of a new manufacturing facility in Subotica, Serbia. The facility will serve as a regional production hub supporting industrial projects across Europe, a strategic market priority, with expanded reach into adjacent markets.

Scheduled to be fully operational in April 2026, the new facility will manufacture a broad portfolio of O’Brien solutions, including TracePak® and StackPak® heat‑traced tubing bundles, non‑traced tubing bundles, as well as GRP instrument enclosures (Vipak®) and GRP sunshades. Localised production enables closer alignment with regional requirements while maintaining O’Brien’s global standards for quality and performance.

For project-driven customers, European manufacturing directly addresses challenges associated with long transatlantic supply chains—such as extended lead times, freight volatility, and limited flexibility late in the project lifecycle. By producing closer to execution, AMETEK O’Brien improves schedule certainty, reduces logistics complexity, and increases responsiveness to engineering changes, project phasing, and site‑specific requirements.

“Customer expectations for regional manufacturing and predictable delivery have fundamentally changed,” said Nikhil Chaube, DVP BU Manager of TPM. “This investment reflects strong demand for European‑based production that supports faster project execution, better coordination, and reduced supply‑chain risk. This facility gives us the scale and proximity needed to meet those expectations.”

Beyond manufacturing, the facility strengthens regional sales and technical collaboration, improving day‑to‑day coordination with engineering and procurement teams and enabling faster response aligned with European standards, approvals, and installation practices.

While Europe is the primary focus, the new location also supports select projects in nearby regions through established European logistics corridors and certification frameworks, reinforcing AMETEK O’Brien’s role as a long‑term partner for geographically complex projects with heat‑traced tubing bundles, instrument enclosures, and engineered winterisation systems.

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@AMETEKPI @AMETEKInc #PAuto #Serbia

Antistatic hosing.

Enhances safety in oil and petroleum transfer operations.

Danfoss Power Solutions has launched its Boston by Danfoss EHP530 and EHP531 antistatic hoses. Designed for oil, fuel, and gas transfer applications, the hoses increase safety, reliability, and ease of use. Suitable for suction and discharge applications, EHP530 and EHP531 antistatic hoses enhance safety by protecting against static buildup and discharge. 

The inner tube is constructed of a specialized antistatic rubber compound, ensuring 100% antistatic performance. The hoses feature high-tensile textile reinforcement with copper wire for grounding and steel helix wire to prevent collapse during suction, enhancing performance and reliability. An NVC blend rubber cover offers ozone and oil resistance.

EHP530 hose has a pressure rating of 10.5 bar (150 psi) and is available in sizes ranging from -12 to -192. EHP531 hose features a pressure rating of 20.7 bar (300 psi) and is available in sizes ranging from -16 to -128. All hoses within each product line maintain these pressure ratings, offering consistent performance regardless of size. With a 3:1 safety factor, the hoses offer durability and reliability in demanding applications.

EHP530 and EHP531 hoses offer greater flexibility than other petroleum and oil transfer hoses on the market, making them easier to handle during assembly and operation. With dual ink and embossed laylines, the hose is easier to identify — even after a long service life — which improves traceability and simplifies hose replacement.

“Our new Boston by Danfoss EHP530 and EHP531 hoses are a standout product for safety-critical applications such as oil and gas transfer,” said Okan Cebeci, EMEA product manager, Rubber Hydraulic Hose and Fittings, Danfoss Power Solutions. “Offering fully antistatic construction, consistent pressure performance across a variety of sizes, and superior flexibility, the hoses can help increase safety, reliability, and ease of use.”

EHP530 and EHP531 hoses are compatible with various oil types and petroleum, including petroleum products with aromatic content up to 50%. Wide chemical compatibility enables the hoses to be reliably used across a range of applications in the oil and gas industry.

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@DanfossPower @Danfoss @NapierPR #Construction #Automation

Hydraulic tubing assy.

Danfoss Power Solutions has launched its WalringPlus soft seal cutting ring system. Optimized for thin-wall tube, the WalringPlus system enables easy, safe, and repeatable assembly of hydraulic tubing as well as reliable, leak-free operation.

The WalringPlus system is engineered to address the common causes of leaks that can result in costly damage and downtime. Soft sealing prevents leakage due to scratches in the tube or studs, fluid temperature fluctuation, and reduced retention force. Compared to other soft seal cutting ring systems, the WalringPlus system offers improved leak prevention through a unique two-edge design that provides two additional O-rings and integrates the O-ring within the cutting ring to avoid separate assembly of the seal. The system also eliminates the need to insert additional sleeves that increase costs and reduce flow rates.

The WalringPlus system prevents excessive or insufficient tightening. A clear block-stop function provides a tangible torque increase when an operator reaches the end of an assembly, so no torque or distance measurement is required. In addition, a significantly lower force is needed to pull the cutting ring over the tube, making assembly easier, faster, and safer, while reducing the risk of damage to the soft seal. Problems due to low assembly torque can also be identified before the cutting ring is pulled from the tube, reducing the risk of failure in operation. The O-ring groove position enables frequent reassembly with no impact on performance.

“Thin-walled tubing with higher mechanical strength is growing in popularity for hydraulic applications, particularly in compact, lightweight equipment,” said Christian Kuenstel, global product management leader, Connectors, Danfoss Power Solutions. “Used in combination with thin-wall tube, WalringPlus can help reduce the weight, and therefore the fuel consumption, of machinery. With the system’s innovative features supporting safe assembly and reliable performance, WalringPlus is a win-win.”

The Waltech M-R7 machine can further reduce assembly time and effort as well as the risk of leaks. By automating the process of cutting ring assembly and tube forming, the M-R7 machine helps ensure optimum system performance while reducing the required torque and rotation.

WalringPlus is designed for hydraulic tube fitting applications in industries such as agriculture, construction, commercial vehicles, discrete manufacturing, rail transport, and more. The system is ISO 8434-1 compliant and can be used for tube sizes ranging from 6 to 42 millimeters. It offers a working pressure of up to 800 bar.

@Danfoss @NapierPR #PAuto #Manufacturing #Transportation

Machine reduces risk of assembly errors.

The Danfoss Power Solutions' WalformConnect machine, With an array of digital features, data tracking, and cloud connectivity, enables simple and safe hydraulic tube forming within the Walform® system — a leading cold forming metric tube fitting system — driving reliable performance and optimized production processes.

Designed to help customers ensure correct forming of high-performance hydraulic tubes, the WalformConnect machine features an array of digital capabilities and connectivity options. The new machine reduces the risk of assembly errors with a barcode scanner that verifies the correct tooling to use. In addition, the machine automatically indicates the compatible clamping jaw part number and tube parameters.

The WalformConnect machine enables in-depth production monitoring by capturing a range of real-time data, such as cycle times, machine temperature, and tool clamping status. Operators and supervisors can easily access information on what proportion of a production lot is complete, the cycle time per order, and more. The ability to monitor multiple machines in the cloud enables easier operational planning. In addition, historical production data and information on past orders can be saved on an individual machine or in the cloud, enabling easy local or remote analysis to further improve production. The machine can be fully integrated into a customer’s manufacturing process, allowing for paperless production with orders sent directly from an enterprise resource planning system.

To maximize WalformConnect machine uptime, real-time monitoring can automatically provide maintenance teams with information to support error resolution, while remote software updates and failure analysis further reduce the risk of production delays.

“Customers around the world rely on the Walform system for dependable, leak-free performance when it matters most,” said Christian Kuenstel, global product management leader, Connectors, Danfoss Power Solutions. “Our new WalformConnect machine will help make it even easier to ensure fast and safe tube assembly through its suite of digital capabilities. With complete visibility into production data, supervisors can enhance efficiency, ensure quality, and minimize the risk of unplanned downtime. WalformConnect is a win-win for anyone that wants streamlined production and absolute tube-fitting reliability in high-pressure and high-vibration applications where safety is crucial.”

The WalformConnect machine enables easy and safe forming of steel and stainless steel tubing in 6 to 42 millimeter sizes. The Walform system is widely used in demanding industry applications throughout agriculture, construction, manufacturing, transport, oil and gas, and more.

@Danfoss @NapierPR #Maunfacturing #PAuto 

Hydraulic hoses and fittings.

The Synflex Optimum family of thermoplastic hydraulic hoses and fittings has been launched by Eaton. These are designed to work together to improve hydraulic system performance, simplify assembly and optimise inventory.

With high abrasion resistance and a wide range of pressures, the Synflex Optimum system is ideal for demanding applications including aerial lifts, agricultural and construction machinery, forestry equipment, car hauler trailers, lift trucks, marine environments, chemical plants and car wash systems.

“Many manufacturers provide either hoses or fittings, leading to frustration for machine builders and end users,” said Dimitar Atanasov, product manager, Fluid Conveyance, Eaton. “Optimising the hose and fitting to work together can result in longer hose assembly life and less equipment downtime. And because one fitting can be used across multiple hose styles, it is both easier to streamline inventory and assemble the system.”

Eaton’s Synflex Optimum hoses are built to withstand extreme environmental conditions and high abrasion applications. Constructed with a new, innovative thermoplastic material, the hoses offer the low temperature and flexibility of polyester-lined hoses along with the chemical compatibility of nylon-lined hoses. Available with pressure ratings from 70 bar to 350 bar, the hoses are a powerful component for heavy lifting and handling equipment. Eaton’s custom thermoforming process allows for hoses to be moulded into configurations that match the system design, resulting in tighter routing, faster machine building and optimised performance.

The Synflex Optimum fittings, specifically designed to complement Synflex Optimum thermoplastic hydraulic hoses, feature a compact design and smaller profile for easier routing and assembly. The fittings follow a simple one-piece design to reduce matching errors and assembly time while eliminating brazing-failure risks. Eaton’s captive nut helps to eliminate the weak spots found in other fittings and can increase safety in applications with high levels of vibration, as well as prevent cracks and leaks that lead to unplanned downtime. Dura-Kote plating, which delivers up to 1,000 hours of corrosion resistance, comes as standard on the new fittings.

@eatoncorp @ArmitageComm #PAuto

Long life peri-pump with added chemical resistance!

Blue-White® has introduced a new heavy duty pump tube, Flex-A-Prene™ available exclusively for Blue-White’s Flex-Pro® and Proseries-M® Peristaltic Metering Pumps.

Flex-A-Prene™ has been carefully engineered and designed for optimum performance and pressure capability. Because it offers unmatched tube life, precise flow rate, and high chemical resistance, this new tube design cuts down on pump maintenance and related costs.

The long lasting, dual molded tube withstands high pressures (up to 125PSI), and retro-fits onto all Flex-Flo® and Proseries-M® Model peristaltic metering pumps currently in the field.

This exclusive clamp-less tube fitting is available with multiple connection fitting types, including ½” M/NPT, ½” barb fitting, 3/8” OD tube compression, tri-clamp and quick disconnect. Multiple patents are pending.

Instrumentation tubing optimised for high reliability in harsh environments

The design of fluid instrumentation systems for use in harsh and corrosive environments has been boosted by an optimised new grade of 6Mo tubing. The mechanical characteristics of the new ‘Parker Grade’ 6Mo tubing have been optimised to ensure integrity of connections made using instrumentation compression type fittings from the Instrumentation Products Division of Parker Hannifin – the global leader in motion and control technologies.

Parker’s long history in special-purpose alloy tube fittings has enabled it to build up a wealth of expertise and knowledge about corrosion resistant materials such as 6Mo. The company has played a formative role in the industry take-up of the alloy, which is now the material of choice for many instrumentation tubing systems on new and refurbished North Sea oil and gas production platforms.

Containing at least 6 percent molybdenum, 6Mo alloy is a super-austenitic stainless steel. The material is more resistant to chloride-induced pitting, crevice attack and stress corrosion cracking than standard 300 series or duplex stainless steel, making it ideal for offshore applications demanding durability and reliability in a hostile environment. Parker produces 6Mo versions of various types of instrumentation tube fittings, together with a series of 6Mo tubing clamps, and can also machine instrument valves and manifolds in the material.

Many instrumentation system designers specify two ferrule compression fittings for the assembly of small-bore tubing, with the 6Mo version of Parker’s A-LOK design proving a popular choice for today’s offshore projects. As with all two ferrule fittings, the rear ferrule needs to be harder than the tube it is gripping so that it ‘bites’ into the tube material during assembly helping to create a reliable, pressure-tight seal. Parker hardens the rear ferrule of 6Mo A-LOK fittings using its unique Suparcase process, which provides market-leading corrosion resistance.

However, when ordering instrumentation tubing, customers often simply specify an ASTM standard to their supplier. These standards do not always guarantee an optimum material property for a high integrity tube and fitting combination. The result can be tubing that is harder than necessary, for example, and therefore less than ideal for use with twin ferrule compression fittings.

As part of its ongoing commitment to helping users improve the integrity and corrosion resistance of instrumentation systems, Parker ensures that all tubing stocked by the company and its distributors is fully compatible with its range of fittings. After exhaustive testing and analysis of 6Mo tubing, Parker has defined a stringent specification and tolerances for its manufacture that allows the material’s properties to be controlled very precisely. By collaborating with its supplier and auditing the company to verify compliance, Parker is able to provide the new Parker Grade 6Mo tubing with mechanical characteristics that are optimally matched to the capability of its 6Mo instrumentation fittings.

According to Paul Shaddick, Product Manager for Parker Hannifin's Instrumentation Products Division, “Extending the reach of our quality control standards to encompass the manufacturing processes used by our supplier of 6Mo alloy tubing is a major step forward in our product development strategy. Our customers can now obtain all the 6Mo instrumentation connection technology they need for an offshore project from a single source, secure in the knowledge that the components are compatible. This simplifies component procurement and distribution, helps speed installation, and eliminates potential leak paths in 6Mo compression fittings.”

Parker Grade 6Mo instrumentation tubing is available in a wide range of imperial and metric sizes up to 1 inch/25 mm OD, and its 6Mo A-LOK two ferrule compression fittings are suitable for the majority of topside applications involving pressures up to 413 bar/6,000 PSI.

Twister turns!

Unique robotic tube bending system can dramatically speed production

A unique robot-based CNC tube bending machine that provides metal fabricators with unprecedented flexibility for manufacturing complex preassembled tubular parts is now available from Unison.

Known as the 'Twister', the machine combines a high performance multi-axis industrial robot with an exceptionally compact and versatile all-electric tube bending station. It is ideal for companies seeking to streamline their manufacturing operations by eliminating process stages, or wishing to accelerate small batch size production of specialist parts by minimizing tool changeovers.

The Twister robotic tube bender has been launched following the new joint sales and marketing initiative announced by Unison and Rosenberger, which aims to provide customers with the widest choice of all-electric tube bending and allied processing automation on the market, backed by extensive applications support expertise. Both companies are renowned innovators of tube bending automation, and their combined range of all-electric, servomotor-controlled machines now covers tube diameters from 16 to 200 mm.

Conventionally, most tube bending operations are performed on straight sections of tube, and other components that make up the final assembled product such as tube fittings or other rigid tubes or hoses are added after bending in subsequent process stages. To a large degree, this manufacturing sequence is dictated by the tube bender, which grips the tube with an in-line collet to progressively push it past the bending head and rotate it for any out-of-plane bends. As a consequence, the tube material needs to be straight and free from obstructions, and bends can only be made in an order that corresponds to the direction of tube advancement.

Developed by Rosenberger specifically to provide a more flexible solution than conventional systems for bending preassembled tubular parts, the Twister uses a fully articulated six-axis industrial robot for all tube transport, material feed and rotate functions. The robot arm is equipped with pneumatically-powered gripper fingers - which are part-specific and exchangeable under program control - and handles all X, Y and Z axis movement of the tube as it is being bent.

All axes are driven by servo motors and capable of extremely precise positioning - tubes can be bent to within 0.05 degrees, with a repeatable feed accuracy of just 0.01 mm. Unlike conventional tube benders, the grippers can relinquish their hold and reposition during the bending cycle while the tube is clamped - for example, to hold the other end of the tube - enabling complex shapes to be formed in any desired sequence.

The pedestal-mounted bending station can be equipped with up to five bending heads to facilitate uninterrupted production of parts with multiple bend radii, and is capable of right and left bending to any angle up to 210 degrees. Changeover of tools and part programs is simple and can be accomplished in less than five minutes. Like the robot, the bending heads are driven by high accuracy, energy-efficient servo motors, and offer fully programmable speed profiles for optimum control of material flow.

All machine setup and operation is controlled via an ergonomic HMI, based on a mobile touch-sensitive panel with an integral PC. Part programs can be generated using the panel PC or any standard office computer, and verified before downloading to the bending machine's PLC-based CNC controller. The
software provides a unified environment, capitalizing on the tight functional integration of the robot and bending station to ensure that its programming is as simple as a conventional all-electric bending machine.

According to Alan Pickering of Unison, "Rosenberger has an installed base of over 1000 bending machines, with a particularly significant presence in the automotive industry. To date, the company has supplied 40 Twister machines to this sector, for manufacturing a wide range of parts including seat brackets, head restraint frames and preassembled components such as hydraulic power transmission lines. We believe that the machine's use of a robot as an intrinsic part of the bending process, rather than just for handling, has considerable merit for a wide range of tube bending applications. The Twister can easily be integrated with other process automation such as cutting or end-forming machines, and is readily scalable to suit large automated manufacturing cells."

Unison currently offers three versions of Twister, capable of bending steel tubes with outside diameters of 20, 30 and 50 mm. The 20 and 30 mm models can handle tube thicknesses up to 2 mm, while the larger model can accommodate a tube thickness of 4 mm.

Small bore training!

New expert training targets the safety and integrity of small bore tubing systems

A new approach to training for best practice installation of small bore tubing systems has been launched by the Instrumentation Products Division of Parker Hannifin. The company's new Small Bore Expert (SBEx) courses provide a detailed and personalized understanding that allows users to specify and install efficient, safe and leak-free small bore tubing systems.

Small bore tubing systems are used extensively in a wide range of industries, ranging from fluid instrumentation systems in processing plants to laboratory equipment. Yet choosing the correct tube materials, tube sizes, fixtures and fittings to suit a particular application, and securing high integrity leak-free connections, can sometimes prove daunting to inexperienced users.

Parker's new SBEx course replaces its well-known Safety at Work programme, and following feedback from customers, places far greater emphasis on small bore tubing issues including tube selection, fittings and installation. Each course lasts half a day, or a full day if participants wish to gain practical hands-on experience of preparation, cutting, bending, installation and verifying connection integrity.

SBEx courses are run by professionally-trained and equipped Parker distributors. They are currently available from four key  distributors in Britain, with a further 95 lined up to extend the service level across Europe. The courses will also be run by Parker's 22 direct sales facilities and become available in the Middle East and Africa in the future.

According to Stuart Jessop, European Business Development Manager at Parker, "We are constantly looking to help users achieve high integrity, leak-free systems. We believe that our new SBEx courses, which are run by distributors who have undergone an intensive five days of training covering all aspects of small bore tubing, will widen the opportunities for users to gain precisely the skills and experience they require for their particular installations. Unlike traditional training programmes, which simply demonstrate how to assemble a tube fitting correctly, SBEx courses can be tailored to suit individuals' needs. This will result in higher integrity tubing systems and safer product installation."

Parker's SBEx courses can be run at distributors' or customers' premises, or at one of Parker's facilities. Depending upon availability, there is also the possibility that the Parker mobile exhibition vehicle can be used by distributors to provide customer training facilities.