In modern vehicles, machines and systems, installation space is becoming a scarce resource. Air, cooling, hot-air and media lines must be able to route around structural components, units and thermal hotspots without reducing flow cross-sections, blocking assembly windows or failing due to mechanical pre-tension. Standard hoses regularly fail here at tight bend radii, multi-axis geometries or the lack of dimensional consistency across the series.
As a specialist in geometrically adapted hose solutions, MST-Flexduct develops flexible line systems that fit exactly into such complex environments. Molded hoses, elbows, bends and modular ducting elements are designed on the basis of the customer’s CAD design data, digitally validated and manufactured in reproducible OEM series quality. The result: line systems that give design teams in automotive, aviation, rail and mechanical engineering back their installation space, without compromising on function or durability.
Challenges posed by tight installation spaces
Designers today face ever more complex requirements. Electrification, aerodynamics, lightweight construction and compact drives significantly reduce the space available for line systems. Air, cooling, hot-air and media lines must simultaneously:
- be routed in a flow-efficient way, without cross-section losses due to ovality or wrinkling
- be designed thermally safely, even in the immediate vicinity of thermal sources and cooling areas
- remain vibration- and pressure-stable, despite permanent mechanical installation stress
- be designed for ease of assembly, for collision-free installation in tight access windows
- and at the same time be integrable into the existing installation space, often with tolerances in the single-digit millimeter range
Standard solutions quickly reach their limits here. It is often a few millimeters or angular degrees that decide whether a line fits or whether an entire assembly has to be redesigned. MST-Flexduct develops flexible geometries that overcome exactly such bottlenecks while still meeting all technical requirements.
Talk to our experts
Together we develop the right industrial hose for your application. We advise you on a technically sound and project-oriented basis.
Molded hoses, elbows & special geometric shapes
MST-Flexduct molded hoses enable complex, three-dimensional line routing that integrates cleanly into the existing installation-space concept. They frequently replace rigid pipe systems or inflexible standard components and reduce the number of components and connection points in the system.
These include:
- Defined elbows and bends with tight D/d ratios without loss of cross-section
- Transitions with changed diameters or a changed cross-section shape (round/oval/rectangular)
- Branches in Y or T geometries as one-piece molded-hose components
- Multi-stage molded-hose systems with several changes of direction in one spatial plane
- Hybrid structures made of molded hose and bellows for decoupling and flexibility
- Custom-made connectors between rigid pipes and flexible line segments
Through precise manufacturing and coordinated layer structures, even tight radii can be realized without impairing flow or function.
Flow-optimized & material-efficient designs
In addition to the geometric fit, flow quality plays a central role. Air and media flows must not be impaired by unnecessary turbulence or cross-section changes. MST-Flexduct combines materials expertise, flow-related considerations and design fine-tuning to develop lines that enable maximum performance with minimal installation space. Smoother inner surfaces, optimized bend radii and functional transitions ensure that pressure losses are minimized and air velocities kept stable.
Affected areas:
Hot-air routing in turbochargers and engine-adjacent systems
HVAC systems in vehicles, rail vehicles and aircraft
Turbocharger pipe connections in the hot-end and cold-end area
Battery cooling in electric and hybrid vehicles
Cabin air-conditioning systems in rail and aviation (ECS)
Energy-efficient units with optimized ventilation and cooling lines
CAD support & development process
Installation-space solutions are created digitally today. MST-Flexduct works directly with your design data and supports you from the first geometric check through to series approval:
- Geometric feasibility check based on the 3D model
- Digital shape validation with tolerance and clearance checking against adjacent components
- Iterative adaptation to system environments without physical sample loops
- Prototypes and pre-series samples for installation and function validation
- Series-approval tools based on approved CAD geometries
Through digital interfaces, molded hoses can be adapted exactly to engine blocks, battery boxes, unit carriers or other components. Early coordination in the development process reduces development cycles, minimizes sources of error and creates a solid basis for the later series tools. Design data is treated confidentially at MST-Flexduct and, on request, secured by a confidentiality agreement (NDA).
Series production & quality standards
An installation-space-optimized molded hose only becomes a real solution when it also functions reproducibly and dimensionally accurately in series. MST-Flexduct produces flexible line systems with high repeatability and documented process reliability. Series production takes into account:
Defined tolerances for all geometric characteristic dimensions of the molded geometry
Reproducible geometries through fixed manufacturing tools and molding tools
Material-compliant, controlled manufacturing processes for layer structure and vulcanization
Multi-layer elastomer-textile structures for permanent dimensional stability
Strict mechanical and thermal tests to IATF 16949 or AS9100
Complete traceability with batch-related inspection documentation
This ensures that every batch has exactly the same geometry and performance parameters as the approved sample. This is a decisive factor for OEM and Tier-1 customers, where dimensional deviations lead directly to assembly failures and setup interruptions.
Why MST-Flexduct?
Installation-space bottlenecks are among the most frequent technical challenges of modern design. An unsuitable line routing leads to flow losses, thermal problems, assembly obstructions or increased material fatigue due to installation stress. If the problem is only recognized late in the development process, expensive change statuses arise.
MST-Flexduct combines flow-related understanding, materials expertise and precise manufacturing to develop flexible line systems that not only fit geometrically but are also durable in the long term. The solutions are always created in close exchange with design and R&D, from the first digital model through to series approval to IATF 16949 or AS9100.
Your advantages at a glance
- Molded hoses with tight bend radii (D/d < 1.5) without loss of cross-section due to ovality or wrinkling
- 3D shaping for multi-axis line routing as one-piece components
- CAD-based development with tolerance and clearance checking before the first prototype
- Flow-optimized internal geometries for minimized pressure losses in HVAC, turbochargers and battery cooling
- Reproducible series geometries with documented approvals to IATF 16949 and AS9100
- Modular systems for variant and platform construction with stable supply chains
MST Flexduct
Specialist for Flexible Line Systems for tight installation spaces & complex geometries.
Do you need flexible line systems that function reliably in tight installation spaces and are flow-optimized?
MST-Flexduct supports you from CAD-based geometry checking through to reproducible series production.
Contact us for a technical consultation or send us your CAD data directly.
Specialist for geometrically adapted molded hoses and line systems. CAD support from the early development phase. Series approvals to IATF 16949 and AS9100.