25 Million X-CODES

The year 2022 is a year of anniversaries for HANSA-FLEX. As a company we are celebrating 60 years of passion, we have published the 200th issue of our popular customer magazine “Hydraulikpresse”, and we recently attached the 25 millionth label with an individual X-CODE to a hydraulic hose line.

HANSA-FLEX revolutionised the service business in the hydraulics sector with the launch of the X-CODE on 1 June 2004. The simplification of the spare parts business by means of the X-CODE is an unparalleled success story that continues to the present day. By the end of 2009 the X-CODE had been used 4,275,714 times. In 2022, eighteen years after its introduction, the 25,000,000th X-CODE was issued. On average this means around 1.4 million labels a year, around 3,800 per day. The XCODE service system was developed by HANSA-FLEX in order to help its customers, who already numbered around 130,000 at the time, even more quickly when it came to replacing hydraulic hose lines. Previously, technicians had to dismantle the hoses to be replaced and have them identified by specialists from the supplier in order to source the correct spare parts. This process took up a lot of valuable time, especially in remote locations such as oil platforms. The X-CODE system made it possible for the first time to clearly identify the relevant components using the six-digit alphanumeric code, which could even be transmitted to HANSA-FLEX by untrained employees. Thanks to the central database each branch was able to access the specifications of the ordered spare part and immediately start assembling it. The X-CODE could be used to mark not only hose lines, but also pipelines, power units and all other component groups.

The X-CODE system is as precise as a fingerprint. Its alphanumerical system provides 1,292,467,969 unique combination possibilities. In the beginning the X-CODE identifier was stamped on weather-proof stainless steel sleeves, which were then attached to the hose lines. Over time the sleeves were replaced by yellow plastic labels with black lettering, which significantly improved the visibility of the codes. At a later stage QR codes joined the alphanumerical identifier to enable even faster transmission of the X-CODE. 

Thanks to the digital X-CODE system it was possible to record not only technical specifications, but also the date of manufacture, installation time and scheduled service dates. As a result the X-CODE formed the basis for another HANSA-FLEX innovation: the new MY.HANSA-FLEX customer portal, which was introduced in 2013 and further expanded the customer benefits of the X-CODE. Since that time the portal has offered customers a range of options for making hose management even more efficient. Users can see at a glance how long each individual hose line has been in use. In their personal database they can record, classify and label hose lines. As an option the installation situation, the location of the machine and notes can also be recorded here. The service life of each individual hose line can be adjusted by the classification, which can be assigned individually and aligned with the risk assessment. This enables inspection and maintenance intervals to be planned in advance and in a targeted manner. Appointments for inspection and maintenance can be integrated into operating processes in such a way that production does not come to a standstill.

HANSA-FLEX's services are also constantly evolving in line with the technology. For example, thanks to high-performance software, in 2020 the various digital service offerings for hose management were brought together under the name “X-CODE Manager”, and supplemented with additional functions. All hose management services are now available in four modular service packages with fixed daily flat rates. In this way HANSA-FLEX effectively covers the wide-ranging needs of its customers. Maintenance companies can select the right services for the legally compliant operation of their systems, and benefit from the tools and expertise of the hydraulics experts. The fixed daily flat rates make the various services transparent and very easy to plan. HANSA-FLEX is accordingly able to offer a modern, modular and flexible service system, with the X-CODE Manager at its heart. What began 18 years ago with a simple but ingenious idea has developed into a service that has been tried and tested millions of times over. The six digits of the X-CODE not only stand for an individual hydraulic component, but also for the determination and passion that HANSA-FLEX puts into ensuring the reliable and safe functioning of hydraulic systems in the best possible way.