One-piece flexible tube connector and method of making the same

A method of manufacturing a one-piece flexible tube connector comprising the steps of:

• securing a tube blank having a first end, a second end, an initial length, an initial outer diameter, and an initial wall thickness in a fixture;
• moving one of the tube blank and a forming tool toward the other of the tube blank and the forming tool until the first end of the tube blank contacts a stop surface of the forming tool;
• spinning one of the tube blank and the forming tool to increase the initial wall thickness of a portion of the tube blank adjacent to the first end of the tube blank to a second wall thickness while maintaining the initial outer diameter of the tube blank;
• creating an attachment feature in the portion of the tube blank adjacent to the first end of the tube blank having the second wall thickness;
• and
• creating a shoulder on the tube blank having a diameter greater than the initial outer diameter of the tube blank,
• wherein,
• the attachment feature includes at least one barb having a valley with a root outer diameter that is less than the initial outer diameter of the tube blank, and
• the shoulder is on an outer portion of a transition portion of the tube blank where the tube transitions from the initial wall thickness to the second wall thickness.