Factors to consider while choosing a heat shrink tubing

A heat shrink tubing is a tube that is mainly made up of thermoplastic material and is used for multiple purposes. It is used in various numbers of applications both for preventive maintenance and make repairs whether permanent or temporary. Moreover, this tube is used in all the aircrafts, planes, medical equipment, and other vehicles.

However, there are certain factors that you need to consider if you are thinking of buying this multipurpose tube. The most important factors are-

Temperature-  Make sure that you select the tubing material that works well with present temperature range of the environment.

Shrink ratio- This type of tubing shrinks to fit with the underlying material. However, the greater the size of the underlying material the larger the shrink ratio is required. This is mainly because, this particular tubing shrinks when heat is applied. Moreover, the different shrink ratio includes 2:1, 3:1, or 2.5:1.

Chemical resistance- While choosing a shrink tube always confirms whether the tubing is resistant to different chemicals, i.e.  If it works well in case it is exposed to acids, fuels, solvents, oil and other available chemicals.

Abrasion protection- Abrasion protection means that the tubing should stand up to scrape, scratch, graze, cut etc and can easily provide protection to any damage or abuse caused.

Size-It is very important to select the correct size of the tubing. While selecting the size make sure to consider the diameter of the tubing, the shrink ratio, the wall thickness, and the length of the tubing. The wall thickness is always measured in inches or millimeters and it is usually based on the tubing’s technical data, whereas the length depends upon the type of tubing material that you choose.

There are number of uses and benefits of this tubing, hence it becomes very important to choose the right tube. The various benefits are-

• This particular tube is use to shut water and dirt out of the cables and splices which further helps in protecting TV, computer and other electrical safe, moisture free and dirt free.

• It acts as a covering material for different electrical parts and helps in protecting other wiring systems.

• It is widely used in different industries and the main application of this tube includes strain release, electrical lagging, wire bundling, and environment protection and so on.

• Because of the different tubing colors available, it becomes easy to identify the different cable and wires.

Heat Shrink Tubing- How to Ensure the Correct Purchase?

Heat Shrink tubing is used to perform a variety of applications. It comes in different sizes, colors and materials. It is used as an effective and economical way to protect wire splices, bare wires, and offer extra padding and sealing to the cable. It also offers additional protection to cables in numerous environmental issues. As the name suggests it’s a tubing that shrinks after the heat is applied and matches to the size and shape of the underlying material to make the installation faster and easier. This product is made of thermoplastics that include PTFE, FEP and PVC.

However, to ensure the correct purchase, there are numerous factors to consider. Firstly, you need to ensure that you know its ratio of shrink. It means that you should also know the original size of the tubing once it shrinks after the heat is applied. For an example, tubing with 2:1 diameter means that it will shrink to half the size of its current width. These are available in different ratios that can include 2:1, 4:1, 5:1, and 6:1.  In order to ensure that it ideally works in its desired application, correct sizing is the key.

During your purchase, you also need to remember that it comes in a variety of temperature sensitivities and flexibilities for diverse applications. If you are going to heat up the tubing on your own, you need to remember that heat sources that may be used it one setting may cause a fire in another. Therefore, you must invest in a heat gun to get the job done in most effective and safe manner. You can receive it in the kit you will purchase or you can buy it separately as well.

You need to perform a little research on the web to find a reliable supplier for your purchase. Once you find an authentic place, you can get answers for all the questions that you might have. These suppliers have reliable staff that can guide you throughout your purchase.

Are You Selecting the Correct Heat Shrink Tubing?

Heat shrink tubing is a particular type of product used for numerous applications. As the name indicates, it’s tubing that shrinks when heat is applied. It is used for both preventative maintenance and making repairs. It is used for regular preventative protection applications such as relieving strain, sealing, and additional padding. It is extremely helpful in making repairs whether permanent or temporary. Because it doesn’t stick, it’s also used to join tubes. Material used to create this product mainly includes thermoplastics, PVC, PTFE and FEP. It is used in latest medical equipment, aircrafts, planes, and vehicles.

It has ideal electrical qualities  such as high dielectric and resistivity that makes it suitable for use with terminations, connections, and circuit board applications. It can also be used for covering damaged cable splices, jackets, insulations, and connectors.

Following are the factors to consider when selecting the size of tubing:

Size: You need to determine the diameter of primary materials to be covered. Purchase the tubing that is 20-30 percent larger than this dimension.

Shrink ratio: These tubing are classified based upon their ratio of shrink and are available in 2:1, 3:1 or 2.5:1. It means that tubing will shrink when heat is applied. Higher shrink ratio will be required for larger underlying materials to be covered.

Wall thickness: Thickness of the wall is to be determined based upon tubing’s technical data. Wall thickness is measured in inches or millimeters.

Length: It has a small loss of length during the recovery process, which varies from 5-10 percent depending on the type of material. In your selection, consider change of length after recovery.

Other Factors: You also need to consider many other valuable factors such as temperature and voltage ratings, chemical resistance, flexibility, water resistance, strength and other environmental hazards in your selection.

These tubing is available in wide range of colors, which makes the identification purpose easier. It can also be printed with permanent labels. Heating procedure can be completed using a heat gun. You will receive it with the kit you purchase.

At the end, we can say that you need to make sure that the product you are going to purchase will fit perfectly in it application. Hence, you need to be completely certain about its specifications and can seek help from manufacturer, if any assistance is required for the correct selection.

What are the Primary uses and benefits of Heat Shrink Tubing?

Heat shrink tubing is a multipurpose tube that is made up of thermoplastic materials. As the name suggests it shrinks when heat is applied, and creates variable stiffness. It is used for both protection and enhancement purposes.

Some of the most prominent uses and benefits of this product are described below:

It is ideal for electronic insulation, because it has resistivity and is dielectric. It is considered the best for covering electrical parts and protecting wiring. Moreover, for electrical insulation, it is placed over metal shafts.

It is widely used to cover damaged cable coatings and splices. It gives you enough time to look for a replacement cable without any interruption. However, in few cases, it can also work as a permanent solution and save your money.

It works as a sealant, as it offers an extra layer of protection to the cables. To protect cables from environmental factors, it can be placed over substrates, connections, joints, and gaps.

It offers great insulation. Hence, it can be used on terminations, connections and other circuit board applications to offer additional electrical safety.

It is also used to join tubes together. It can be easily removed whenever needed because it does not stick to most of the materials.
This tubing is also used for color coding cables, for identification purpose.

When selecting heat shrink tubing, you need to take plenty of things into consideration. Size is an important aspect to consider. You also need to check the specifications of the tubing to find out the recommended heating temperature.

To shrink the tubing, you can use a commercial heat gun, but do not overheat it.

Other than that, do not forget to check the shrink ratio labeled on it to ensure it matches with your requirements.

You can also share your requirements with the manufacturers, if you need assistance in your selection, as a reliable manufacturer will always be happy to help you.