Heat-shrink tubing (or, commonly, heat shrink or heatshrink) is a shrinkable plastic tube used to insulate wires, providing abrasion resistance and environmental protection for stranded and solid wire conductors, connections, joints and terminals in electrical work. It can also be used to repair the insulation on wires or to bundle them together, to protect wires or small parts from minor abrasion, and to create cable entry seals, offering environmental sealing protection. Heat-shrink tubing is ordinarily made of nylon or polyolefin, which shrinks radially (but not longitudinally) when heated, to between one-half and one-sixth of its diameter.
Heat-shrink tubing is manufactured in a multitude of varieties and chemical makeups with the exact composition of each type being dependent on the intended application. From near microscopically-thin-wall tubing to rigid, heavy-wall tubing, each type has precise design and chemical additives that make it suitable for meeting any of a wide variety of environmental demands. Heat-shrink tubing is rated by its expansion ratio, a comparison of the differences in expansion and recovery rate.
Types:Heat-shrink tubing is available in a variety of colors for color-coding of wires and connections. In the early twenty-first century heat-shrink tubing started to be used for PC modding to tidy up the interior of computers and provide an appearance considered pleasing. In response to this opening market, manufacturers started producing heat-shrink tubing in luminous and UV reactive varieties.
Although usually used for insulation, heat-shrink tubing with a conductive lining is also available, for use on joints which are not soldered.
Specialty heat-shrink tubing, known as "solder sleeves", have a tube of solder inside of the heat-shrink tubing, allowing the heat source to electrically join the two wires by melting the solder and simultaneously insulate the junction with the tubing. Solder sleeves also commonly contain a ring of heat-activated sealant on the inside of each end of the tubing, allowing the connection to also be made waterproof.
Heat-shrink end caps, closed at one end, are used to insulate the exposed cut ends of insulated wires.
PTFE Heat Shrink Tubing Benefits
Very good chemical resistance;
Extraordinary Temperature resistance;
Easy to handle;
Non toxic;
Anti-adhesive;
Extraordinary Temperature resistance;
Easy to handle;
Non toxic;
Anti-adhesive;
Application Industries:Automotive;Medical Engineering;Chemical Industry;Food & Beverage;Aerospace;Electroplating;Measuring and Control Technology.
