What are the benefits of heat shrink?

Heat Shrink Tubing: What is It and How is It Used?

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Heat shrink tubing — also called electrical shrink tubing — is a critical protective and organizational product used in various electrical arrays. This blog post will answer the question: What is heat shrink tubing used for?

In general, heat shrink tubing is a common element in most electrical setups that insulates electrical components from external factors such as moisture, dust, abrasion, and sharp objects that might otherwise damage wires and electrical components. This type of damage ultimately results in shorts and failures. It also binds loose wires, connectors, joints, terminals, and splices together, creating more organized and manageable bundles. Using color-coded heat shrink tubing helps to facilitate easy wire and component identification.

What Is Heat Shrink Tubing?

Heat shrink tubing is a thermoplastic tube that shrinks when exposed to heat. When placed around wire arrays and electrical components, heat shrink tubing collapses radially to fit the equipment’s contours, creating a protective layer. It may cover parts of individual wires or bundle entire arrays, protecting against abrasion, low impact, cuts, moisture, and dust.

To create heat shrink tubing, plastic manufacturers first use extrusion to make a tube of thermoplastic material. The materials used in heat shrink tubing vary depending on the intended application. Once the desired plastic has been extruded, the material is heated and forced to expand, increasing the tube's diameter. The expanded tubing is allowed to cool to room temperature and set.

This expanded thermoplastic tube is then placed around the wires or other desired components and heated to a specific temperature. The heat causes the tube to soften and shrink back to its original extruded size, effectively enclosing the wires or other components within a tight layer of protective plastic.

Benefits of Heat Shrink Tubing

Versatile and easy to use, heat shrink tubing offers many unique benefits, including:

• Protection against abrasion, low impacts, and sharp cutting edges
• Defense against water, chemicals, dust, and other intrusive contaminants
• Organization of wires and cables into easy-to-handle bundles
• A smoother texture and finished appearance
• Electrical and thermal insulation
• Enhanced structural support for less strain on wires, connectors, and components
• Compatible with color additives to aid wire identification

Heat Shrink Tubing Materials

Heat shrink tubing can be manufactured from a wide range of thermoplastic materials and is often combined with additives to enhance specific characteristics. Common materials used for heat shrink tubing include:

• Polyolefin: Polyolefin is the most popular material for shrink tubing due to its thermal resistance. It is more expensive than PVC but capable of withstanding temperatures as high as 125-135°C. This property makes it ideal for manufacturing, industrial, and mechanical applications with high operating temperatures.
• Adhesive-Lined Polyolefin: To provide a more secure tube that will not slip in critical conditions, manufacturers have created polyolefin heat shrink tubing with an adhesive inner layer that melts and adheres to the wires and components inside the tube to fill voids and ensure a close fit. An added adhesive offers more support and increased protection from moisture and harsh conditions.
• PVC: PVC is less expensive than polyolefin but has a lower temperature threshold of approximately 105°C. PVC is durable, strong, and highly abrasion-resistant. It can be manufactured with high clarity, bright colors, and flame-retardant qualities, making it a highly versatile and cost-effective option for low-temperature applications.

Other materials used for heat shrink tubing include PTFE, FEP, elastomers, silicone rubber, and Viton®. The best material type depends mainly on the conditions in which the equipment will operate and the shrink needed to create the desired seal.

Quality Heat Shrink Tubing From Consolidated Electronic Wire and Cable

Whether for low-impact indoor applications or heavy-duty industrial settings, heat shrink tubing materials can protect and organize wires, connectors, and other electrical components. At Consolidated Electronic Wire and Cable, we offer a comprehensive selection of heat-shrink covered wires, cables, and parts to meet the needs of virtually any application.

To learn more about the best heat shrink tubing for your application or to ask about our selection of quality electronic components, contact us today.

Heat Shrink Tubing & Its Benefits

Heat shrink tubing is a common method used for insulation and protection of wires and cables throughout many industries. Its many beneficial properties make it an exceptionally useful material for a variety of applications. From covering wire harnesses and component packaging to organizing and protecting, heat shrink tubing serves different functions and purposes that can improve the performance, durability, and maintenance of products.

What is Heat Shrink Tubing?

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Heat shrink tubing covers and encases a collection of wires, cables, or other components in a protective insulated tube from external disturbances. Heat shrinking uniquely adheres to products and provides a resilient protective shield with properties resistant to harsh environments that many applications function in.

Whether for added value, security, safety, or protection, here are five reasons companies should consider using heat shrink tubing for their applications.

1. Protection

One of the prime benefits of heat shrink tubing is the protection offered to wires and cables when exposed to a variety of conditions and environments. In factories and manufacturing plants, wires and cables are subject to abrasion, scuffing, splitting, and constant wear when left exposed. Other factors in production environments can expose cabling to water or moisture, such as steam, oils, grease, chemicals, and acids. Outdoors, humidity, temperature fluctuation, rain, UV exposure, and environmental conditions in general can damage wiring and cabling. Heat shrink tubing can help ensure the continued performance of wiring and cables.

2. Insulation Properties

Insulation of electrical wires and cables is first and foremost required to prevent electrical shock. However, the insulation of wires and cables also prevents the loss and dissipation of energy being conducted through the wiring. The material properties of cable insulators are non-conductive and designed to provide a buffer with anyone or anything that may come in contact with the cabling. Also, thicker insulation provides greater resistance and better transmission of the energy being conducted or information being transmitted. Heat shrink tubing adds a layer of insulation to help the resistance and adds another level of safety.

3. Reduces Cable Stress

Though heat shrink tubing offers protection for cabling and wiring from exposure to environmental conditions, it also aids in preventing undue strain or stretching of wires and cables confined to insufficient space or length. Heat shrinking increases mechanical support for maintaining connectivity of wires and cables that otherwise would be subjected to strain and stress that could lead to premature failure.

4. Organization

There may be no better argument for the application of heat shrink tubing of wires, cabling, and components than to organize them. Bundling wires and cables are not only aesthetically pleasing, but good cable management allows for easy access during maintenance of the system.

5. Corrosion Resistance

Over time, in any environment, when oxygen combines with the metal, it forms a new compound called oxide that weakens the bonds of the metal itself, causing it to corrode. Metals and their alloys used in wiring and cable applications can be made corrosion-resistant, but only insulating the material can ensure against corrosion. Heat shrink tubing perfectly seals and protects wires and cabling from corrosion that might occur from external disturbances.

To meet your heat shrinking needs, M.M. Newman Corporation offers PVC and polyolefin heat shrink tubing that meets and exceeds industry standards and serves a variety of industrial and defense-related applications. PVC is a flexible material that easily forms a snug-fitting, smooth insulated surface over most applications. Its many properties include UV resistance, antifungal characteristics, protection against moisture, and resistance to chemicals and oils. A low shrink temperature of less than 200°F provides added dielectric and mechanical protection without damaging adjacent or enclosed components.

Polyolefin heat shrink is a lightweight, flexible heat shrink material that offers superior flame resistance complemented by outstanding electrical, chemical, and physical properties. It functions continuously in environments up to 275°F and will perform at elevated temperatures up to 572°F for short intervals, making it desirable for high heat applications. Its lightweight nature makes it a suitable wire-harness covering, and its fire resistance provides an ideal component packaging or covering. Heat shrink tubing applications provide insulation and protection in any environmental condition, reduce wear and tear, ensure continued performance, and can effectively bundle and organize them. For easier access and identification, M.M. Newman Corporation’s heat shrink tubing can be manufactured in clear as well as a number of standard colors.

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