In the world of fluoropolymer products, there are numerous tubing products that work in similar yet different ways. Some have comparable features while others are situated for specific applications and today we are going to discuss heat shrink tubing. FEP (fluorinated ethylene propylene) heat shrink tubing is one of the most popular variations of heat shrink tubing products because it provides for a snug and protective jacketing for metal or other materials that are routinely exposed to harsh, aggressive environments like corrosion, chemicals, moisture and impact.
One of the biggest reasons why FEP heat shrink tubing is preferred over PTFE or PFA variations is due to the lower shrink temperature found in FEP, which also attribute to an easier installation procedure. Additionally, when choosing appropriately sized tubing, it's recommended to select the closes size that's smaller than the actual dimension of the product that needs to be protected. This is due to the fact that the tubing is malleable yet sturdy, which means the product that needs to be protected can easily fit inside the tubing even if the tubing is somewhat smaller than the product.
Of all the features, one of the best involves the ease of heating up the tubing. The heating process is simple, easy and quick as the tubing can be shrunk around the desired product in short time with the use of a heat gun or hair dryer when it is used in sweeping motion from one end to the other. It provides for an adequate and efficient way to uniformly shrink the tubing around the product without causing wrinkles. Some of the most popular applications of heat shrink tubing include cable jacketing, covers on temperature probes, roll covers, chafing sleeves, light duty bearing surfaces, electrical insulation for wire bundles and much more.
When applying the heat shrink tubing, users have a great amount of temperature variation between the shrink temperature and the melting temperature, which makes it almost fool-proof to protect your desired items. The shrink temperature is 350oF (177oC) with a melting point temperature range from 525oF to 563oF (275oC to 295oC) and a continuous maximum service temperature of 550oF (288oC).
FEP heat shrink tubing is a cost-effective protective solution that can benefit just about any material that needs shielding jacketing.
