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Common Applications for Heatshrink Tubing
By: CableOrganizer®
There are common applications that often use heat shrink. They include:
Wire Bundling and Organization:
Standard polyolefin heat shrink is frequently used for everyday cable management tasks, such as grouping cables together or color coding. This type of heat shrink is available in an array of specialized colors that can additionally be applied for branding.
Environmental Protection:
Dual Wall Adhesive heat shrink can add a watertight seal to wires and cables, as well as protect them from dirt, dust, abrasion, and more.
Labeling:
Custom printed heat shrink is a great option for identifying cables with coordinating numbers or instructions. The printing process keeps numbers and text from fading, smudging, or peeling. The text is resistant to liquids, elevated temperatures, and abrasion. Clear heat shrink tubing can be placed on top of labels as well to keep them protected and visible.
Insulation:
Heat shrink is known for its strong dielectric strength, which resists the effects of electrical currents and can help avert short circuits. Adhesive-lined heat shrink offers enhanced insulation that prevents water, dust, and corrosion from impacting wires and cables. When you have cables that cannot be disconnected, adhesive lined heat shrinkable tape is another choice to help repair cables and insulation.
Strain Relief:
Your cables can undergo physical stress when they are bent or in areas where there are sharp spots, tension, and vibrations. Heat shrink can help fortify them to prevent damage. Heat shrink boots and heat shrink end caps are other options that safeguard terminations from water, moisture, air, and dirt.
Repairs:
Heat shrink can be applied to damaged wire jackets, providing a layer of protection that helps prevent electrical shock, and supplement strain relief. The tubing should be cut to fit over the exposed area, plus have additional length over either side of the jacket.
Sealing Connectors:
Dual wall adhesive tubing is one of the best choices for forming a moisture-resistant and environmental seal. Its inner layer melts within the gaps between the wires and the connector, helping to protect against moisture and contaminants. Visible adhesive at tubing ends is often an indicator that adhesive has flowed properly during installation. Related connector accessories include butt splices, ring terminals, end caps, and breakout boots.
Terminating Braided Sleeving:
Braided sleeving and heat shrink are complementary solutions that offer enhanced protection and a professional appearance for your applications. You can count on braided sleeving to organize and protect your cables, wires, and hoses, while heat shrink terminates its ends.
Creative Uses for Heatshrink:
While heat shrink can perform in the everyday applications we’ve already mentioned, it can also come in handy for some creative uses. There are people who have applied it to pencils to create effective grips for children learning to write. Rather than investing in brand new tools if the handles have lost their coating, you can revitalize your tool handles with adhesive-lined heat shrink. If your eyeglasses happen to break, a heat shrink tubing kit can help with temporary repairs, particularly on the arms or other damaged sections of the frame. However, it cannot typically fix fractured hinges or when frame components are completely separated.
