Heat-shrink tubing for cables

Buying heat shrink tubing - what you should look out for

Not all heat-shrink tubing is the same. There are major differences depending on the purpose for which they are used. The first important point is the shrink ratio, which must be right for the shrink tubing to fulfill its purpose. There are shrink tubes that shrink at a ratio of 2:1, other ratios are 3:1, 4:1, 5:1 and even 6:1. This means that the tube contracts extremely. It is always important to ensure that the shrink tubing is very close to the cables so that it can also protect them. If you want to be able to see the cables inside, then a shrink sleeve that is transparent is ideal. If moisture is to be kept out, a shrink sleeve with adhesive is ideal. It is also important to ensure the correct shrink temperature. If you have any questions in this regard, please do not hesitate to contact us, we will be happy to help you with all our expertise. 

What you need to look out for before buying! 

Before deciding on a particular type of heat-shrink tubing, it is important to determine the purpose for which it is intended.

• Will the heat shrink tubing come into contact with water, alkalis or acids?
• Are the cables to be protected exposed to mechanical stress?
• Is the heat shrink tubing laid underground, for example?
• Is the insulating sleeve used for insulation or marking?
• What diameter should be shrunk to?

Shrink tubing is also available in different wall thicknesses and is divided into thin-walled, medium-walled and thick-walled. The thickness of the shrink tubing wall affects the flexibility of the tubing and its resistance to mechanical stress.

Depending on how much shrink tubing you need, you can buy shrink tubing as sections, in shrink tubing sets, in small cardboard boxes, as rods or on industrial reels.

You can also buy shrink tubing molded parts such as end caps or split caps from us. Heat shrink tubing with special properties such as PTFE heat shrink tubing, Viton® heat shrink tubing or Kynar® heat shrink tubing can also be found in our online store.

What are heat-shrink tubing with internal adhesive?

Heat-shrink tubing with adhesive is provided with a special internal adhesive. The adhesive serves to better sealingespecially when objects with different diameters are shrink-wrapped during electrical installation. Heat-shrink tubing with internal adhesive protects cable connections against The effects of heat also from Moisture. The inner adhesive sticks to the following, among others Plastics, rubber, neoprene and Steel. When used correctly, the inner adhesive of the heat-shrink tubing creates a watertight seal.

Choose the right size!

During production, shrink tubing is stretched by heating and then cooled again. After heating, it returns to its original shape.

Shrink tubing is available in different diameters with different shrink ratios. Shrinkage ratios indicate how much a heat-shrinkable tubing shrinks when heated. With a shrink ratio of 2:1, the diameter of the hose is reduced by half after shrinking. Shrink ratios of 2:1, 3:1, 4:1, 5:1 and 6:1 are particularly common.

To achieve the best results, the 80:20 rule should be applied. The shrink tubing should be shrunk by at least 20%, but no more than 80%. The following applies: shrink tubing should be selected so that it is only slightly larger than the objects to be protected. If the shrink tubing has to be pushed around corners, the air must be allowed for accordingly.

Longitudinal shrinkage: Please note that when shrinking a shrink sleeve, the length is slightly reduced as well as the diameter. This is particularly important for shrink tubing sections.

Flat size or diameter? 

Note the difference in size between the flat dimension and the diameter of the tubing. This is because the flat dimension is larger than the diameter! 

Ideal protection for cables with heat-shrink tubing

Whenever several cables or wires need to be combined over their entire length, heat shrink tubing is the ideal solution. This type of tubing not only holds the cables together well, it also protects them accordingly. For example, against abrasion and corrosion.

The main purpose of cable insulation is to prevent short circuits. If an insulation layer is damaged, it is repaired with heat-shrink tubing. If cables are exposed to particular electrical, mechanical or chemical influences, shrink sleeves are also used to protect them.

If you opt for heat-shrink tubing with adhesive, it even provides protection against moisture. The heat-shrink tubing can be made of different materials. At E-M-C-Direct, we offer heat-shrink tubing made from polyolefin, elastomer, Kynar and polytetrafluoroethylene. You will find the right heat shrink tubing for every purpose here.

The function of heat-shrink tubing

Heat-shrink tubing is designed to firmly connect all cables and wires to each other over a certain length, with the tubing also serving as a protective cover and insulation. The cables or wires are combined and pushed into the heat-shrink tubing. Heat is then applied, as this is the only way to shrink the tubing. This can be done with hot air from a heat gun, for example. It is important that you have the right shrink temperature so that the shrink tubing fits perfectly.

The shrink tubing shrinks, the quality remains constant!

We make no compromises when it comes to quality. Our customers can rely on the specified performance parameters of our heat shrink tubing, such as wall thickness and diameter, shrink rate, temperature range, fire and chemical resistance. Whether you want toinsulate your cables or other substrateselectrically, protect them from mechanical, chemical or thermal effects or simply mark them in color, our high-quality polyolefin shrink tubing is the right solution for you! Polyolefin heat-shrink tubing protects your cables against corrosion, abrasion and, in the case of heat-shrink tubing with internal adhesive, also against moisture. In addition to polyolefin heat-shrink tubing, we also offer special heat-shrink tubing, such as elastomer heat-shrink tubing, Kynar heat-shrink tubing or PTFE heat-shrink tubing.

In addition to the correct shrink ratio, shrink tubing requires correct and careful shrinking. We will be happy to advise you on the correct shrinking of heat-shrink tubing with hot air or a heat gun and on the correct shrinking temperature.

As an ISO-certified manufacturer and distributor, we at E-M-C-direct GmbH & Co KG are proud to be able to look back on more than 20 years of consulting and sales experience in the field of cable protection. Our 100% certified heat shrink tubing products, manufactured in Germany and Europe, meet the highest quality standards for demanding industrial customers in various sectors every day. Thanks to our strict quality assurance processes and our product liability insurance, we can promise you: You can rely on our quality!

Heat-shrink tubing from E-M-C-direct: the right price and performance

Buy cheap, buy twice. There is a large selection of third-party suppliers in the heat shrink tubing sector and therefore also a wide price range. However, we recommend that you take a close look, because in most cases the cheapest supplier only delivers what the price suggests. You will receive cheap goods that deform unevenly, are simply not suitable for your substrate and/or do not meet the desired performance parameters. At best, you waste money, time and patience. In the worst case scenario, you will receive a hail of complaints from customers claiming damages. E-M-C-Direct GmbH & Co KG offers you the best product quality at the best price/performance ratio and stable, clear and fair prices. To achieve this, we deliberately avoid anything that would unnecessarily drive up prices for you. We do not afford an expensive administrative apparatus or expensive company cars, but consciously rely on lean structures for the benefit of our customers. Thanks to our focused product range and long-term supplier agreements, we achieve considerable price advantages for you when purchasing and manufacturing shrink tubing - without ever compromising on product quality.

We can supply you with heat shrink tubing with the usual certifications and approvals. When purchasing heat shrink tubing, also consider compliance with RoHS directives.

Fire protection is becoming increasingly important today. If fire protection is also an issue for you, we will be happy to provide you with a quote for halogen-free heat-shrink tubing.

Our heat-shrink tubing: As individual as our customers

Our customers include not only many well-known companies in the manufacturing industry, but also small craft and electrical installation companies. Even small businesses can optimize work processes and save time with our shrink sleeves, which are individually tailored to you and your needs. We rely on custom-made cuts and packaging units tailored to your business.

E-M-C-Direct GmbH & Co KG also offers you individual printing in the field of shrink tubing. So that we can provide you with the best possible support in your work, we also offer you outstanding customer advice. Our trained and qualified employees are available by telephone to advise you and implement the optimum solution for you.

In our online store, you can add shrink tubing by the meter, as an industrial roll or small cardboard box directly to your shopping cart. The delivery time of the individual shrink sleeves is already displayed in the online store. If you would like regular delivery times, please contact us. For a relaxed shopping experience with regular deliveries, our customer advisors will be happy to advise you individually.