The expanding role of shrink tubing

Shrinkable material doesn't just come as tubing anymore. It can take the form of molded shapes and even fabric. Single-walled heat-shrinkable tubing comes in a variety of diameters and colors to insulate contacts, isolate wiring, and blend in with the color scheme ofconsumer goods. Heavy-duty heat-shrinkable tubing has a thicker wall to provide more protection against impacts and physical abuse than is available with single-wall tubing. An example of molded shrink material is this boot designed to insulate bulky repairs on wiring. Another typical use for molded shrink material is to handle branches on wiring harnesses. Heat-shrinkable fabric is a means of adding abrasion resistance while remaining flexible. Ordinary shrinkable tubing with the same level of abrasion resistance would be stiff, while shrinkable fabric keeps its ability to move. Most engineers are familiar with heatshrinkable tubing and its application areas ranging from aerospace and transportation to medical and commercial electronics. It can be an alternative way of insulating connections as well as sealing electrical harnesses and many other components from harsh environments. In recent years the technology of heat-shrink tubing has been refined to allow its use in tiny medical products that have the width of a human hair, and in high-temperature aerospace equipment where it must stand up to ovenlike environments. Expertise in polymer science lets suppliers devise special blends of tubing material that can handle these and other specialized applications. Other developments in polymer formulation have