Shrink and operating temperatures of heat-shrink tubing

Heat-shrink tubing is used for insulating and protecting cables. In addition, it serves as strain relief and is used for bundling and marking cables.

Heat-shrink tubing is made of various plastics. Depending on the plastic material, heat-shrink tubing reacts differently to temperature and begins to shrink (shrink temperature). The heat-shrink tubing contracts and adapts to the object to be covered. The most commonly used heat-shrink tubing made of radiation-cross-linked polyolefin begins to shrink at temperatures from 90 °C.

Cold-shrink tubing

The BHW CS cold-shrink tubing is made of silicone or EPDM and shrinks without the application of heat. It is suitable for both indoor and outdoor use and is characterised by good insulation properties.

High-temperature heat-shrink tubing made of polyolefin

The BPDW HT high-temperature heat-shrink tubing is also made of radiation-cross-linked polyolefin. Its operating temperature is between -40 °C and +150 °C, the shrink temperature is 150 °C.

Heat-shrink tubing made of elastomer/Kynar®/Viton®/PTFE

The operating temperature of elastomer heat-shrink tubing is 150 °C, the shrink temperature 175 °C.

PTFE heat-shrink tubing can be used up to 260 °C; the shrink temperature of PTFE is approx. 330 °C. Kynar® heat-shrink tubing has an operating temperature of -55 °C to +175 °C and a shrink temperature of +175 °C. Viton® heat-shrink tubing also has a shrink temperature of +175 °C; the operating temperature is -55 °C to +200 °C.