Heat Shrink Tubing: Medical Grade vs. Industrial Grade
Heat shrink tubing is widely used in many modern manufacturing applications across a multitude of industries. With the rapid pace of technological advancement in the medical industry, it is important to understand the critical distinctions and differences between standard industrial-grade heat shrink tubing, or single wall tubing (PVC heat shrink tubing or TE RAYCHEM RNF-100 series, for example), and medical-grade heat shrink tubing intended for medical applications.
Medical Grade Heat Shrink Tubing | Industrial Grade Heat Shrink Tubing | |
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Comparison Products |
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Design & Materials of Construction | ||
Biocompatability Testing | USP Class VI | Not applicable |
Material Traceability | All raw material sources strictly controlled, tracked and US-sourced | Lot traceability & manufacturing certifications |
Peeling Properties | Designed to peel along axis | "Peel inhibitors" added to compound |
Shrink Ratio | 2:1 or 3:1 - available for wider range of uses in single product | 2:1 only |
Manufacturing & Quality Control | ||
Manufacturing Conditions | USP Class VI - one manufacturing location in the U.S. | Industrial manufacturing setting, U.S. and off-shore |
Press Control | "No Change Notice" Clause | Not applicable |
Uniform Cross Linking | Dimensional control and controlled cross-linking process to reduce variability and make product easier to peel | Dimensional control only |
Packaging Materials | Plastic bags and spools to ensure no contaminants | May contact cardboard materials and cause FOD (Foreign Object Damage) issues |
Processing Methods | Latex-free processing with no heavy metals present | Not applicable |
Clarity Consistency | Lot-controlled clarity consistency | Not applicable - may lead to laser welding issues in medical applications |
Customization | Custom-sizing easily achieved | Large volumes required for customization due to infrastructure costs |
While both Medical Grade and Industrial Grade heat shrink tubing can be based upon similar polymerized materials at the macromolecular level, key differences in design and material formulation, as well as manufacturing differences, can result in drastically different properties and fit-for-purpose characteristics. Taken together the much more stringent quality control and traceability (amongst other distinctions) that is characteristic in Medical Grade heat shrink have now enabled the use of previously Industrial-only products into the much more demanding world of health-related applications.
For questions on selecting the right heat shrink tubing for your applications, contact Lapp Tannehill or chat with us online.