Month: May 2012

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What Is the Difference Between Regular Wall and Thin Wall Stainless Steel Tubing?

Just looking at regular wall and thin wall stainless steel tubing, you may not notice any differences. This is because both types of tubing have the same outside diameters. For example, ten gauge tubing has an outside diameter of 0.133 inches to 0.135 inches, regardless of the wall. The difference between thin wall and regular wall is the thickness of the tubing. This will make the inside diameter of thin wall tubing larger than regular wall tubing.

Thin Wall Stainless Steel Tubing Gets Smaller as Gauge Numbers Increase

Thin wall stainless steel tubing is available in different gauges, ranging from ten gauge tubing, all the way up to thirty gauge tubing. The mistake some people can make is thinking that lower gauge tubing is smaller than larger gauge tubing. However, this assumption is incorrect. Smaller gauge tubing will have a larger outside diameter than larger gauge tubing. The easiest way to remember this information is: as the gauge numbers increase, the outside diameter decreases.

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Straightened Wire Can Be Used to Make Push Rods for Small Components

Straightened wire is used in a variety of different industries for various products. Many types of assembled components use this type of wire, like when they include a push rod assembly. The size of the actual push rod will depend on the product being manufactured. Smaller components require smaller push rods, and this is where you will find this type of wiring being used. The wire cannot be bent — otherwise the push rod will not operate correctly.

Use Straightened Wire to Remove Blockages from Tubing

Straightened wire can be inserted into other types of tubing to remove blockages when they occur. For example, hypodermic tubing used to deliver different liquids in an assembly process may become clogged, when left sitting too long. Instead of having to replace the tubing, you can use this type of wire and push it through the tubing to remove the blockage.

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FEP Shrink Tubing Has a Lower Shrink Temperature than PTFE

When you need shrink tubing with a lower shrink temperature, you may want to consider using FEP shrink tubing. This type of tubing has a minimum shrink temperature of around 420 degrees Fahrenheit, with a variance of plus or minus 20 degrees. Whereas PTFE shrink tubing has a higher shrink temperature of around 654 degrees Fahrenheit.

You Can Repair Wires Quickly By Using FEP Shrink Tubing

When you notice the outer protective coating is coming off of wiring, you have a few options for fixing this problem. You could remove the wire and replace it with a brand new wire. However, this could result in a more complicated procedure, depending on the length of the wire. Another option available in place of replacing the wire is to use FEP shrink tubing over the area. Repair times are much faster and do not require complicated procedures.

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Stainless Steel Machine Screws Eliminate Having to Use a Nut

Securing together two different metal components requires the use of stainless steel machine screws. You can also use these screws when you are unable to secure a nut on the back of the screw. You just need to drill pre-tapped holes on the components, which eliminates having to use a bolt on the back of the screw.

Use Shorter Stainless Steel Machine Screws When Depth Is an Issue

Stainless steel machine screws come in different sizes and lengths. Some screws can be rather small when they are used on the inside to secure small components together. Larger screws are used when there is more space to work with and depth concerns are not an issue. You would not want to use too long of a screw when there is insufficient clearance on the back side of the component. You may not be able to fully tighten the screw, or cause damage to other components.

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PTFE Tubing Does Not Always Fully Shrink Down Completely

You may notice when working with PTFE tubing that it may not always shrink down to its recovered wall size. The reason for this is that the tubing is being restricted during shrinkage. The restriction could be the size of wire you are placing the tubing over. When the wire is a thicker diameter than the recovered wall size, then it will not fully shrink.

Use Different Sizes of PTFE Tubing to Match Different Wiring Diameters

When working with different diameters of wiring, you will want to make sure you have different sizes of PTFE tubing. You should select recovered wall sizes which are closest to the diameter of the wiring and will provide a snug fit. For example, if the diameter on your wiring is 0.025 inches, you will want to use tubing with a recovered wall diameter of 0.022 inches, rather than one with a diameter of 0.027 inches. Why? The larger diameter tubing will leave a 0.002 inch gap between the wiring and the tubing.

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PTFE Shrink Tubing Can Be Used for Multiple Purposes

PTFE shrink tubing is designed for multiple purposes and shrinks over the wiring or component where it is being applied. You can use shrink tubing to cover a spliced connection. You can also use it to cover up exposed wiring, where PVC insulation has accidently been removed or come off. You can even use this type of tubing over sensitive types of wiring, which may break easily when it comes into contact with liquids or gasses.

How Do I Correctly Store PTFE Shrink Tubing?

Storing PTFE shrink tubing in the proper type of environment is important. You do not want to leave the tubing exposed to direct sunlight. You also do not want to store tubing in humid environments. You should avoid keeping the shrink tubing in areas where it can be exposed to different types of fluids which can degrade the quality of the tubing. Ideally, you should keep the shrink tubing in a dark, cool and dry location, and may want to use a sealed container.

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Nylon Mesh Screen Is Ideal When You Need Abrasion Resistance

There are different types of mesh screens available for different types of environments. Selecting the right type of screen you require will depend on how you intend to use it. Nylon mesh screen is suited for applications and purposes where abrasion resistance is needed. If you will be working with liquids which have high levels of acid or alkali, then you will want to look at using polypropylene mesh screen, instead.

Nylon Mesh Screen Can Help Remove Large Dust Particles

The primary purpose of nylon mesh screen is to provide filtration for liquids and remove particles as they pass through the screen. Mesh screen can also be used to filter out particles from the air, when you use smaller openings in the mesh. For example, dusty air can be filtered through a mesh screen to remove large particles of dust, before being passed through a secondary air filter.

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Get Precision Measurement for Fluids Using Hypodermic Tubing

Hypodermic tubing can be helpful in different types of industrial and manufacturing processes. When you need to apply a specific amount of a fluid, you do not want to apply too much or too little. It is easy to get precision measurements when you pre-measure your fluids using this type of tubing along with a syringe. When you are ready to apply the fluid, you remove the safety cover and slowly depress the plunger to release the fluid.

Hypodermic Tubing Wall Size Determines Fluid Flow Rates

The rate at which fluids pass through hypodermic tubing is influenced by the wall size. While the gauge of the tubing will not change, the inner diameter does change. When you find that a regular wall tube is not delivering fluids fast enough, you will want to try a thin wall or extra thin wall tube, instead.

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The Many Uses of Hypodermic Tubes

Hypodermic tubes have a variety of uses, but they are most commonly used in medical and industrial applications. For ease of use and cleanliness, most hypodermic tubes are made of stainless steel, but you can get tubes made of copper or other materials. Regardless of the material, there are many uses for hypodermic tubes.

 

Medical

If you have been to a hospital, you’ve probably heard of the term hypodermic needles. These needles are first made from thin wall tubing and then beveled and deburred to create a high quality metal finish. Aside from hypodermic needles, the medical field also utilizes hypodermic tubes in the form of cannula. These tubes are inserted into the body for removal of fluid or gathering of data. The majority of these needles are made of 304 stainless steels, because of their low carbon content.

 

Industrial

Many industries use a blunt needle to apply a precise amount of lubricant, adhesive, and various other liquids and pastes. They can also be attached to pumps to inflate things like tires, balls, and other inflatable equipment. Other industrial uses include spacers and guide wires.

 

Recreational

Hypodermic tubes serve their purpose amongst the general public in various forms. Tattoo artists utilize hypodermic needles to create their tattoos. Body piercing also uses stainless steel hypodermic tubing and even make use of different gages to make the whole size of your choice.

 

 

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A Hypodermic Tube Can Be Cut to Different Sizes

Specific applications will require that a hypodermic tube be cut to different sizes. For example, in the medical industry, you would not need a long length of tubing to perform blood draws or administer different medications. Other professions, such as a veterinarian, can require much longer tubing lengths. The reason they can require longer lengths is in order to treat different types of animals, where a shorter tube size would not be effective.

A Hypodermic Tube Is Available in Different Wall Sizes

A hypodermic tube is available in different wall sizes, which is the size of the hole in the tube. The wall size affects the inner diameter of the tube and will get larger as the wall size decreases. However, the outside diameter will not change, regardless of the type of tube wall selected. When you need fluids to pass faster through the tube, then you will want to get a thinner wall.