Go ahead: Request 3 samples in multiple durometers

You’re requesting a free sample of our Pebax® Heat Shrink Tubing and you pause: Which durometer should you choose, 40D or 72D?

Our advice? Choose 3 samples. They’re free, and there’s no difference in shipping cost. Save yourself some time and choose different durometers, sizes, and materials. If one doesn’t work, having 2 other options could shave weeks off your development schedule.

For example, choose Pebax Heat Shrink Tubing samples in 40D and 72D, and try our 63D Polyolefin Heat Shrink Tubing. It’s unusually thin and flexible with a lower shrink temperature.

One of the things that makes our 2:1 Pebax Heat Shrink Tubing so unique is that it comes in multiple durometers to meet a wide range of needs: 40D, 55D, 63D, 70D, and 72D. (4:1 Pebax tubing is available in 40D, 63D, 70D, and 72D.) With many sizes available in multiple durometers, we make it easier to iterate and innovate.

Why a high durometer? Design engineers might choose high-durometer heat shrink tubing like 72D when they want to add stiffness and strength to reinforce the device; for example, to jacket the distal end of a metal coil.

Why a low durometer? Designers might choose low-durometer heat shrink tubing like 40D for a jacket that will conform to a flexible structure while still providing some reinforcement, like for the proximal end of a wire.

At the end of the day, durometer is just one variable designers can tweak when modifying the performance characteristics of a device.

When comparing tubing, make sure you’re comparing apples with apples. For example, nylon is about the same durometer as 72D Pebax, but stiffness of the materials will be different. The process of creating heat shrink tubing results in very different properties than you might be expecting from straight extrusions or from a different polymer. Just because the durometer is the same, it doesn’t mean the material characteristics are the same.

So go ahead! Request 3 free samples and change up the durometers, sizes, and materials. The time you save might get you over the finish line just a little faster.

Don’t see the durometer or size you’re looking for? Contact us. We might have what you need (or something close) and could send you a sample. If not, we’d be happy to make it for you. You can reach us at sales@cobaltpolymers.com or (800) 337-0901, or contact your DSA representative.