Silicone tubing is an extremely versatile and tough elastomer with very high flexibility, resistance and strength and can be stretch without having to worry about tearing. Due to the fact that silicone tubes are hygienic and non-toxic, silicone tubes manufacturers produce it as a medical-grade material which is why it is a popular choice for medical and healthcare applications. It plays an important role in a wide range of industries that involve liquid and gas transfers. Its broad range of properties makes it the preferred tubing material in many situations.
Where are Silicone Tubes Used?
As mentioned earlier, silicone tubes are use in many different industries which include:
- Medical Field: This material has many properties that make it ideal for use in the medical field. Silicone tubes are highly tough and easy to clean and sterilize. These properties make it very valuable to professionals in the medical field. However, its biocompatibility is what makes it invaluable from a medical standpoint. This means that it is not toxic or harmful to living tissues and is not likely to cause allergic reactions. This makes silicone tube a popular material for feeding tubes, catheters, drains, medical implants, and other medical products whose key requirement is biocompatibility.
- Electronic and Automotive Equipment: Silicone tubes are an excellent material to use for electrical insulation. Many different industries use it in electronics. You might ask how this relates to automotive. Silicone tubing is widely use for the insulation of electrical components in automotive enclosures and for coolant systems in automobiles.
- Food and Dairy Processing: Because of its hygienic and non-toxic properties, food-grade silicone tubes are a popular choice in the food and dairy industry. Different food and dairy companies use it for dairy processing equipment, dispensing beverages, and other applications in the food industry that require sterile and flexible materials with a high tolerance of heat and chemicals.
Other applications of silicone tubes include:
- They are primarily use in water filtration and purification systems because silicone tubes are non-toxic and their both their inner and outer surfaces are smooth.
- Due to the need for sterile and flexible equipment, silicone tubes are highly regard for application in analytical instrumentation.
- Silicone tubes are extensively use in the aerospace industry in equipment such as conveyance and climate control systems. The temperature resistance, flexibility and high tensile strength of this material also makes it the ideal choice for vacuum seals on aircrafts and vehicles.
- Home brewers and microbreweries use silicone tubing in the form of siphon hoses to make their products.
- It is also use in aquarium air devices and airflow/ducting systems.
Conclusion
As you can tell, silicone tubes play an extensive role in the production of different equipments in a wide range of industries. O ring manufacturers also choose this material to make their products. With so many important properties and features, it is no surprise that silicone tubing has an extremely high position in various industries. These properties are the reason that silicone tubes will be in use for many more years to come.