Putnam Plastics introduces silicone-free FEP heat shrink tubing

Putnam Plastics has announced the addition of FEP heat shrink tubing to its portfolio. 

Putnam’s FEP heat shrink tubing is manufactured without any processing aids, including silicone oil. This eliminates potential bonding and contamination issues commonly associated with traditional heat shrink materials. A lower lineal shrinkage rate is an additional advantage of Putnam’s heat shrink compared to competitors. Featuring less than 5% lineal shrinkage, Putnam’s FEP heat shrink tubing may provide increased tensile values on certain bonded catheter shafts. 

Recent investments into their manufacturing capacity has allowed Putnam to provide quick turnaround times for FEP heat shrink tubing. Lead times for both standard and custom sizes can be as quick as four weeks. Standard wall thicknesses range as low as 0.006” in diameter up to 0.020”, providing flexibility to meet specific application requirements. For custom sizes, wall thicknesses as low as 0.004” can be achieved. Additionally, Putnam’s heat shrink tubing offers expanded inner diameters up to 0.375” and an expansion rate of up to 1.7 times the original size. 

“As catheter manufacturers ourselves, we were hampered by excessive lead times for custom and standard sizes of heat shrink,” said Bob St. John, senior catheter engineer at Putnam Plastics Corporation. “Because of that, we started manufacturing our own heat shrink in-house. Combining our extrusion capabilities and understanding of catheter assembly, we have developed a product with excellent performance characteristics.”