We worked with a fluidic customer to create a custom formed FEP tube. The tubing required a 90° bend and an increased tube diameter with chamfer at either end. Used for draining a vacuum application, the bespoke fluoropolymer component needed to resist high pressure and solvents.

The project: Drain valve piping

Our fluidic customer required drain valve piping for a vacuum application. Due to the orientation of the machine, they needed the tube to turn at a 90° bend. They also required the piping to resist high pressure and solvents.

They initially asked for and tested the equipment set up with crush resistant PTFE convoluted tubing. However, due to how the equipment was set up and due to the convolutions in the tubing, the draining system produced a whistling sound.

The solution: FEP tube with a 90° bend

To meet the project criteria and eliminate the whistling sound, we created a custom FEP tube with the following characteristics:

• We produced a formed tube with a close tolerance preformed ID larger than the tube size selected. The tubing fit the barbed connection of the machine, turned at a 90° bend and connected to the drain tank.

• We used a smooth bore FEP tube available from stock (3.8” ID x 1/2” OD). FEP was chosen for its resistance to high pressure and solvents. The smooth bore tubing solved the whistling sound.

• We formed a 90° bend in the fluoroplastic tube close to one of the ends.

• We created one end with a 15mm ID for a length of 15mm. We also added a 1mm internal chamfer to aid the lead in and allow the tube to push fit onto the connection.

• We formed the other end with another 1mm internal chamfer with a 12.7mm ID for a length of 14.7mm.

This solution was developed in-house by our R&D team and bespoke tooling was created for this project. By producing close tolerance preformed ends to the fluoropolymer tubing, we eliminated the need for mechanical seals to fasten the drain piping to the machine or the tank. This provided an aesthetical and cost-saving solution for our fluidic customer.

Thermoforming fluoropolymers

Fluoroplastics can be manipulated into complex profiles using thermoforming processes. Custom fabrications can be made from PTFE, FEP, PFA & PVDF tubing, heat shrink sleeving and sheet. This can provide innovative solutions to many design problems encountered.

Using combinations of custom manufacturing techniques in conjunction with thermoforming processes, almost any component in fluoroplastics can be produced at relatively low cost. We can flange, flare, coil, bend and cut all our fluoropolymer tubing and heat shrink products to your specific design requirements.

Here at Adtech, we are specialists in delivering innovative fluoroplastic solutions for your technical applications. We understand that every customer’s application is different, so our knowledgeable customer service and R&D teams are on hand to discuss your project.

Get in touch today to ask for more information or to discuss your requirements:

t: +44 (0) 1285 762000

e: sales@adtech.co.uk

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