The importance of rubber tubing in flow lines for the passing of gases and liquids is unparalleled. It is also known as rubber piping or rubber hose and has many household as well as industrial applications.
Apart from being extremely reliable, the product is highly resilient and flexible. This makes it useful for various hydraulic and pneumatic equipment. It is also a vital component of numerous medical and food processing applications.
Now, whether you use natural tubings such as latex tubing products, or synthetic rubber tubing, it is crucial to know the types.
Here are some of the commonly found types of rubber tubing in the market.
Silicone rubber tubing
The silicone rubber is manufactured by reinforcing a polymer with silica. This makes the product highly resistant to extreme temperatures, whether cold or very hot. Silicone tubing products are also water-resistant.
This product is highly used in medical equipment as well as in the food and beverage industry. From being used in nasogastric feeding equipment to maintaining positive air pressure in CPAP machines, the silicone rubber tubing helps provide better healthcare.
Neoprene rubber tubing
Neoprene rubber tubing products or Polyisoprene is a polymer of isoprene, which is the primary component of natural rubber. This is a type of synthetic rubber manufactured using coal, limestone, and salt. It retains its flexible nature under low temperatures and is also a flame-resistant product.
The elastomer, being a durable and sturdy material, is highly used in outdoor applications. It is also abrasion-resistant and resistant to petroleum products, ozone, and sunlight. The only problem with this type of rubber tubing is that they are bad for electrical conductivity. This makes the item not suitable for electrical products.
EPDM rubber tubing
Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer or EPDM rubber tubing is another type of synthetic rubber product. The traces of diene, ethylene, and propylene in the rubber makes it easy to vulcanize it with sulphur at high temperature. This ensures higher resistance to weather and heath and increases the durability of the product.
For this reason, EPDM tubing is majorly used for industrial purposes. Another reason is that the material is resistant to solvents, hydraulic fluids, and even some types of acids. EPDM is also used in HPAV systems, such as heating and cooling hoses of vehicles.
Latex tubing products
With the global production of rubber increasing, it is not surprising that so many types of synthetic rubber products are available in the market.
But other than the synthetic rubber types, natural rubber tubing is also useful for many purposes. Usually, natural rubber tubing is made of Polyisoprene and latex. It is resistant to wear and tear and is a highly resilient material.
Many latex tubing products are used for surgical treatments, exercise tubes, etc. If the natural latex rubber tubing is made by the continuous dip process, it enhances the quality of the product even more. This type of natural tubing also has better colour quality than its synthetic counterparts.
Conclusion
In the end, it can be derived that rubber tubing or rubber piping is a highly useful piece of equipment. But whether you choose synthetic or natural latex tubing products, it is essential to understand their quality and usefulness.
With this list, you can better understand the major types of rubber tubing in the market. Of course, there are other types than the ones mentioned here. Nonetheless, these are the most prevalent among industrial and domestic applications.