Tubing is a tube of extruded non-supporting plastic or metallic material.
Tubing is a hollow tube made from extruded plastic or metallic material, described as non-supporting because it does not carry structural load but rather covers or protects what passes through it. In wire and cable work, tubing is slipped over conductors, connections, or components to provide insulation, mechanical protection, or a means of bundling. It comes in many materials and sizes suited to different functions.
Because tubing is formed as a continuous tube, it can be cut to length and slid into place over the element it covers. Plastic tubing often provides insulation and abrasion protection, while metallic tubing can offer mechanical protection or shielding, and heat-shrinkable tubing conforms tightly when heated.
In commercial and industrial wiring, tubing protects and insulates conductors and connections in equipment and assemblies. Recognizing the term helps in understanding how wires are covered and protected beyond their own insulation.
Because tubing is formed as a continuous tube, it can be cut to length and slid into place over the element it covers, with plastic tubing often providing insulation and abrasion protection, metallic tubing offering mechanical protection or shielding, and heat-shrinkable tubing conforming tightly when heated.
Recognizing how tubing insulates, protects, and bundles conductors helps illustrate the considerations behind robust cable and wire assemblies, since the right tubing covers and protects connections beyond a conductor's own insulation in commercial and industrial wiring.
At Windy City Wire, an understanding of protective accessories, including tubing, reflects a focus on dependable wiring. Recognizing how tubing insulates, protects, and bundles conductors helps illustrate the considerations behind robust cable and wire assemblies.