3-D Printing – The advent of 3-D printing has opened up a world of possibilities. However, manufacturers of these revolutionary machines soon encountered a problem. The tubing that carried the input plastic filament to the nozzle head to be melted and printed was cracking and lacked lubricity for optimal yields. Many firms then decided to choose Zeus PTFE tubing which has the lowest coefficient of friction of any polymer tubing. These manufacturers have also found the chemical inertness of our PFA and FEP extrusions to be ideal for handling complex solvents in their designs. Our team can develop special profiles for male fittings, colors for part identification, and multi-lumen tubing for complex printing systems.

Composite Bike Frames – Many bicycle manufacturers have discovered that the lubricity and temperature resistance of Zeus FEP Lay-Flat™ Heat Shrink is a better alternative than films during the fabrication of their composite frames. This material is a seamless release aid that forms over frames and joints to provide strength and a smooth finish. Over time, we have refined our processing capabilities to introduce new sizes, tighter tolerances, and custom coloring options for our heat shrinks to improve manufacturing efficiencies.

Electrical Insulation – We offer a diverse portfolio of high-temperature insulations to extend the life of your electrical components. Our products maintain excellent dielectric strength in hostile environments that encounter heat, abrasion, and shock. We specialize in custom extrusions to accelerate cable insulation designs with unique solutions such as precision slot liners, heat shrink splicing technology, PEEK magnet wires, multi-lumens, hermetic motor insulation, and more.

Light Bulb Encapsulation – Fluorescent light bulbs can shatter easily without proper insulation covering rooms with dangerous broken glass. Zeus offers a series of Lay-Flat™ heat shrinks (PFA and FEP) to safely encapsulate and protect bulbs as well as the surroundings after breakage. These products are resistant to UV rays, available in traditional and custom sizes, and keep light flowing ensuring a safe environment.

Military Communications – With the difficult environmental conditions soldiers face in the field for long durations, communications equipment can easily experience failure. When plastic components fail and extruded parts from high-performance resins are needed, manufacturers turn to Zeus. We responded with customized PVDF and PFA extrusions that perform better in harsh conditions to keep the lines of communication functioning.

Convoluted Tubing – Also known as flexible conduit, Zeus convoluted tubing offers low friction, abrasion protection, flexibility, and is manufactured to Military Specification SAE AS 81914 variants 1-6 (also known as product callout M81914) in both standard and extra flex convoluted options. Our polymer resins offer excellent dielectric properties for use as insulation over wires and cable, and several of our convoluted products can operate at temperatures up to 500 °F (260 °C).

Custom Extrusions – If we do not make what you need already, we can. We specialize in extruding customized tubing and special profiles. Tubing variations are nearly limitless with a wide variety of additives and secondary services available to further tailor your tubing product. Extrusion specifications can include special resins, straightness, certification and testing, packaging, cutting, etching, inspection protocols, and much more.

Extruded Tubing – Zeus’ portfolio of conventional extruded tubing provides an extended range of physical and mechanical properties and ordering options. The high surface smoothness, UV ray transmission, burst pressure, dielectric properties, and tensile strength are just a few of the characteristics that our customers focus on when choosing the option that works best for them. PTFE, for example, is commonly found in 3-D printing used as a filament guide, or hotend tube, for its heat resistance to prevent heat from traveling up the extruder head and melting the filament prematurely. Qualities such as chemical resistance, low extractables gas permeability, and clarity have made our PFA and FEP tubing primary choices to carry the specialized solvents necessary for 3-D printers. Our formed tubing is available in most melt processed resins and is available in retractable coils (such as for air-fed hoses) and customs sizes and colors.

Heat Shrinks – Zeus manufactures heat shrinks in a broad spectrum resins including PTFE, PEEK, FEP, PFA, and ETFE as well as two variations of our Dual-Shrink™ in PTFE / FEP and PTFE / ETFE. Our portfolio of heat shrinks provides many options for heat shrink ratios, sizes, and tolerances. Our Lay-Flat heat shrinks – including PFA and FEP – provide yet another option with these products available in a flattened and spooled form and in long continuous lengths.

Release Aids – Zeus FEP Lay-Flat™ heat shrink is but one example of our products used as release aids during manufacturing. This product is commonly applied to component parts and composites during fabrication and manufacturing as a superior alternative to films. Our heat shrinks provide seamless fits over joints along with a smooth surface feel.

ECTFE – Also known as Halar®, this popular tubing is often chosen for protecting wires and cables in a variety of applications. ECTFE has a broad operating temperature of -94 °F ( 70 °C) to 302 °F (150 °C). This material provides outstanding durability, ultra-low permeability, and chemical resistance. ECTFE is gamma and e-beam sterilizable and offers good performance at a competitive price.

ETFE – This material is a copolymer of ethylene and tetrafluoroethylene. ETFE tubing affords excellent resistance to impact, abrasion, and stress cracking. ETFE possesses superior toughness, stiffness, and durability all while being chemically inert. This polymer material can be extruded in multiple forms including flexible convoluted tubing that meets Mil Spec SAE AS 81914 criteria. ETFE can operate in temperatures ranging from -238 °F (-150 °C) to 302 °F (150 °C), has low water absorption, and performs well with ETO, autoclave, and gamma sterilizations.

FEP – This thermostable material is a preferred choice where higher clarity and flexibility are most important. FEP tubing also has a lower heat shrinkable temperature than similar fluoropolymers. This melt processable material allows for long, continuous lengths and has several distinct advantages over PTFE. FEP can be made into heat shrink and convoluted products that meet AMS-DTL-23053/11 and SAE AS 81914 Mil Spec certifications, respectively. This chemically inert polymer has low gas permeability, possesses an excellent UV transmission rating, and superb dielectric strength. FEP maintains excellent serviceability at low temperatures and can operate in temperatures from -328 °C (-200 °C) to 399 °F (204 °C).

HDPE – This high-density polyethylene (HDPE) tubing provides a high strength-to-density ratio and is a good option for corrosion resistant piping, fuel tanks, electrical boxes, and other needs. This recyclable material offers a maximum short duration operating temperature of 150 °F (66 °C) with an extended duration operating temperature of 130 °F (54 °C). HDPE, the hardest and stiffest version of polyethylene, possesses a tensile strength of 3,200 to 4,500 psi and is also resistant to sunlight for use outdoors.

LDPE – This low density counterpart to HDPE, LDPE offers a similar service temperature range, lubricity, and chemical resistance but with much greater flexibility; LDPE is the softest and most flexible version of PE. LDPE has high elongation giving it greater impact strength. LDPE’s tensile strength is 1,200 to 4,000 psi, and the material is highly moisture resistant making it useful for waterproofing and aseptic packaging.

Nylon – Zeus extrudes several types of nylon and lay-flat tubing and can assist in the selection of the specific grade of nylon best suited for your application. Our engineered nylons are available in a wide range of grades suited for many custom applications including Grilamid® (Nylon 12; Grilamid® L25, Rilsan® A, Vestamid® L2140, Grilamid® TR55 and TR55LX), Rilsan® (Nylon 11; Rilsan® B), Vestamid®, Pebax® (PEBA; Pebax® 7233, 7033, 6333, 5533, 4033, 3533), Zytel® (Nylon 6/6; Zytel® 42A and ST801), and others.

PEEK – This high-performance engineered polymer has excellent endurance to heat with one of the highest strength-to-weight ratios of any thermoplastic. This material can be used as an alternative to materials such as aluminum, steel, glass, and even other polymers. PEEK tubing is lightweight and able to withstand operating temperatures of 500 ºF (260 ºC). This tubing tolerates high burst pressures; is thermoformable, resistant to wear and impact; and possesses exceptional torsional stability. PEEK is also highly resistant to hydrolysis making it well-suited for applications involving steam or water under high pressures.

PFA – This fluoropolymer is known for its ability to maintain its mechanical integrity in extreme temperatures even when exposed to caustic chemicals. PFA can withstand temperature environments of up to 500 ºF (260 ºC) and can also be extruded in convoluted tubing forms that provide a highly flexible conduit. PFA exhibits excellent lubricity, clarity, flexibility, and is highly resistant to creep. PFA is also available in high purity versions that are SEMI F-57 certified.

High Purity PFA – The unique molecular structure of High Purity (HP) PFA resin reduces metallic extractables and protects against micro contamination. PFA HP is non-reactive with almost all chemicals and is flame resistant. This clear tubing displays exceptional surface smoothness and meets or exceeds SEMI F57 purity standards. PFA HP has low gas permeability, maintains its mechanical strength even at elevated temperatures, and displays improved resistance to stress cracking. PFA HP is also ideally suited for laser or striped ID coding and can withstand temperatures ranging from -328 °F (-200 °C) to 500 °F (260 °C).

PTFE – This popular fluoropolymer offers the lowest coefficient of friction of any similar plastic and is highly lubricious tubing. PTFE has become the gold standard for tubing applications requiring the ultimate in lubricity, high and low temperature utilization -328 °F (-200 °C) to 500 °F (260 °C), chemical resistance, and precision extruded tolerances. This diverse polymer is also manufactured into heat shrinks and convoluted tubing that are AMS-DTL-23053/12 and SAE AS 81914 Mil Spec certified, respectively. In addition to conventional extruded tubing, Zeus provides PTFE in Sub-Lite-Wall® tubing, special profiles, monofilament, and multi-lumen forms.

PVDF – This polymer delivers high performance at a competitive cost. Also known as Kynar®, Solef®, Hylar®, and other names, PVDF is characterized by low permeability as well as strong abrasion and chemical resistance. PVDF’s surface is highly averse to bacterial or fungal adherence making it suited for soda or fountain drink machines. This tubing possesses a host of other properties that make it useful in a variety of applications needing flexibility without sacrificing performance. PVDF tubing has a working temperature of -58 °F (-50 °C) to 300 °F (150 °C), is resistant to nuclear radiation, has low smoke and flame properties, and possesses excellent dielectric properties.