Teflon PTFE tube for 3D printer

Properties and characteristics of PTFE tube

PTFE tubing is virtually indispensable on a 3D printer, it has a number of interesting technical properties, here are just a few of them:

• PTFE tubing has good dielectric properties;
• It is not afraid of ultraviolet light and direct sunlight;
• Working range of PTFE tube: -60°C, +260°C;
• Does not interact with chemicals;
• Has a low coefficient of friction;

Important: Do not use the Teflon tube for long periods of time at temperatures above +240°C. At this temperature regime, Teflon begins to decompose slowly, releasing harmful and respiratory hazardous vapors.

Use of Teflon tube

PTFE tube is made of a material called polytetrafluoroethylene. This material is so versatile and has such characteristics that it has begun to be used everywhere. If you own an FDM direction (layer-by-layer plastic direction) 3D printer, your printer probably has a Teflon tube between the extruder and the hot-end to feed filament into the working area of the printer. But in addition to 3D printing, Teflon is found:

• In the chemical industry to transfer chemically active reagents, or to protect reagents fr om high temperature or chemically corrosive environments;
• In electrical engineering as an insulator;
• In the food industry;
• In medicine.

Teflon PTFE tube for 3D printer

In 3D printers, Teflon tube is used to feed filament when a Bowden extruder is installed, and in hot-end heatbreaks.

In our online store, Teflon tube is available in several variations:

• ID - 1,9mm, OD - 3mm;
• ID - 1,9mm, OD - 4mm;
• ID - 2mm, OD - 4mm;

Wh ere ID is the inner diameter of the tube and OD is the outer diameter.

The inner diameter of the tube should be chosen depending on the type of filament you plan to use for 3D printing. If you are using standard plastics or filaments with a fairly flexible rod (e.g. nylon), it is better to use a Teflon tube with an inner diameter of 1.9mm. And if you are not sure about the quality of plastic (if the manufacturer of filament does not monitor the quality of products, the filament filament diameter can be in the range fr om 1.60 to 1.85mm and more), then we recommend you to take a Teflon tube with an inner diameter of 2mm.

When choosing a Teflon tube, the same important parameter is its outer diameter. If you choose the wrong outer diameter, the diameter of the ptfe tube may not match the fitting, hot-end or extruder. So if you are changing the Teflon tube on your 3D printer, carefully measure the inner and outer diameter of the removed tube, and buy the same one. If you are assembling your own project, then carefully observe the correspondence of the Teflon tube diameters with the diameters of the fittings and working bodies of the printer.

Teflon tube malfunctions and replacement

It may seem that the Teflon tube is the simplest part in a 3D printer, but it is very important to make sure that it is in good technical condition, otherwise you cannot avoid serious breakdowns.

What you should pay attention to:

• Characteristic "clicking" Bowden extruder;
• When the 3d printer is working, the plastic does not flow out of the nozzle well;
• When feeding or rolling the filament, the Teflon tube is playful;

There may be more signs, but these are the main ones. The most common cause is a loose fit between the edge of the Teflon tube and the nozzle in the hotend. It is quite easy to fix it. You need to heat the hotend and pull the filament out of the tube. Then pull the plastic clips out of the fittings (if you put them in, of course), and by pressing on the top of the fitting, pull the tube out. If the tube cannot be pulled out, unscrew the fitting from the extruder or hot end along with the tube. If you notice darkening (fouling) on the end of the Teflon tube or that it is clogged, cut it off. Also look closely at the places wh ere the fittings stood. There the tube should be smooth, without traces of pressure or snagging fittings. If there are any, it is better to cut the Teflon tube to this place.

Repairing Teflon tube by shortening is a one-time repair. Here it is extremely important to make sure that the length of the Teflon tube is long enough to cover the entire working area of the 3D printer, without extreme tension and fractures. Also, to cut the Teflon tube do not use scissors - so you can flatten the edge of the tube, and this will only make things worse.