Pneumatic tubes MANULAN®, PTFE TECAFLON®, PVDF MANULEF®, MANULENE®, FEP

MANULAN® tubes are made of solid polyurethane (thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer or TPU) polyester base.
They are obtained by calibrated extrusion.
If they are less durable in time than MANUril® tubes, they have acquired great importance on the market through their flexibility and their higher resistance to impacts and abrasion.
Moreover, the size of logic panels can be reduced by the low bend radius of MANULAN® tubes. MANULAN® tubes are :
- Very resistant to abrasion, wear and impacts.
- Very flexible, even in cold.
- Generators of very low pressure drops.
- Provided with good bend radius.
- Exempt of exudable plastifiers.
MANULAN® standard polyester base tubes are used in pneumatic or hydraulic logic systems and have excellent resistance to oils and hydrocarbons, but do not resist very well to acids and alcalines.
They comply with the European regulations for food contact.
On request, it can be supplied in polyether base polyurethane, the other great family of polyurethanes.
Globally, tubes in polyether base polyurethane have the opposite characteristics.
A table can be found on page 19, giving the main differences in chemical resistances of polyester and polyether base polyurethanes.
MANULAN® tubes are rigorously calibrated. for certain dimensions, they are in conformity with NFE 49 101 which defines not only dimensional tolerances but also working pressures according to safety factors with regards to working temperature, along with tests (moisture absorption, aging, flexibility) defining their use.
They are made from 100% virgin material.
Marking of tubes is as follows : “tecalemit flexibles - part N° - manulan - ID x OD - batch N°”

Les valeurs des ratios de pression de service en fonction de la température indiquée ci-dessus ne représentent qu’une moyenne des résultats obtenus à partir des pressions d’éclatement divisées par un coefficient de sécurité, étant entendu que celles-ci sont variables suivant le diamètre et l’épaisseur des tubes.

MANULAN® part numbers are mnemonic are are composed as follows

Example :
for a box of 100 metres of yellow 4x2.5 MANULAN® tube

In general MANULAN® tubes are produced in long lengths on wooden reels. they are then repackaged in sachets, boxes or on smaller capacity reels in multiples of 25 metres lengt

MANULENE® tubes are made from solid polyethylene.
They are obtained by calibrated extrusion.
They are used in low pressure pneumatic logic as well as for conveying certain aggresive fluids.
MANULENE® tubes are :
- Very light (density 0.9), impervious and imputrescible.
- Adapted to negative pressure use.
- Very flexible.
- Very smooth inner bore.
- Translucent.
These tubes have very good chemical resistance with regards to many acids, bases and salt solutions (refer to chemical compatibility chart on page 40).
Even so, its mechanical qualities may not be sufficient for certain industrial applications and the working temperature of these tubes only covers a reduced range : between -30°C and +60°C as can be seen in the following table.
Marking of tubes is as follows : “tecalemit flexibles - manulene - part N° - ID x OD - batch N°”.

The values of working pressure ratios according to working temperatures indicated above represent only the average of the results obtained from burst pressures divided by a safety factor, given that these are variable according to tube diameter and wall thickness

TFE was discovered at the end of the 1930’s, every year its remarkable properties increase the scope of its applications despite the difficulty of its production.
TECAFLON® tubes are made from white sintered polytetrafluorethylene.
They are obtained by lubricated calibrated extrusion in piston machines, which explains the limited lengths of tubes that can be obtained.
TECAFLON® tubes are :
- Inert to chemical products.
- Very resistant to temperature.
- Fragile under mechanical efforts and abrasion.
- Provided with an excellent slipping coefficient.
- Insensitive to ultra violets.
- Nonflammable.
TECAFLON® tubes are intended for the most severe uses acceptable by thermoplastics with regards to temperature and chemical aggression.
Their admissible working temperature ranges from -170°C to +200°C. they are also of food quality and have the American FDA (Food & Drug Administration) approval. TECAFLON® tubes are rigorously calibrated, although production tolerances on thicknesses are larger than for other tubes.
The following table gives a rapid comparison between ptfe and other high performance fluoride plastic materials such as FEP (fluroethylenepropylene) and PFA (perfluoroalkoxy) whose extrusion is easier.
Tto resume, fep has mechanical, chemical and electrical properties practically identical to those of ptfe, even though its resistance to temperature is limited and pfa has dielectric, thermal and chemical properties identical to PTFE.
TECAFLON® tubes are supplied without markings.
Admissible working temperatures of TECAFLON® tubes are comprised between -170°C and +200°C.
TECAFLON® tubes are produced in limited lengths (see table of characteristics) and then packaged in standard lengths of 25 metres.
On request, they can be supplied otherwise.

The values of working pressure ratios according to working temperatures indicated above represent only the average of the results obtained from burst pressures divided by a safety factor, given that these are variable according to tube diameter and wall thickness.

PTFE : polytetrafluoroethylene / FEP : fluoroethylenepropylene / PFA : perfluoroalkoxy

MANULEF® tubes are made from virgin kynar 740 polyvinylidene fluroride and are produced by calibrated extrusion.
This material appeared on the market in 1955 and is used in translucent grade.
Kynar® is a trade name of the Arkema company® .
MANULEF® tubes are :
- Very resistant to chemical products.
- Resistant to temperature.
- Provided with very good mechanical properties.
- Insenstive to ultraviolets.
- Very impervious.
- Food quality.
- Nonflammable (UL 10).
MANULEF® tubes are intended for severe conditions of temperature and chemical aggression.
Their admissible working temperature ranges from -20°C to +150°C with very good dimensional stability.
They are also of food quality and have approval by the american FDA (Food & Drug Administration).
They are particularly adapted to outdoor use by their insensitivity to ultraviolet-visible rays and are imputrescible and insensitive to mould.
MANULEF® are supplied unnmarked.
Admissible working temperatures of MANULEF® tubes are between -40°C and +150°C.

The values of working pressure ratios according to working temperatures indicated above represent only the average of the results obtained from burst pressures divided by a safety factor, given that these are variable according to tube diameter and wall thickness

Material : F E P fluoropolymer resin Copolymer of hexafluoropropylene and tetrafluoroethylene.
Colour : natural ( natural color is transparent )
Hardness : 55 Shore D
Service temperature : –190°C to + 200 °C
Burst pressure = 3 x working pressure.
Resistance to chemicals is excellent.
Chemical FEP tubing is inert to most chemicals and solvents, similar to PTFE.
Excellent dielectric properties.
Weathering FEP tubing products are virtually unaffected by weather elements.
Resistance to extreme heat, cold, and UV radiation Non-stick.
Low coefficient of friction.
Negligible moisture absorbtion.
Material food contact . Food Contact comply with FDA : 21 CFR 177.1550

The values of working pressure ratios according to working temperatures indicated above represent only the average of the results obtained from burst pressures divided by a safety factor, given that these are variable according to tube diameter and wall thickness