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Heat-shrinkable (heat-shrinkable) tubes (HUT) are used as a covering material with protective, insulating, anticorrosive properties. They are used for sealing wire and cable cores, including power ones, wire soldering points, restoring damaged insulation and sheaths of wires and cables, banding and marking wires, creating anti-corrosion protective and decorative coatings, etc.
Heat-shrinkable tubes, put on in the initial state on various objects, are reduced when heated and take on the outer dimensions of the fitted object.
 
The tube is available in the following colors: black, blue, white, red, yellow, and yellow-green. Has various shrinkage ratios 2: 1, 3: 1, 4: 1. It can also have an adhesive layer for reliable sealing of the joint.
 
When choosing the size of the heat-shrinkable tube, you need to know that the diameter of the tube before shrinkage must have a certain “margin” and exceed the diameter of the actual base on which the tube will be shrunk by at least 10–20%. It should be remembered that the smaller the diameter of the actual base, the greater the thickness of the tube after shrinkage. Also, the diameter of the tube after shrinkage should be 10% less than the actual base. Under these conditions, a snug fit of the tube to the product will be ensured.
When using a heat shrinkable tube, it is important to adhere to the technology of its installation:
- To ensure uniform shrinkage and prevent local burnout of the tube, the flame of the burner or hot air gun must be in constant uniform motion.
-Optimum shrinkage temperature of products about 125°C.
-Shrinkage of heat-shrinkable tubes with constrictions, deep scratches and cavities on the outer surface, tearing and cuts at the ends is not allowed.
-To avoid the formation of wrinkles and air bubbles, heat shrinkage should be performed either from the center of the tube to its ends, or sequentially from one end to the other.
-Before continuing to shrink along the product, the tube must be shrinked radially (circumferentially).
-The seated tube should not have any damage, its surface should be smooth, without wrinkles and swelling.
-On the surface of the seated tube, the contours of the relief of the base on which it was seated must be discernible.
 
In modern conditions, heat-shrinkable tubes are used not only in electronics, electrical engineering, instrument making, but also by companies operating in the field of construction, plumbing, automotive, railway transport, shipbuilding, aviation, medicine, and space industry.
It is also noteworthy that the production of heat shrink tubing does not use halogen-containing materials.