Overview of IC Tubes

IC Tubes are mainly used for packaging and shipping Electronic Components such as Switches, Relays, Sensors, Capacitors, Connectors, Power Modules, Semiconductors, etc. It is also called Antistatic IC Tubes, IC Shipping Tubes, ESD Tubes, Plastic IC tubes, IC Storage Tubes, Tube Containers, and so on. IC Tubes are used for transporting components from vendor to user and also used for loading into machines that assemble boards. And at the same time, provide exceptional ESD protection while maintaining a very low cost of packaging to product ratio. There are thousands of different configurations and there is not a one tube fits all scenario.

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Tube packaging is similar to Tape and Reel packaging in that it can safely store and transport larger parts that are not suitable for tape and reel packaging. With this method, sets of components are secured in dedicated packaging 

Features Of IC Tubes

• Anti-static, not easy to jam, no impurities, no thorns
• High definition, good ductility
• High wear resistance, product pressure resistance, strong drop resistance
• High toughness, not easy to deform
• High impact toughness, good water tightness and durability
• Simple installation, very suitable for automatic production lines

Our Advantages And Services

1. Quickly propose the tube designs and it’s quotation
2. Process and technical support for various materials such as PVC, PS, PC, PET, ABS, etc.
3. The anti-static property be treated by surface layer process or material built-in additives.
4. Meet the customization of various tube lengths or shapes.
5. Printing of kinds of Symbols on the surface of tubes is options.
6. Various Stoppers can be provided according to the characteristics of the tubes or customer request
7. Lead Time and Quality is guaranteed.
8. Small or large quantities available
9. Quality management system such as ISO and after-sales service

Tube Quotes

For quoting IC Tubes, Sewate will need one of the following:

• Drawing of the tube you wish to order
• Drawing of the IC component that’s going into the tubes
• A sample tube if there is no drawing
• If none of the above is available, we will need your physical component that goes into the tube so we can take measurements.

Considerations for custom-made IC tubes

• One time tooling set up cost
• Extruded Plastic IC tube tooling must be designed & manufactured based on the shape of the extrusion
• Minimum tube order requirement

In our Four points to pay attention to when purchasing Anti Static Plastic IC Shipping tubes, you can get more details for purchasing.

Custom IC Tube Design Guide

SEWATE specializes in a wide range of Custom IC Tubes for almost every application you can think of. Our tubes can be customized in terms of material, length, color, shape and level of anti-static!

Design Process for Custom IC tubes

A typical process follows some or all of the steps mentioned below. These steps help ensure that the tube is working properly when the process is complete.

1. Free Quote. This involves a review of the application, key design requirements and tube functionality. The specific design process will be indicated in the estimate.
2. Using the purchase order, create a drawing for approval. This step helps ensure that the tube is as expected and serves as an opportunity to make adjustments and/or changes to the design.
3. Mold making and Tooling trial
4. Sample production, free samples of 20-50 tube will be provided

Custom IC Tube Lead Time

The time to Custom IC Tubes depends on many factors. 25-day ARO on the low end if the project is basic and low volume. Typical lead time is 4-6 weeks. This time may increase if changes are made during the design process. Lead times for complex tools or high volume items can be as high as 10-12 week

Available for: SOP, SSOP, TSSOP, SOIC, SOJ, DIP, PLCC, LCC, QNF, MFL, LPCC. TO Series, Sockets, Rubber End Plugs, Plastic Pins/Nails, Plastic Caps, EPE Plugs also available. 

Keep Reading:Anti Static IC Shipping Tube customization guidelines

What Material To Be Choosed

Material Selection is important when specifying a tube. IC Tubes can be made of plastics of various materials such as PVC, PS, PET, PC, ABS, etc. The packaging tubes of different materials will have different performances. 

PVC, the full name is polyvinyl chloride. The material has the advantages of non-flammability, high strength, good flexibility, easy molding, not being brittle, excellent geometric stability, non-toxic and non-polluting, and long storage time. It is commonly be used as the materials for the IC Tubes.

FeaturesBenefitsGood impact strengthcrack free tubesStable dimensionExcellent smooth interfacing Critical dimension control within 5 milsHigher productivityShort cycle timeShort lead time

 HIPS, is an abbreviation for impact-resistant polystyrene, an impact-resistant polystyrene product produced by adding polybutadiene rubber particles to polystyrene. HIPS has the characteristics of easy processing, good performance, low price, and environmental protection. However, the gloss of the material is poor, the impact strength is low, the product is brittle, and its all-around performance is lower than that of PVC and ABS.

FeaturesBenefitsHalogen freeReduced environmental impactImproved clarity/transparency and impact strengthGood clarity/transparency without compromising impact strengthAvailable in clear or translucent

ABS  is a terpolymer of acrylonitrile (A)-butadiene (B)-styrene (S). It combines the properties of three components:

• Acrylonitrile has high hardness and strength, heat resistance, and corrosion resistance.
• Butadiene has impact resistance and toughness.
• Styrene has high surface gloss and easy coloration and is easy to process.

Therefore, ABS plastic has high strength, is lightweight, has a large surface hardness, is very smooth, easy to clean, dimensionally stable, and environmentally friendly. ABS is susceptible to stress cracking due to solvent, poor weather resistance, and sunlight, discoloration, and brittleness.

 PET is an amorphous copolyester. Its products are highly transparent, excellent in impact resistance, challenging, good in gloss, non-white under pressure, good in low-temperature resistance, easy to form and post-process, as Environmentally friendly materials that meet FDA standards for food contact. PETG has a low heat distortion temperature and poor drying performance.

FeaturesBenefitsHalogen freeReduced environmental impactStrongest impact strengthExcellent for heavy duty big packagesExcellent clarity/transparencyApplication examples: microprocessor heat sink and ceramic TO packages.

PC is the abbreviation of polycarbonate. It is an amorphous thermoplastic resin with excellent comprehensive properties. It has excellent electrical insulation, elongation, dimensional stability and chemical resistance, high strength, and heat resistance. And cold resistance; also has the advantages of self-extinguishing, flame retardant, non-toxic, colorable, and so on.

FeaturesBenefitsTight tolerance.
Critical dimension control +/- 2 milsAccurate unattended high speed device loading and unloadingSuperb clarity/transparencyEase of visual inspectionPackage guide profile designPrevent device piggy back, shingling and unit rotationHigh impact strengthIdeal for MSOP and TSSOP square body packages

Read more: What are the materials for Anti Static Plastic IC Shipping Tubes

FAQs(Frequently Asked Questions About IC Tubes)

Does the supplier have the ability to develop and design IC tubes?

Yes. Sewate has 20 years of research and development and design capabilities for IC tubes. The R&D and design capabilities of the supplier are critical. Independent R&D and design capabilities are necessary factors in designing an Anti-static IC tube that meets the requirements. A good supplier can design a shipping tube that meets the requirements by simply providing a part drawing or the real part samples.

Will IC tubes get stuck during the packaging process?

The IC Tubes designed and produced by our company is more suitable for automatic assembly line packaging because of its reasonable design, stable production process, and well-controlled dimensional precision which may effectively prevent parts jamming. At the same time, we have established a complete inspection system And quality management system to ensure product performance.

Tongxi are exported all over the world and different industries with quality first. Our belief is to provide our customers with more and better high value-added products. Let's create a better future together.

Is the transparency of the IC tubes good?

Yes, The IC tube produced by our company has high transparency, no impurities and burrs, which is beneficial for customer staffs to check the quality of the parts inside through the tubes.

The IC tubes are easy to crush the components during transportation? Can it better protect the parts?

The IC tubes produced by our company has excellent elasticity, wear resistance and toughness, and is not easy to be damaged during transportation, so that it can better protect your parts.

What is the Lead Time of custom tube typically?

The time to Custom IC Tubes depends on many factors. 25-day ARO on the low end if the project is basic and low volume. Typical lead time is 4-6 weeks. This time may increase if changes are made during the design process. Lead times for complex tools or high volume items can be as high as 10-12 week.

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