Unreinforced tube
Labels: virgin or unfilled PTFE tube. Ask ID/OD and wall. Do not attach a hose burst card unless the factory writes one.
convoluted ptfe tubing
A convoluted ptfe tubing request has to be one list several factories can answer. Convolution, wall and length are buyer decisions. This desk issues the same axes; it does not invent a corrugation pitch or a working-pressure card.
Cost lines that are commonly excluded — cutting, special packing, third-party tests, and freight beyond the named Incoterm — must be asked for or they will not appear. If two plants report wall in different units, convert both to inches or millimetres on the comparison sheet before anyone talks about money.
Request Factory Quotes
Which form the factory thinks it is quoting
Word order is not a SKU. Ask the plant whether convoluted, extruded, thin-wall or clear names the same configuration or a different wall.
Reinforced tube
Labels: braid or wrap. Ask the reinforcement material and whether it is part of the priced line.
Convoluted / corrugated
Labels: convoluted ptfe tubing. Ask pitch, ID/OD and whether convolution is formed in the wall or added as a jacket.
Cut-to-length
Labels: sticks or pieces. Ask count, cut tolerance and leftover coil handling.
How wall differences are handled
Two suppliers who answer “thin wall” without a number are not yet comparable. Convert both answers to the same unit, then keep both numbers on the sheet.
| If the replies differ on | Do this | Do not do this |
|---|---|---|
| Wall in inches versus millimetres | Write both numbers and the conversion method | Average the walls or pick the cheaper one silently |
| Convolution pitch | Ask whether pitch is a forming dimension or a catalogue nickname | Assume “flexible” means the same pitch |
| Excluded cost lines | Ask for cutting, packing, tests and freight on the same Incoterm | Treat a factory-gate number as a delivered number |
Files to request from a named supplier
- Current TDS that names the quoted PTFE grade, not a family brochure.
- Dimensional page with ID, OD and wall in inches or millimetres.
- REACH / RoHS statement on that grade if the receiving plant asks.
- Food-contact or USP Class VI file only when the buyer asked and the file cites the lot.
Those files belong to the supplier and the configuration. They are not badges of PTFE Tubing Sourcing.
Issue one convoluted ptfe tubing list
- ID/OD pair and wall in one unit system
- Quantity by configuration, not a lump
- Destination and requested delivery window
- Optional budget and preference, without inventing a quote