Heat shrink and cold shrink cable accessories were developed in the 1960s following the introduction of rubber and polyethylene insulated cables. Both technologies use cross-linkable material that is expanded and sold in an expanded state.
Heat shrink technology uses heat to shrink onto the cable, while cold shrink technology relies on the mechanical properties of rubber to shrink onto the cable without external heat. Although the technologies may appear similar, they differ in their performance characteristics.
3M developed cold shrink technology in 1968 and has since expanded its applications for medium-voltage splices and terminations, including 69/72.5kV systems.
The company said cold shrink technology offers advantages over heat shrink technology in areas including installation speed, performance and reliability, which it attributes to the design of the accessory and the material properties.
According to 3M, many of its cold shrink medium-voltage products have remained in service for more than 40 years. The company said its long history with the technology has contributed to ongoing product development and refinement.
The success of 3M cold shrink technology has led many other companies to offer similar cold shrink products. 3M has also developed the product ranges through several generations, offering ease of installation and long-term performance.
To download the whitepaper, click here. For more information about 3M’s cold shrink products, click here. To contact 3M and submit an inquiry, click here.
