Small Relay Shipping Tubes
Small Relay Shipping Tubes are extruded plastic channels designed specifically for through-hole and surface-mount relays, switches, and similar components.
Where Small Relay Shipping Tubes Fits
Small Relay Shipping Tubes are extruded plastic channels designed specifically for through-hole and surface-mount relays, switches, and similar components. They maintain device orientation from the component vendor to the pick and place machine, preventing jamming and misfeed. SEWATE manufactures them in PVC, PS, PC, PETG, and ABS with oval or square profiles, wall thickness from 0.30mm to 1.85mm, and lengths from 50mm to 1000mm. Anti-static protection is achieved through surface treatment or built-in additives, ensuring ESD protection throughout handling and transit. These tubes are used for high-volume, high-speed automated assembly and are available in standard profiles or custom-designed to match the exact device body and lead span.
The Case for Small Relay Shipping Tubes
- Maintains fixed orientation of relays and switches so they load directly into tube feeders without re-orientation
- Anti-static protection via surface layer or built-in additives, chosen to match storage and handling conditions
- Wall thickness from 0.30mm to 1.85mm allows trade-off between material cost and impact resistance
- Critical dimension control within 5 mils on PVC and +/- 2 mils on PC ensures consistent fit and prevents jamming
- Tight tolerance profiles in PC reduce device piggybacking shingling and rotation during high-speed feeding
- Standard profiles ship in 5-15 days, reducing downtime when replacing a supplier or scaling production
Typical Uses for Small Relay Shipping Tubes
Shipping relays and switches from a component manufacturer to an overseas EMS or SMT plant
Feeding small relays and connectors into automatic insertion machines with high-speed tube feeders
Protecting relays during long-term storage in a warehouse before assembly, preventing ESD and mechanical damage
Re-packing bulk relays into fixed-count tubes for kitting, traceability, and inventory control
Replacing a tube supplier whose profile no longer matches the current relay body or lead configuration
The Buyer of Small Relay Shipping Tubes
- Relay and switch manufacturers packaging finished goods for export
- Connector and power module producers shipping components with large bodies unsuitable for tape and reel
- EMS and SMT plants receiving relay-packed devices and needing spares for rework or line changeovers
- IC distributors re-packaging bulk relays for their own customers with consistent tube profiles
- Purchasing teams replacing a tube supplier whose dimensions no longer match the device after a design change
Small Relay Shipping Tubes Against the Failure Modes
- Relays jam mid-tube due to internal profile drift or dimensional variation across a production run
- Electrostatic discharge damages sensitive relay contacts during transport and manual handling
- Bulk relays arrive in random orientation, increasing operator time to load manually into feeders
- Tubes crack on drop during transit, spilling relays and damaging the carton contents
- A relay body is too large or too heavy for tape and reel but still requires fixed orientation
- Anti-static performance degrades after wiping or long storage when only surface treatment is used
Inside the Small Relay Shipping Tubes Specification
- Oval or square extruded profile matched to the relay body and lead span
- Anti-static achieved by surface layer process or by additives built into the resin
- Internal surface smooth and dimensionally stable to prevent device binding or rotation
- Critical dimension control within 5 mils on PVC and +/- 2 mils on PC for high-speed feeding
- Good impact strength and drop resistance to survive carton handling without cracking
- Available with rubber end plugs plastic pins nails plastic caps or EPE plugs for closure
Small Relay Shipping Tubes Data Sheet
Values are taken from the SEWATE product data for this item.
| Model Number | SE-IC-002 |
|---|---|
| Wall Thickness | 0.30mm-1.85mm |
| Profile | Oval or square or customized |
| Material | PVC / PS / PC / PETG / ABS |
| Colour | Transparent, blue, black, red, yellow, purple |
| Dimension Control | Within 5 mils on PVC, +/- 2 mils on PC |
| Certification | RoHS |
| MOQ | 10000 pieces |
| Sample Time | 3-5 days or according to customers’ requirements |
| Lead Time | 5-15 days or depend on final quantity |
| Capacity | 50000 pcs per week |
| Supply Ability | 150 tons per month |
| Packaging | Cartons or as customer requirement |
| Payment Terms | T/T, L/C, etc. |
| Place of Origin | Shenzhen, China |
Choosing Material for Small Relay Shipping Tubes
- PVC provides high strength good flexibility stable geometry and long storage life and is the common default for relay shipping tubes
- PS is halogen free easy to process and low cost but more brittle with lower impact strength than PVC and ABS
- PC is used when tight tolerances are needed and the tube must survive higher temperature or heavy handling
- PETG is selected for the strongest impact strength and excellent clarity, ideal for large or heavy relay packages
- ABS is used when impact strength is critical and transparency is less important
From Resin to Packed Small Relay Shipping Tubes
- Review of the application and key design requirements in the quotation phase
- Drawing created from the purchase order and issued for your approval before tooling
- Mould making and tooling trial on the approved profile
- Sample production with 20-50 free tubes for fit testing on your relay or switch
- Extrusion of the approved profile followed by cutting to the ordered length
- Anti-static treatment applied by surface layer process or built-in additive as specified
- Plug fitting counting and packing into cartons according to customer requirement
Inspection of Small Relay Shipping Tubes
- Critical dimension control within 5 mils on PVC and +/- 2 mils on PC to ensure device fit and feed reliability
- Fit testing of sample tubes against your relay or switch before mass production
- Anti-static value checked to ensure stability after handling and long storage
- Drop and pressure tests performed on the tube body before packing
- Quality management system to ISO14001 with after-sales support on shipped lots
Small Relay Shipping Tubes Options
- Tube length cut to your magazine or carton pitch from 50mm to 1000mm
- Internal profile designed from your tube drawing device drawing or a physical sample
- Material selected from PVC PS PC PETG or ABS based on cost clarity and impact needs
- Colour chosen from transparent blue black red yellow or purple for line identification
- Level of anti-static specified as surface treated or additive loaded
- Surface printing of symbols part numbers or handling marks available
- Closure chosen from rubber end plugs plastic pins nails plastic caps or EPE plugs
When Not to Use Small Relay Shipping Tubes
| Tape and reel | Tubes handle larger and heavier relays that tape pockets cannot hold, but tape is better for high-volume automated placement of small SMD parts |
|---|---|
| Vacuum formed trays | Trays offer better protection for fragile or fine-pitch packages, but tubes cost less per unit and load directly into tube feeders |
| Bulk bag packing | Tubes cost more per unit than bags but eliminate random orientation ESD exposure and reduce operator loading time |
| Standard stock tubes from a catalogue | Custom profiles require one-time tooling and 4-6 weeks lead time, but stock profiles ship in 5-15 days and fit only devices the profile was drawn for |
Handling and Storing Small Relay Shipping Tubes
- Send a tube drawing a device drawing or a sample tube so the internal profile can be matched
- If no drawing exists send the physical relay so the profile can be measured from it
- Confirm length against the magazine on your insertion or placement machine before tooling
- Specify whether anti-static must survive repeated wiping and long storage so the right treatment is used
- Choose the closure with the tube: rubber plugs for repeated opening pins for one-way shipping
- Store tubes flat and dry in the carton and keep them out of direct sun to avoid deformation
- Allow one-time tooling cost and 4-6 weeks on a new custom profile when planning the build
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View DetailsRelated Guides
Background reading before you specify small relay shipping tubes.
Why IC Shipping Tube MOQ Is High
The minimum order quantity for custom anti-static IC shipping tubes is high because each production run requires machine re-molding, setup adjustment and dimensional verification.
Read Guide
How Anti Static IC Tubes Are Made From PVC
The process starts with PVC resin fed into an extruder.
Read Guide
Vacuum Formed Trays For Component Packaging
Vacuum formed trays are made by heating a plastic sheet, stretching it over a mold, and pulling it down with vacuum pressure.
Read GuideWhere It Is Used
Where small relay shipping tubes is used in production.
Semiconductor And IC Distribution
IC distributors and semiconductor plants handle devices that are sensitive to electrostatic discharge, mechanical shock, and orientation changes during transit.
See ApplicationConnectors Relays And Switches
Connectors, relays, terminal blocks, switches and power modules are too large or heavy for standard tape and reel packaging.
See ApplicationWhat Buyers Ask About Small Relay Shipping Tubes
What is the minimum order quantity for Small Relay Shipping Tubes?
10000 pieces on standard profiles. The high MOQ is due to extrusion setup: a run must be long enough to justify the changeover, so short runs cost more per tube than they save.
How long does a stock tube order take?
5-15 days depending on quantity. Samples for fit testing go out in 3-5 days.
What does a custom tube profile cost in time?
There is a one-time tooling set up cost. A basic low volume project can be 25-day ARO, typical lead time is 4-6 weeks, and a complex tool or high volume item can take 10-12 weeks.
What do you need from me to quote a tube?
One of: a drawing of the tube, a drawing of the device going into it, or a sample tube. If none exists, send the physical component and the profile is measured from it.
Which material should I choose?
PVC is the usual default for strength stability and long storage. PS is halogen free and cheaper but more brittle. PC and PETG are used when tight tolerances or high impact strength are needed. ABS is used when impact strength matters more than transparency.
Is the anti-static property permanent?
It depends on the method. Surface layer treatment can degrade with repeated wiping and long storage, additives built into the resin keep the anti-static value more stable. Tell us your storage time and the right one is specified.
Do the tubes come with plugs?
Yes. Rubber end plugs plastic pins nails plastic caps and EPE plugs are all available and chosen against the tube profile and how often the tube is opened.
Send the Device and Get Small Relay Shipping Tubes Quoted
A drawing, a sample or the physical component is enough. Sales and engineering come back within 24 hours.