Silicone tubing is used in many food and beverage processing systems where flexible fluid transfer, equipment connections, and reliable routing are required. But for food processing equipment manufacturers, choosing tubing is not simply a matter of selecting a material and size.

The tubing needs to fit the equipment design, accommodate the intended fluid or process media, meet dimensional requirements, and perform consistently throughout production and use.

For OEMs building food processing machines, beverage equipment, dispensing systems, filling equipment, and other processing machinery, the right silicone tubing can also make equipment assembly and maintenance easier.

So, what should food processing equipment manufacturers look for when choosing silicone tubing?

The answer depends on the application. Key considerations include tubing dimensions, flexibility, wall thickness, operating conditions, fluid compatibility, connections, cleaning requirements, customization, production consistency, and supplier capabilities.

This guide explains the most important factors to evaluate when sourcing silicone tubing for food processing equipment.

Why Is Silicone Tubing Used in Food Processing Equipment?

Food and beverage equipment can involve the movement of liquids, air, gases, and other process materials through relatively compact systems.

Tubing may be used to connect components, transfer fluids, route lines through equipment, or support specific processing and dispensing functions.

Silicone tubing can be attractive for equipment manufacturers because it offers a combination of flexibility and temperature performance that can be useful in many processing environments.

However, the correct tubing should always be selected based on the actual application rather than assuming that every silicone tube is suitable for every food processing system.

For OEMs, the first question should be:

What exactly does the tubing need to do inside the equipment?

Once the function is clear, the manufacturer can define the appropriate specifications.

1. Start With the Application

Before selecting a silicone tube, identify its exact role in the machine.

For example, the tubing may be used for:

• Liquid transfer

• Beverage dispensing

• Ingredient transfer

• Water or process-fluid routing

• Air or gas handling

• Pump connections

• Equipment interconnections

• Drainage or return lines

• Flexible connections between rigid components

The same silicone tubing specification may not be appropriate for every application.

A tube used for low-pressure fluid transfer may have very different requirements from tubing used around pumps, moving components, or higher-temperature processes.

Understanding the application first allows the OEM and tubing manufacturer to evaluate the relevant specifications.

2. Choose the Correct Inside and Outside Diameter

Inside diameter (ID) and outside diameter (OD) are two of the most important dimensions when ordering silicone tubing.

The ID affects the available flow path, while the OD affects how the tubing fits with connectors, fittings, clamps, channels, and surrounding components.

Food processing equipment manufacturers should determine:

• Required inside diameter

• Required outside diameter

• Wall thickness

• Dimensional tolerances

• Connection dimensions

• Required tube length

A tube that is technically the correct material but does not fit the equipment properly can create assembly problems.

For OEM applications, dimensional consistency is particularly important when the same tubing is installed repeatedly across multiple machines.

3. Consider Wall Thickness

Wall thickness can affect the tubing’s flexibility, handling, dimensional stability, and suitability for the application.

A food processing equipment manufacturer should consider how the tube behaves when:

• Bent around equipment

• Connected to fittings

• Routed through tight spaces

• Exposed to operating pressure

• Installed repeatedly

• Subjected to temperature changes

Rather than choosing wall thickness based only on what is readily available, OEMs should define the requirements based on the equipment design and operating conditions.

4. How Flexible Does the Tubing Need to Be?

Food processing machinery often contains multiple components packed into a limited space.

Tubing may need to travel around pumps, valves, tanks, dispensing mechanisms, sensors, or other equipment.

Ask:

How much flexibility does the tubing need?

Consider:

• Bend radius

• Installation space

• Movement during operation

• Repeated bending

• Connection points

• Routing requirements

• Ease of installation and replacement

If the tubing is too rigid, installation can become difficult. If it is unsuitable for the application’s mechanical conditions, it may not provide the expected service performance.

The ideal tubing should provide the appropriate balance of flexibility and dimensional stability for the equipment.

5. Understand the Fluid Being Transferred

One of the most important questions for a food processing equipment manufacturer is:

What will flow through the tubing?

The answer could be water, beverages, ingredients, cleaning solutions, air, gases, or another process medium.

OEMs should provide the tubing manufacturer with as much information as possible about the media, including:

• Type of fluid

• Temperature

• Concentration, where relevant

• Exposure duration

• Flow conditions

• Cleaning process

• Frequency of use

This information helps the manufacturer evaluate whether the proposed tubing material and construction are appropriate for the application.

6. Consider Temperature Requirements

Food and beverage processing equipment can operate across different temperature conditions.

Depending on the equipment, tubing may experience normal operating temperatures as well as short-term exposure to elevated or reduced temperatures.

When selecting silicone tubing, manufacturers should identify:

• Minimum operating temperature

• Maximum operating temperature

• Process temperature

• Cleaning temperature

• Short-term temperature exposure

• Storage conditions

Temperature requirements should be discussed with the tubing manufacturer before the product is selected.

A specification that works under normal room-temperature conditions may need to be evaluated differently if the tubing is exposed to significantly different temperatures during operation or cleaning.

7. Don’t Overlook Cleaning and Maintenance

Food processing equipment needs to be maintained regularly, and the tubing can be part of that maintenance process.

OEMs should consider how the tubing will be:

• Cleaned

• Inspected

• Removed

• Reinstalled

• Replaced

• Routed within the machine

If tubing needs to be frequently disconnected, the connection design and tube dimensions become especially important.

Equipment manufacturers should also communicate their cleaning and sanitation processes to the tubing supplier so that the tubing can be evaluated against the actual application requirements.

8. Evaluate Connections and Fittings

Silicone tubing rarely operates by itself.

It may connect to:

• Pumps

• Valves

• Connectors

• Nozzles

• Reservoirs

• Rigid pipes

• Manifolds

• Processing components

The tubing’s ID and OD should therefore be considered alongside the dimensions of the components it connects to.

A properly specified tube can make assembly easier and help the OEM maintain a consistent equipment design.

If a standard tubing size does not provide the required fit, custom silicone tubing may be worth considering.

Standard Silicone Tubing vs. Custom Silicone Tubing for Food Equipment

Should a food processing equipment manufacturer buy standard tubing or request a custom solution?

The answer depends on the equipment.

If an available standard tube meets all application requirements, there may be no reason to customize it.

However, if the equipment requires a specific combination of dimensions, flexibility, length, or connection requirements, working with a custom silicone tubing manufacturer can give the OEM more design flexibility.

9. Ask About Dimensional Tolerances

Two tubes with the same nominal dimensions can still have different manufacturing tolerances.

For OEM equipment, tolerances should be discussed when they affect:

• Fitting connections

• Flow paths

• Assembly

• Tube routing

• Clamping

• Repeated installation

• Automated assembly

Before ordering large quantities, manufacturers should establish which dimensions need to be controlled and what tolerances are appropriate for the application.

This is particularly important when tubing becomes part of a repeatable production assembly.

10. Think About Prototype and Production Requirements

Food processing equipment manufacturers often develop machines through several stages:

Concept → Prototype → Testing → Design Validation → Production

Tubing requirements can change during this process.

A prototype may require only a small quantity, while the final machine may require hundreds or thousands of identical tube assemblies over time.

When selecting a supplier, discuss both:

• Current prototype requirements

• Expected production quantities

A supplier capable of supporting custom development and recurring production can make the transition between these stages more straightforward.

11. What Should You Include in a Silicone Tubing RFQ?

A detailed RFQ can help a manufacturer understand the project quickly.

Food processing equipment manufacturers should ideally provide:

The more information provided at the quotation stage, the easier it becomes for a silicone tubing manufacturer to determine whether the proposed product can meet the project’s requirements.

12. Ask Your Supplier About Custom Manufacturing

Not every food processing machine uses standard tubing.

Custom silicone tubing may be useful when you require:

• Non-standard dimensions

• Specific wall thickness

• Custom lengths

• Tight dimensional requirements

• Specific connection requirements

• Tubing designed around a proprietary machine

• Repeatable OEM production

• Prototype quantities

For equipment manufacturers, customization can help solve problems that cannot be addressed easily with catalog tubing.

What Questions Should Food Processing Equipment Manufacturers Ask a Silicone Tubing Supplier?

Before choosing a supplier, ask practical questions such as:

Can you manufacture custom silicone tubing to my drawing?

This determines whether the supplier can work directly from the equipment manufacturer’s engineering specifications.

Can you manufacture different ID, OD, and wall thickness combinations?

This is important when standard sizes do not fit the equipment design.

Can you provide samples for prototype testing?

Prototype samples allow the OEM to evaluate fit, routing, assembly, and application performance before committing to larger quantities.

Can you supply consistent production quantities?

If the tubing becomes part of an established machine, repeatability and supply continuity become important.

Can you work with existing tubing samples?

A physical sample can be useful when replacing an existing tube or reproducing a custom component.

Can you provide the documentation required for my application?

OEMs should communicate their quality and documentation requirements early in the sourcing process.

Common Mistakes When Selecting Silicone Tubing for Food Processing Equipment

Some common sourcing mistakes can be avoided with better planning.

These include:

• Selecting tubing based only on price

• Specifying only the inside diameter

• Ignoring wall thickness

• Not considering the mating fittings

• Failing to provide operating temperature

• Not identifying the transferred fluid

• Ignoring cleaning conditions

• Choosing a tube without considering bend requirements

• Waiting until production to define tolerances

• Assuming every silicone tube is suitable for every food application

• Not discussing future production volumes with the supplier

A well-defined specification can reduce unnecessary product iterations and help the OEM find a more suitable manufacturing solution.

How Do You Choose the Right Silicone Tubing Manufacturer?

The right supplier should be evaluated based on more than product availability.

Food processing equipment manufacturers should consider a supplier’s ability to support:

• Custom silicone tubing

• Engineering drawings

• Prototype development

• Dimensional requirements

• Custom lengths

• Repeat production

• OEM applications

• Application-specific requirements

• Quality expectations

• Production scaling

A supplier that understands custom OEM requirements can become a valuable part of the equipment development process rather than simply a source of standard tubing.

Custom Silicone Tubing for Food Processing Equipment

For food processing and beverage equipment manufacturers, tubing should be treated as an engineered component of the machine.

The correct solution depends on the equipment’s dimensions, fluid or media, temperature, pressure, flexibility requirements, connections, cleaning process, and production requirements.

When standard tubing meets all of those requirements, it can be a practical choice. When it does not, custom silicone tubing gives OEMs the opportunity to specify dimensions and characteristics around the equipment’s design.

Accuseal Rubber Inc. works with customers seeking custom rubber and silicone solutions for demanding industrial and OEM applications.

For food and beverage equipment manufacturers, providing an engineering drawing, existing tubing sample, dimensions, application details, operating conditions, and expected quantities can help Accuseal Rubber understand the project and determine an appropriate custom tubing solution.

Request a Custom Silicone Tubing Quote

Are you designing or manufacturing food processing or beverage processing equipment and need silicone tubing that fits your specific requirements?

Share your:

• Tubing dimensions

• Engineering drawing or sample

• Application

• Fluid or media

• Operating conditions

• Connection requirements

• Prototype or production quantity

with Accuseal Rubber to discuss your requirements and request a quotation.

Looking for a custom silicone tubing manufacturer for food processing equipment? Contact Accuseal Rubber today to discuss your project.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should food processing equipment manufacturers consider when choosing silicone tubing?

Manufacturers should consider the tubing’s ID, OD, wall thickness, flexibility, temperature, pressure or vacuum conditions, fluid compatibility, connections, cleaning requirements, tolerances, and production quantities.

How do I choose silicone tubing for food processing equipment?

Start by defining the tubing’s application and then specify its dimensions, operating conditions, transferred media, flexibility, connection requirements, and applicable material and documentation requirements.

Can silicone tubing be customized for food processing machines?

Custom silicone tubing can be manufactured to customer-specific dimensions and requirements, depending on the manufacturer’s capabilities and the application.

What information should I provide when requesting a silicone tubing quote?

Provide the application, ID, OD, wall thickness, length, tolerances, temperature, pressure, fluid or media, connections, quantity, and preferably an engineering drawing or sample.

Why are ID and OD important when selecting silicone tubing?

The inside diameter affects the flow path, while the outside diameter affects how the tubing interfaces with fittings, clamps, channels, and other equipment components.

When should I choose custom silicone tubing instead of standard tubing?

Consider custom tubing when standard sizes cannot meet your equipment’s dimensional, flexibility, connection, length, or other application-specific requirements.

Can a silicone tubing manufacturer work from an engineering drawing?

Many custom tubing manufacturers can work from engineering drawings and physical samples. OEMs should confirm drawing and specification capabilities with the supplier before starting a project.

Can food processing equipment manufacturers order prototype quantities?

Prototype requirements should be discussed with the manufacturer during the development stage. Depending on the project, custom tubing can be developed for initial testing before recurring production begins.

How can I find a custom silicone tubing manufacturer in the USA?

Look for a manufacturer experienced in custom silicone tubing, OEM applications, engineering specifications, prototype development, and repeat production. Providing your drawing or sample when requesting a quotation can help determine whether the manufacturer can support your project.

Where can I request custom silicone tubing for food processing equipment?

Food and beverage equipment manufacturers can contact Accuseal Rubber with their tubing specifications, application details, drawings or samples, and required quantities to discuss a potential custom silicone tubing project.

Conclusion

The right silicone tubing can make a significant difference in the design, assembly, and operation of food processing equipment.

Rather than choosing tubing solely by material or price, OEMs should evaluate the complete application—from ID and OD to wall thickness, flexibility, temperature, fluid compatibility, connections, cleaning conditions, tolerances, and production requirements.

For standard applications, an existing tubing size may be sufficient. For specialized food processing equipment, however, a custom silicone tubing solution can provide the dimensional and design flexibility needed to integrate tubing into the machine effectively.

By defining your requirements early and working with an experienced custom tubing manufacturer, you can make the sourcing process more efficient and build a tubing specification around the actual needs of your equipment.

Have a food processing or beverage equipment project that requires custom silicone tubing? Contact Accuseal Rubber with your specifications and request a quote.