Cover plug TP45, glossy white

Cover Plug TP45 is an external end cap in PVC for round tube with a 15 mm outer diameter. It is fitted over the end of the tube and stays there by the friction against the tube surface; no glue, no thread and no tools are needed. The version is glossy white, which gives a light and clean finish to visible tube ends in interiors, frames and lighter structures.

The difference between external and internal plugs is worth knowing before you choose. An internal plug requires the inner dimension and the wall thickness of the tube to match, since it expands inside the tube; an external cap such as TP45 only cares about the outer diameter. That makes it the simple choice for thin walled tube, for tube with a weld seam on the inside and for every situation where you do not know exactly what is hiding inside the tube.

The function is threefold. The cap covers the cut edge of the tube, which is otherwise often sharp enough to tear both clothes and hands; it stops dirt and moisture from traveling into the tube; and it gives the structure a finished look instead of an open hole. On tube that is handled or moved often the edge protection is the most important part, while in fixed installations it is usually about appearance and cleanliness.

PVC suits the job well. The material is soft enough to be pushed on and squeeze around the tube, dimensionally stable enough to stay there, and it takes cleaning agents and moisture without aging prematurely indoors. The glossy white surface is easy to wipe clean and blends in against white painted tube and light interiors; on a chromed or painted frame the fitted plug looks like part of the original design.

Typical users are manufacturers of shop fittings and racking, display cases and exhibition material, wire frames, healthcare and laboratory fittings and lighter machine guards in slim tube. In furniture the same cap is used to finish tube legs and bow handles. Designers tend to appreciate that the plug can be fitted afterward; a frame that is already built can be given neat ends later without being taken apart.

Fitting takes seconds: line the cap up with the tube end and press it on by hand. If it later has to be taken off it pulls off just as easily, and it can be reused as long as the grip against the tube feels firm. Check that the outer diameter of the tube really is 15 mm; on painted tube the paint layer can make the effective diameter slightly larger, which in practice gives a firmer grip.

This item covers the size for 15 mm tube in glossy white PVC. Full dimensions are in the manufacturer's data sheet, linked from the product page, together with details of material and design. If you are ordering for production the pack size of 500 pieces is suited to fitting in series, and the plugs take minimal space on the shelf while they wait for the next build.

If you want to size it yourself the logic is simple: what has to match is the outer diameter of the tube, nothing else. Measure with a caliper on the actual tube, not on the drawing, since paint and surface treatment can add a few tenths. If the cap sits too loosely the tube is at the low end of the tolerance; if it sits impossibly tight the tube is at the high end, and then a drop of dish soap during fitting helps without the grip disappearing once it has dried.

Do you need another size or another version for your project? Contact us and we will check what is available.