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Traditionally organizations have protected wiring and cabling from abrasion and chafing from sharp edges by using adhesive applied plastic grommets. That is changing however as a Device Technologies Inc. client case study shows that the Spring-Fast® range of grommet edging which needs no adhesive, not only offers best in class protection but also a significantly lower total installed cost.
All organizations need to protect wiring and cabling from abrasion and chafing. This is true across the broad spectrum of industries from military equipment and commercial aerospace to aircraft seating, telecom switches and food service. Without protection there is a serious risk of data loss, fire hazards and catastrophic loss of control.
The decades old operational solution has been to use plastic grommets with an applied adhesive to cover the sharp edges. “However this is a multistep, time consuming process” noted Nick Petri President of Device Technologies “that not only creates a time and productivity drag it is also fraught with health and safety issues”
Installing a plastic grommet with an applied adhesive requires six steps: 1. Clean the edge of the sheet metal with a solvent 2. Mix the adhesive, 3. Carefully apply the adhesive to get an even fit, 4. Install and fixture the grommet using clamps or tape, 5. Clean up any mess left by the adhesives and solvents and let the adhesive cure for 8-24 hours and 6. After curing, remove the clamps or tape, inspect the grommet and run the cables and wires.
“That long and involved process cried out for innovation especially as we knew it would benefit so many industries” Nick added. So the company, known for its specialty fastener design, manufacture and distribution experience, created Spring-Fast® a patented grommet with multi-dimensional flexibility that installs easily and securely with finger pressure -without adhesive- on regular or flanged cutouts and edges. It is made of spring-tempered stainless steel, fusion bonded with a thermosetting polymer resin.
However the best news – verified in the case study with a customer – was that by removing the need to apply adhesives, fixturing, curing and inspecting, Spring-Fast can help any industry make significant savings on its total install costs. With a labor rate of $60 an hour, the customer found he saved 49% of his total install costs even before he factored in any productivity, hazmat or safety benefits. Watch this 4 minute YouTube video to see the data behind these phenomenal savings https://youtu.be/__Qjb14iQfI
“Additionally Spring-Fast solves the three most common operational problems associated with plastic grommets” said Steven O’Loughlin, Technical Sales Application Engineer, “1) installation is quick and easy, 2) the grommet itself does not become brittle and break over time and 3) there is no glue line failure.”
Among its many other benefits are its compliance to rigorous standards like ASTM, UL, Military specifications, FAR and Telcordia plus resistance to vibration, shock, immersion and salt spray. It is approved for use by the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). Thankfully too, the health and safety concerns are removed as Spring-Fast does not use any potentially toxic adhesives and solvents or require any special disposal or handling.
“Frankly our real challenge” added President Nick Petri “is that even though we have built a better mousetrap, industry practices can be slow to change. Our mission is to make key influencers aware of the benefits and, in the case of aerospace and the defense industry, get Spring-Fast onto their approved component lists and into the hands of engineers who can make best use of it.”
Order a free evaluation sample kit here Spring-Fast Grommet Edging
Spring-Fast is available in 12 formats to suit virtually any situation including military use and high heat. It works on variable sheet thicknesses of 0.02” thru 0.26” (0.5 thru 6.6mm) and comes in factory pre-cut lengths, kits and 25, 100 and 500 foot reels (7.6m, 30.5m and 152m).
Founded in 1984, Device Technologies, Inc. is ISO 9001:2008 and AS 9100 C Certified. Spring-Fast is a registered trademark of Device Technologies, Inc. Devicetech.com
Release ID: 116351