If you are in an industry that uses large-size heavy equipment or machinery then you are familiar with the challenge of finding the right size trim to fit on plate steel and oversized edge thicknesses that need trim protection.
A plethora of applications need this help: think tractor-trailers, production line equipment, main or auxiliary power units, construction equipment, quarrying, oil extraction, wind turbine assemblies, pressure vessels (storage tanks), escalators, earthmovers (loaders, bulldozers, backhoes), ship construction and maintenance.
In addition, there is another equipment segment that is growing and needs large-sized trim – the military or security sector. They need edge protection both on the military side for applications like tactical military vehicles and gun range ballistic panels and on the civilian side with armored cash-in-transit vehicles and armored luxury vehicles — like limousines.
In the case of armored limo conversions, there can be so much steel plate and bulletproof glass, that it can take 2 men to pull open the door. Edge trims may be necessary on bulletproof glass, ballistic steel, and lightweight composite armor as these panels can be ½ to 1 inch thick and sometimes more.
You get the idea — the list of applications could go on.
When equipment gets to this supersized level, it needs the rigidity and strength of thicker panels so it can do its job. The trim that sits on these edges has to be as tough, as it will be subjected to challenging conditions whether that be weather, UV, or simply due to the nature of its operational use.
As a general rule, these large-size trim are bigger, thicker, and tougher. They are built with a much higher quantity of material because it is needed to provide the strength, rigidity, and long term durability needed for these applications.
Larger Plate panels require significant trim retention optimization due to the heavy-duty environment. Sizing the trim to optimize fit is critical and can avoid the otherwise long, slow, messy -and costly- installation using adhesives.
One thing to bear in mind is that these large size edge trims have a very large bend radius so sharp corners should be minimized in the application design. The thicker rubber material -combined with the larger wire substrate- limits the flexibility for corner or tight radii yet is well suited for straight edge runs.
In our experience, these large trim can also have the dual role of acting as a seal although that will depend on the job specification.
Large DTi Sizes
DTI carries stock in large-size profile edge trim in its Trim-Fast™ S-Series Edge Trim. These are examples of some of our bigger sizes. There are many more large profiles that can be produced upon request with modest lead times.
Trim-Fast™ S-Series Edge Trim
– S9-006-S01, Steel Substrate, Black EPDM fits 0.625 inch panel
– S7-014-S01, Steel Substrate, Black EPDM fits 0.375 inch panel
– S6-010-S01, Steel Substrate, Black EPDM fits 0.236 – 0.315 inch panel
– S6-080-S04, Steel Substrate, Black Silicone fits 0.236 – 0.315 inch panel
If you are looking to protect large edges, Trim-Fast offers manufacturers or maintenance facility owners a better, cleaner, and faster way to protect critical equipment from activity that might cause machinery damage, personnel injury, or wire and cable abrasion. They have been tested for grip strength and the design includes a pincer-like metal substrate that really grabs on to edges no matter what the thickness.
It is available with flexible steel or a stainless steel substrate which is encapsulated with Silicone, EPDM, or a combined EPDM/PVC extrusion. It maintains a good balance between rigidity and flexibility that allows for fast and easy assembly.
DTi has a wide selection of profiles that are quickly available off the shelf. All our products are US-made and USA content compliant.
DTi has alternative solutions as Trim-Fast trim can be used with or alongside DTi’s Spring-Fast® grommet edging or Seal-Fast™ seal and Protect-Fast™ Cable Sleeving brands. Using these solutions we offer manufacturers the ability to protect just about any edge, wire, hose, or cable harness regardless of thickness.
Find out more about Trim-Fast here.
Why not just order some free samples to see for yourself. Click here.
