Farnborough, England (July 24, 2000) – DTi's new Spring-Fast® grommet edging has been selected for use on the Boeing C-17. It is designed to protect against wire chafing and wear throughout the military airlifter.
The easy-to-install Spring-Fast will be installed around structural openings inside the C-17 to protect wiring from abrasion and damage.
“This is a major aerospace market breakthrough for Spring-Fast®. It is no surprise, though. We developed it in response to the growing need for reliable and easy-to-install edging to protect wiring and wire bundles,” Nicholas Petri, DTi president, said. “We look forward to widening its use in the military and civil sectors, both on new production aircraft and for retrofit.”
Boeing's order is the first direct aerospace contract for Spring-Fast®, which was originally developed by DTi for the electronics industry. The product is widely used today in computers, network switching systems, hospital equipment, and other applications.
Spring-Fast® quickly snaps into place, using only the pressure applied by the installer's fingers. Once mounted, it remains indefinitely in position.
The edging replaces traditional nylon grommets, which require toxic adhesives to install. Nylon grommets eventually can dry out and become brittle, cracking or falling off the installed surface and leaving wires exposed to sharp-edged metallic surfaces.
Spring-Fast® is a composite of polymer-encapsulated spring stainless steel enhanced by a sacrificial cushion. It has been approved by the U.S. Defense Department and Federal Aviation Administration for all aircraft applications.
See the product page here.
Spring-Fast M22529/2 – Why it is Far Better
- M22529/2 is a high-performance grommet with a polymer coating on an ultra-thin CRES substrate that snaps into place with finger pressure. It has proven performance across multiple aerospace platforms.
- It is a caterpillar-style grommet with opposing finger-like castles that exert a compression force that creates static friction for retention without glue.
- It has passed 20/20/20 G static load tests, even with 4 castles removed for wire bundle clip clearance.
- Minimal FOD footprint- fewer shop consumables like gloves, cloths, adhesive, tape, solvent, and masks.
- Easy to work with: can be removed/replaced without loss of edge retention. The ease of application makes it exceptionally good for tight access locations.
For more general information about grommet types, read this article
