Eurofighter Typhoon combat aircraft built in the program’s third production batch (Tranche 3) will be equipped with Device Technologies, Inc. NEW SL Aero Series grommet edging system for protection against dangerous wire and cable wear.
The Tranche 3 Typhoons are to carry Device Technologies, Inc.’s Spring-Fast® SL Series grommet edging, which will be installed around structural openings in the aircraft’s fuselage and wings to cushion the contact between electrical wiring and the airframe.
This new-generation protection replaces various older grommets in Nylon that crack and fall off, leaving wires exposed to sharp-edged metal surfaces, or made in Polyolefin that, along with the Nylon grommets require significant assembly time in manufacturing. Spring-Fast grommet edging is designed to simply snap on and is easier to install, reducing production time per aircraft. Performance tests to high levels of vibration, shock, temperature and other ambients support their long term reliability in field conditions. Its simple pressure-fastening concept eliminates the need for adhesives – which minimizes the exposure of production line workers and depot maintenance personnel to hazardous materials and VOCs (volatile organic compounds).
The announcement of Spring-Fast’s use on Tranche 3 Eurofighter Typhoons was made today as the result of both EADS Centre Fuselage Equipping manufacturing team , Manching Germany and BAE Standards Engineering, Warton UK final review and approval.
“Spring-Fast® SL Aero Series is perfectly tailored for high-performance aircraft such as the Typhoon, whose wires and cabling are subjected to significant aerodynamic loads throughout its operational life and also with the encapsulated profile offers universal application scenarios,” said Device Technologies’ President Nicholas Petri. “We are in full production of the SL Aero Series Spring-Fast grommet edging for the Tranche 3 Typhoons, with shipments now underway for the production sites in Europe.”
The Spring-Fast grommets are made from spring-loaded stainless steel, which is encapsulated in a protective polymer coating. Spring-Fast quickly snaps into place, using only the pressure applied by the installer’s fingers. The product is delivered in reels, with the material cut to length for the specific protective applications in the aircraft’s fuselage and wings. While the per aircraft application may be limited to about 30 or so meters, the dynamic performance requirements of the Typhoon and the capabilities of Spring-Fast make this a perfect match.
Spring-Fast originally was developed for the electronics industry, and is fitted on storage and server computers, network switching and router systems, medical scanning, x-ray and dialysis systems, automatic teller machines, and other critical equipment. It is increasingly becoming a standard for the aerospace and defense industries because of the grommet edge’s excellent performance, ease of installation and production cost effectiveness compared to old-style nylon and heat activated grommets.
