What is a Grommet
When cutting holes into fabrics and materials for the means of passing components through, it can be very useful to protect the rough edges of the hole. With a component known as a grommet, ring, or edge strip, the fabric hole can be guarded from wear and tear caused by objects moving through the material. Typically constructed from metal, plastic, or rubber and being flared or collared on each side, such components are regularly found in a wide variety of applications such as for protecting shoelace holes, shower curtains, electrical wires, surgical devices, and much more.
When a grommet is used for electrical wires or for an electronic circuit, they may be referred to as an insulating bushing. Molded rubber grommets are the most widely used type for such applications, catering towards hole diameters reaching upwards of 2”. Other shapes may exist as well, ensuring that U-shaped holes, straight edge holes, and other insertions are guarded as needed.
As a hole is cut into a metallic surface or a hard material for an electronic device, there will often be sharp or jagged edges left along the rim of the hole due to imperfections. As electrical wires, ropes, cords, and other softer materials are pushed through such formed holes, the sharp edges may cut or wear down materials, causing electrical insulation to break down over time. As this can be detrimental to the electronic circuit components and even present an electrical safety risk, grommets are an important addition to such assemblies.
When constructing a grommet for cable protection applications in particular, such components will regularly be made with rubber, plastic, or metals coated with plastic. If the rubber grommet is designed to provide a tight fit, then sealing capabilities may also be implemented for the means of preventing dirt, air, water, and other fluids or contaminants from entering the system. Grommets can also be useful for mitigating the force of vibration for many systems, and in such cases are constructed from rubber or elastic materials. Vibration resistant grommets are popular for mounting shock-sensitive computer disk drives, utilizing screws that pass through the grommets to acoustically separate the fasteners and chassis.
Beyond serving a number of electronic applications, grommet or edge strip components may also be used as a reinforcement for crafting. Whether cutting into leather, canvas, cloth, or other materials, plastic, rubber, and metal grommets may be set into a hole through manual means or with powered tools. Such grommets are beneficial for protecting materials so that inserted cords, poles, and other objects will not tear the hole further. As such, reinforcement grommets are commonly used for the lace holes of shoes, hoists of flags, lade clothing, hooked curtains, and more. Similar grommets may also be used for sailing, aircraft, and other transportation vehicles for varying assemblies and uses.
Whether for the insertion of a cable or for an aircraft hydraulic system, NSN Axis has all the grommet components you need readily available on our website today. NSN Axis is a trusted distributor of aircraft parts and other various components, offering competitive pricing and rapid lead times on straight edge grommets, circular grommets, and much more. We invite you to explore our vast offerings, and our team members are always available 24/7x365 to assist you through the purchasing process as necessary.
At NSN Axis, quality is of the utmost importance to us, and we subject all parts to rigorous testing, inspections, and cross-referencing prior to shipment. If you would like to begin the purchasing process or would simply like to learn more about our offerings and capabilities, give us a call or email today and we would be more than happy to help you as necessary.
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