Every time you drill a hole through the metal, sharp edges are left behind. These can damage a wire, rope or whatever has to go through that hole. In order to protect them, rubber grommets are used. In the following text, we are going to tell you why you should always have them in your toolbox.
Rubber grommets act like a safeguard against the harm that sharp edges can cause. They keep the wire in place and prevent it from rubbing against the metal and wearing through which can cause numerous malfunctions. They are used in different industries such as electronics, machinery, electrical appliances, furniture, sports equipment, etc. and come in multiple types, which we are going to discuss.
First of all, there are so-called push-in grommets that are designed to fill the entire hole in the surface. They have a small hole through which a wire is put and there are ribs on the side that ensure that they stay in place. Bonded grommets allow you to connect different rubber polymers to substrates. Their main purpose is to omit one assembly step. Obviously, there are also wire grommets that can also be used as flow restrictors. You can learn more about different kinds of rubber grommets online, and even find companies that will create customized one i.e. exactly the type you need, no matter how unique it is.
Besides different types, naturally, they come in some regular shapes are also produced in different sizes. Since they have to fit the hole perfectly, you have to take it into consideration when purchasing them. When it comes to the shape, they can be around, oval, square, blind hole and special-shaped.
Furthermore, these can be made out of diverse rubber components. This includes everything from natural rubber, silicone, and neoprene to FKM, BUNA-N, and EPDM. This allows for different levels or hardiness and other features. For example, some are resistant to fungus and heat, while others that are made of high-quality materials are unaffected by oil and ultraviolet rays.
As you know rubber grommets are more frequently used when compared with metal and plastic ones. So why is this? Firstly, they are durable and resistant to tears meaning that they will last for a long time so there is no need to change them often. They can handle drastic weather including high heat and sudden temperature conditions. As already mentioned, depending on the materials they are made of, they can be resistant to phosphoric, hydrochloric, and sulfuric acid. Moreover, since they can be placed on only one side i.e. there is no need to try to reach the other side of the surface, which sometimes cannot be done, they can be installed quickly and easily. Also, they do not take a lot of space, which is great when you are restricted in that area. Finally, they are very economical. By far, they are the cheapest out all kinds of grommets.
All in all, these are some main features and benefits of rubber grommets. As you can see, it is no wonder that they are so widely used.