Grommets are one of the most overlooked and undervalued products in our homes today. You might see them in your shower curtain, small circular rubber disks, or protecting the edge of a hole in your desk that allow wires to be fed directly from the computer modem to the screen.
Grommets are everywhere. They have quietly invaded our homes, protecting wiring from rough edges, and our vehicles, reducing vibrations and sealing parts under the hood. But why are these little rubber components so useful? These are the five benefits of using a rubber grommet.
They are Weather Resistant
If you are looking for an item to protect wiring, you don’t want something that could rust, corrode or become ineffective in damp or cold conditions. Rubber grommets are durable and do not corrode or suffer damage in extreme weather conditions. Rubber grommets are also resistant to the effects of UV light, meaning they won’t fade, warp, or become discolored when exposed to the elements regularly.
They are Heat Resistant
Part of the reason rubber grommets have become widely used in the automobile manufacturing process is because they are heat resistant. Machinery and engines are prone to overheating. Rubber grommets are safer than metal as they do not become as hot, protecting both the machine or engine and the workers that may be working on it.
They Come in a Wide Variety of Sizes
Few items come in as wide a selection of sizes as rubber grommets. With more than 100 different sizes to choose from, each one with different panel thickness, there is a rubber grommet out there to fit any size hole for any material. The smallest grommets can fit holes as small at 6mm in diameter in materials 1.6mm thick. On the other end of the scale there are grommets that can fit holes wider than 60 mm in diameter, in material 5mm thick.
Many manufacturers use grommets in products that are compact with limited space. Their design means that they do not protrude from the hole, making them ideally suited for engineering scenarios where space is in short supply. Â
They Look Better than Bushings
Rubber grommets have far more aesthetic appeal than the alternative: bushings. This will be a big factor if the surface that will house the grommets is visible.
They are Both Economical and Practical
Rubber grommets are affordable engineering solutions, making them an economical option on manufacturing projects on a tight budget.
Their ergonomic design also means they do not require manually screwing into place. They can simply be popped into the hole with minimal effort, making them highly practical. Unlike bushings, grommets only need fitting on one side. This makes them easier to install than other solutions involving nut locks which may require you to access the other side of the hole to screw in.
Armed with information on the benefits of rubber grommets, there will be no reason why you wouldn’t choose rubber grommets to protect the wiring and cables on your next project.
