Braiding

Vetrotex fiberglass yarns can be braided to produce tubular structures. The flexibility of the braid structure, as well as the mechanical, thermal and electrical characteristics of glass, make braided fiberglass ideal for many products.

Applications include:

• Protection of wiring under the hood of cars
• Electrical insulation of wiring for domestic appliances, aeronautics and more
• Sleeving, braid, rope used for thermal insulation as non- asbestos, heat-resistant sealing gasket, expansion gasket, flame barrier and more 

Description of the process

A circular braiding machine is composed of two rotating sets of bobbins on which glass filament yarns have been wound. One set runs clockwise; the other runs counterclockwise around the center of the machine along a defined path. The bobbins of the two sets pass alternatively inside and outside along the path, forming the tubular braid structure. Its width is determined by the take-up speed of the braiding machine. In some applications, the tubular sleeve can be braided on a core because the braiding structure can easily conform to any complex shape. The resulting product is called rope.

The rubbing forces are high during braiding, therefore, plied yarns are often used to avoid break and fuzz accumulation.

Additionally, braids can be coated, impregnated and partially or fully heat cleaned to impart the characteristics requested by the end user. The end product is often called sleeving.