Alternative Fastening Techniques for Insulation Blankets

Over the years, Firwin has developed more than a few ways of building fasteners for its removable insulation blankets, but its traditional modus operandi has always been with stainless steel lacing wire. “We find that stainless steel lacing wire works best,” says Paul Herman, Firwin’s president. “But for certain applications, where speedy installation is key, or where the client will be removing the [insulation] blankets frequently to do maintenance, we will recommend alternatives.”

So what are some of the alternatives? Thus far, Firwin has developed and produced insulation blankets that can be fastened by way of straps, snaps, springs, even Velcro. All of these options provide lighter, cheaper, and more accessible means of opening and closing insulation blankets.

 A recent challenge: Firwin was tasked to develop a new spring system for one of its clients. But first there were a few slight problems that required solving. As Brett Herman, Firwin’s V.P. of Sales & Customer Service, sums it up, “We have made spring fasteners available to our customers in the past… However, we used to find that the spring fasteners available ‘off the shelf’ just did not provide the proper fit that insulation blankets require. We knew that if we were to provide spring fasteners as a legitimate option, we would have to design one ourselves.” 

That’s just what Firwin did. Working with a local spring manufacturer, Firwin retrofitted their fasteners so that they would snap off with ease, all the while maintaining their sturdiness over time and at high temperatures. Insulation blankets fitted with these new and customized spring fasteners (as well as all other fastening alternatives) are currently available from Firwin upon request.