Technical Textiles & Insulation

Technical Textiles and Insulation Product Groups

Comparison of VITCAS Products

Industries Using Technical Textiles and Flexible Insulation

Technical textiles perform different functions across industrial and domestic systems. One installation may require an insulating layer, another a durable outer facing, and another a thread or sleeve that protects a local seam, cable or hose. The following sectors represent common duties rather than universal product approvals.

• Power generation and boiler plant: insulation covers and facings for turbines, valves, flanges, steam pipework and boiler auxiliaries; protective sleeves for nearby services; and threads for fabricated removable covers.
• Oil, gas and petrochemical processing: flexible insulation around hot process equipment, pipes and ducting, together with abrasion-resistant protection for hoses and cables. Chemical compatibility, pressure, hazardous-area requirements and ignition controls must be assessed separately.
• Metallurgy, foundries and welding: stitching of compatible heat barriers and insulation covers, thermal protection around machinery, and sleeving for services exposed to radiant heat, sparks or abrasion. Molten-metal performance must be verified for the specific alloy and exposure.
• Marine, shipbuilding and offshore engineering: insulation around exhausts, engines, boilers and pipework, plus protection for hoses and cabling in machinery spaces. Consider vibration, oil, moisture, salt-laden air, flame and smoke requirements, and any applicable marine approval.
• Automotive, motorsport and aerospace: turbocharger, manifold, exhaust, silencer and test-cell insulation; acoustic damping; and protection of wiring looms and fluid hoses. Use the relevant OEM or programme specification for safety-critical components.
• Glass, ceramics, furnaces and heat treatment: flexible insulation, stitched covers, equipment shielding and protected services around kilns, furnaces and thermal-processing machinery. Assess direct flame, radiant heat, hot gases, cycling and mechanical support.
• Manufacturing, HVAC and building services: insulation of machinery, ventilation ducting, pipework and plant components, with foil tape used as a compatible jointing accessory where its adhesive temperature permits.
• Domestic and commercial heating: flue-liner insulation for stoves, fireplaces and solid-fuel appliances, helping retain flue-gas temperature and reduce conditions associated with condensation and tar formation.
• Fire protection and protective-equipment fabrication: threads and insulation materials may form part of blankets, curtains, covers or garments. Raw materials do not by themselves create certified PPE, a tested fire curtain or a fire-resisting system.

How to Select the Correct Technical Textile

1. Define the function. Decide whether the product must provide bulk thermal insulation, form a stitched seam, protect a hose or cable, reflect radiant heat, reduce noise or secure a facing.
2. Record the real temperature exposure. Distinguish continuous temperature from a short peak and identify whether heat reaches the material by contact, convection, radiation or direct flame.
3. Check every layer. Fibre, coating, foil, adhesive, sewing thread and fixing can have different service limits. The lowest relevant limit may govern the assembly.
4. Calculate the required insulation performance. A maximum-temperature rating indicates material tolerance, not the resulting cold-face or touch temperature. Determine thickness and heat loss using the actual thermal conditions.
5. Confirm dimensions and fit. Check blanket thickness and width, sleeve bore and expansion, thread diameter and length, flue diameter, overlap, bend radius and allowances for cutting waste.
6. Assess mechanical exposure. Include vibration, flexing, abrasion, pressure, airflow, handling, maintenance cycles and the load transferred through seams or fasteners.
7. Review the environment. Consider oil, water, steam, fuels, acids, alkalis, ultraviolet exposure, salt, dust and process gases at the operating temperature.
8. Verify regulated performance. Electrical insulation, fire resistance, PPE, marine use and flue installations may require product-specific or complete-system evidence. Do not infer certification from fibre type or temperature resistance.

Important Installation Considerations

• Do not cover damaged, leaking or incorrectly installed equipment with insulation; correct the underlying defect first.
• Keep insulation clear of access points, identification plates, moving components and ventilation openings unless the equipment design permits coverage.
• Avoid compressing fibrous insulation beyond the intended installed density, as this can alter thermal performance.
• Protect cut edges and loose fibres using a compatible facing, stitching or mechanical closure where the application requires containment.
• Use metal fasteners where the temperature or safety duty exceeds the confirmed capability of pressure-sensitive tape.
• Inspect insulation, seams and sleeving periodically for gaps, contamination, coating damage, fraying, compression, loose fasteners and local overheating.

Frequently Asked Questions

What products are included in Technical Textiles and Insulation?

The current category contains 13 products covering high-temperature sewing threads, flue wraps and flexible insulation, glass fibre needled felt, aluminium foil tape, and protective sleeving for hoses, pipes, wires and cables.

Which product has the highest published temperature rating?

Silica fibre sewing thread is published for 1000°C continuous service and 1400°C short-term exposure. The biosoluble insulation blanket is rated up to 1200°C. These products perform different functions, so the higher figure does not make sewing thread a substitute for bulk insulation or make the blanket suitable for stitching.

Is a maximum temperature the same as an insulation rating?

No. Maximum temperature describes the material's ability to tolerate heat under stated conditions. Insulation performance depends on thermal conductivity, thickness, compression, surface area, temperature difference, airflow and installation quality.

Can high-temperature thread increase the rating of a fabric?

No. The seam and finished component are limited by the fabric, thread, coating, stitch construction and mechanical loading. Selecting a higher-rated thread does not increase the temperature capability of a lower-rated cloth or coating.

What is the difference between needled felt and a flue wrap jacket?

Needled felt is a flexible sheet material that can be cut and fabricated for thermal or acoustic insulation. A flue wrap jacket is supplied in a format intended to fit around a flue liner. Choose according to the equipment geometry, required thickness, fastening method and installation instructions.

Can flue insulation reduce condensation and tar formation?

Flue insulation helps retain flue-gas temperature, which can reduce cooling and the conditions that promote condensation and tar or creosote deposits. It does not replace correct appliance operation, suitable fuel, chimney design, sweeping, inspection or compliance with the flue manufacturer's instructions.

Should the aluminium foil face point towards the heat source?

Only when the foil and complete laminate are suitable for that exposure. For the aluminium-coated glass fibre flue wrap, the glass fibre layer is rated higher than the foil face, which is stated as best suited to temperatures up to 300°C. At higher exposure, the foil should face away from the heat source.

Is aluminium foil tape suitable as the only flue-wrap fixing?

Not automatically. Its pressure-sensitive adhesive governs performance, and the current product page does not publish a numerical maximum service temperature. Use suitable mechanical fasteners where required by the temperature, geometry, flue instructions or risk assessment.

How do I select hose or cable sleeving?

Match the internal diameter to the component, allowing for fittings, bends and movement. Then check continuous and peak temperature, abrasion, fluids, chemicals, vibration and installation access. Where electrical insulation or circuit integrity is required, verify the relevant tested electrical and fire performance separately.

Can these materials be used to manufacture PPE or fire barriers?

They may be used as components in properly designed products, but raw thread, felt, blanket or sleeving is not automatically certified PPE or a tested fire barrier. The complete garment, curtain, blanket or protection system must meet the applicable performance and conformity requirements.

How much insulation material should be ordered?

Measure the complete surface or flue length and add allowances for overlaps, joints, bends, closures and cutting waste. For sleeves, confirm the required bore and length around fittings. For fabricated covers, include material for seams, fastening zones and maintenance access.