Do fabric ducts offer some weight reduction?

Using our fabric ducting & diffusers for air distribution in vehicles can save up to 90% of the weight in comparison to metal alternatives.

Some manufacturers use plastic ducting. Their weight is a little closer to ours, but fabrics are still much lighter. Moreover, against the plastic ducting, the fabric ones meet the highest fire-resistant requirements.

Do fabric ducts spread noise similarly to metal alternatives?

As we know, metal ducts act as echo chambers from the HVAC fans, rail noise, and other sources. This state is highly undesirable.

The main difference between metal and fabric ducts is that fabrics don’t convey and reflect noise. So, there is no echo. Furthermore, we offer insulated ducting which works as a silencer. The main advantage of flexible material is that there is no noise transfer – it means lower noise in more distant places (cabins…).

We have a very tight physical space for air distribution in the vehicle, could fabric ducts help us in some way?

Yes! Fabric is very tolerant in tight spaces; it doesn’t need an exact fit since it is flexible by nature and design. This is a great advantage for designing and mounting! We only have to avoid too big constraints that would increase too much of a pressure loss of the duct. Otherwise, it just fills the space after being inflated. For very small diameters (<200 mm) there is a risk of improper inflation – that must be considered individually.

Do fabric ducts have some good effects on air quality?

The shapes of our fabric ducts are designed to not allow the accumulation of dust and moisture. Further hygiene benefits also come from the ease of washing the ducts. Fabric ducting can be easily removed and washed in a washing machine. It is 100% clean after that. You can also use a vacuum cleaner to clean dust from them. Our fabrics are also antibacterial.

How do you defend against pressure loss due to friction between the air and the material?

Fabric behaves the about same way as metal ducting; the friction pressure loss is about the same. In some shaped pieces (adapters, reducers), pressure loss can occur but it won’t be different than conventional ducting. Every application can be tested in real conditions to measure airflow and pressure loss.

How do you deal with the risk of condensation?

We can calculate the risk of condensation based on real exact input data.

If the space above the ceiling is tight, there is only a limited volume of moisture (water vapor in the air) that might condensate on the colder surfaces.

Textile is a much better material in terms of condensation than sheet metal or other smooth-surfaced alternatives. Due to the coarser surface of the material, condensate droplets do not drip from the textile or drip significantly later.

How long a warranty do you offer for your fabric ducts?

We are entering into an individual warranty agreement with every customer. You don’t have to worry about quality. We have more than 10 year-old real projects without any complaints about their present quality.

Are fabric ducting & diffusers fire resistant? Are your materials certified?

All our materials have been tested for fire resistance according to European standard EN 45545 with good results. Some of them meet the requirements in HL2 or the highest HL3 level. Check the fabric datasheets of the individual fabrics.