I keep reading conflicting accounts on this.There is the Safe-T-Cable product by Daniels at https://www.dmctools.com/products/safe-t-cable/ It's insane, it's expensive, but I hate safety wire with a passion (mainly because I suck at it, and do not do it frequently enough to gain proficiency), and would quickly drop a grand on the tool, cables, and ferrules to never futz with the stuff again. I would also stop carrying hands that look self-harmed for several months out of the year. (current stripes atop my hand courtesy of re-wiring something on my oil cooler while on the tiedown line -- via the cowl flap door under the cowlingI can't tell if safety cable is FAA approved.I don't want to send a note to my FSDO to get embroiled in a conversation about it and open the door to "well what else have you been contemplating?" But I may be headed there anyway.Before I open THAT door, thoughts? I have seen anecdata about it being incorporated into NASM33540 for military stuff. I don't see how that helps me on the GA side though.I would have preferred to be "second" to this new hotness and benefit from price reduction, but, well, I ain't waiting that long.Appreciate any guidance for this lazy A&P
There has been much discussion revolving around lock wire and safety cable, which reigns supreme. Through our own due diligence, we’ve determined that using lock wire to retain fasteners is time-consuming and error-prone, which makes it costly. Lock wire also requires extensive training and produces sharp ends when cut, which can cause serious injury to the technician.
Meanwhile, extensive research and testing at GE Aircraft Engine facilities revealed that the use of Bergen Safety Cable instead of lockwire resulted in a 50 percent reduction in installation time with consistently superior quality and lower assembly costs.
In today’s manufacturing environment, speed and quality are everything. Here are a few reasons why Bergen Safety Cable is superior to lock wire.
When traditional lock wire is removed from an application, it needs to be cut many times in order to be completely removed. This process produces numerous small fragments which are difficult to keep track of. If the scrap material cannot be fully recovered, it can cause serious damage to the aircraft and potentially its passengers as well. This is known as foreign object damage or FOD. However, when Bergen Safety Cable is removed, it produces only two pieces of scrap, making it easy to keep track of and eliminates the potential for FOD.
The Bergen Safety Cable tool was designed specifically to allow access to restricted areas. The short length of the tool as well as the tool nose, which can be rotated 360 degrees, assists operators working in these tough conditions.
Using traditional lock wire requires that the operator determine how much wire to use, how many twists per inch, and many other important details. If a step is missed or completed incorrectly using lock wire, the operator must start all over. With Bergen’s Safety Cable system, all the guesswork is eliminated. The operator simply strings the cable through the fastener holes and the safety cable tool does the rest, which results in perfectly wired fasteners every time and increased production.
The cumbersome nature of applying traditional lock wire can take a very long time to master. With the streamlined method of the Bergen Safety Cable system, a new operator with zero experience can be up and running within 30 minutes.
Traditional lock wire produces very sharp ends when cut, which poses a serious threat of injury to the operator. The fused ends and flexible nature of Bergen Safety Cable removes the risk of injury 100 percent.
The Bergen Safety Cable tool was designed with the user in mind. Our tool utilizes the best principles of ergonomics, which allows the tool to fit comfortably in the operator’s hand.
Using the Bergen Safety Cable system simplifies the task of lock wiring fasteners together. The simplicity translates into time savings, which allows an operator to complete a job in half the time. The time savings allows the operator to move on to the next project faster, which can double production.
Other benefits include reduced inspection time, consistent cable tension on each application, and a material that is lighter than lock wire and traditional safety wire. Choosing to use Bergen Safety has a myriad of significant benefits that our customers agree improve product quality and save them time and money across the board.