The sunshades had already been reskinned several times and were damaged by weather and UV exposure. The shades provide critical protection from the elements for both multimillion dollar aircrafts and the crews that work on them.
Working through the Army Corp of Engineers, the project was eventually specified to use Shelter-Rite 9032 Desert Sand colored Tedlar coated fabric, one of the heaviest duty fabrics available for both strength and UV resistance. The shelters had previously used different products. The Corps selected Shelter-Rite for a number of reasons:
The contractor on the job, FabriTec Structures,LLC of Dallas, designed both the covers and attachment methods. Seaman Corporation collaborated with FabriTec and the U.S. Air Force to develop an ideal system for design, installation and efficiency after helping them understand which product would work best for the application.
The military likes fabric structures for their versatility, cost-effectiveness and reliability. They use them for many projects, including recreational structures, training facilities, housing and more.
The project ultimately breathed new life into an aging structure, and met all the rigorous specification set forth by the Air Force. Each fabric structure and project is unique. When you’re evaluating your options for architectural fabrics, consider these things:
Fabric structures are remarkably versatile and long-lasting. The key on any project is to identify the use of space, set clear expectations for the expected lifespan, determine environmental and aesthetic factors, and then develop a safe and effective solution that meets building requirements and codes for the area.
To learn more about the many uses of architectural fabric membranes on structures, contact Seaman Corporation.