Fastener + Fixing Technology #11

TR Fastenings Ltd

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sales@trfastenings.com

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www.trfastenings.com

40 Years of Service Innovation

From small things...

I ss u e 1 1 O ctob e r – D e ce mbe r 2 0 1 3

www.fastf ixtech n olo g y.co m

Special Metals is Quick Delivery

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Over 250 Production Machines

Stainless Steel ASTM Grades 4140 - 4145 Cr-Mo-V

24-7 “SOS” Service Bolts • Nuts • Studs • Sockets • Bent Bolts

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“Passion for Precision” Assembly Components Machined Parts • ISO 9001:2008 Certified 11715 Charles Street, Houston, TX 77041 USA • Global@GoCAV.com

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our Business is our Specialty

Over 10,000 Tons of Inventory

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Fastener Production

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Precision Forging / Machining

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Zeron 100 AL-6XN

EDITORIAL

Proactive not reactive

Will Lowry – Editor

A theme that runs through several of the articles in this issue is the importance of being proactive with potential fastener problems, rather than reactive.

Looking at the total cost of an application, fasteners usually represent a relatively small share. However, the cost of a fastener failing in situ can be financially devastating.

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Industry news Latest fastener industry news................................ 6-10 Cover story The TR Group majors on the design.....................12-13 Plastics + composites EFC – engineered solutions....................................... 14 From adhesive solution to mechanical integration... 14 Bright future for Volt.................................................. 16 Evolution of a fastener............................................... 18

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Technical Bill Eccles: The stronger the better is not necessarily the case for fasteners................. 20-22

Editor Will Lowry editor@fastfixtechnology.com Executive Editor Phil Matten Assistant Editor Claire Edwards Senior Advertising Executive Harry Whyte harry.whyte@fastenerandfixing.com Senior Advertising Executive Claire Lake claire.lake@fastenerandfixing.com Advertising Executive Emiliano Pagliaroli emiliano.pagliaroli@fastenerandfixing.com Production Manager Andy Clow andy.clow@fastenerandfixing.com

The Publisher cannot be held responsible or, in any way, liable for errors or omissions, during input or printing of any material supplied or contained herein although the utmost care is taken to ensure that information contained is accurate and up to date. The Publisher also cannot be held liable for any claims made by advertisers or in contributions from individuals or companies submitted for inclusion within this publication.

The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the Editor or Fastener Fairs Limited.

Copyright Entire contents copyright © Fastener Fairs Limited 2013.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior permission of the publisher.

Structural fixings Clarity brought to blind bolt resistances............. 24-28 Exhibitions Advanced Engineering UK preview.....................30-32

Advertisers index....................................................... 42

Group Publishing Director Jamie Mitchell info@fastfixtechnology.com

Disclaimer

Contents

Product news.........................................................36-42

Tel: +44 (0) 1727 814 400 Fax: +44 (0) 1727 831 033 www.fastfixtechnology.com

his is why more and more fastener companies are offering support services that enable them to not only work with customers in choosing the correct fastening solution, but also to support the customer during the application stage, as well as provide an after service.

An example of this is our Cover Story, which gives an insight into TR Fastenings Group – a leading manufacturer and distributor of mechanical fasteners. Over the past two decades TR Fastenings has experienced a rapid expansion of its product range and geographic locations to become a preferred vendor to customers. Through this expansion it has developed the capability to offer a ‘cradle to grave’ solution, from design through to VMI logistics service and aftercare.

We also have an article on NORMA Group and its new test stand, which it says can be used to enhance product reliability – essential for components that perform critical functions in automotive, aerospace and shipbuilding industries.

In addition to this we have a technical article from Bill Eccles of Bolt Science, which looks at the topic of hydrogen induced cracking of plated high strength fasteners and how ‘the stronger the better’ is not necessarily the case. There is also a report from Andy Smith of the SCI (Steel Construction Institute) that focuses on a recent project to develop characteristic resistances of bespoke connectors, using the approach described in BS EN 1990 – Basis of Structural Design.

This issue also contains a feature on the plastics + composites market. Articles include how Volt Industrial Plastics has become a reliable source for precision plastics fasteners; how EFC International’s range of products and support mechanisms can ensure the success of applications and projects; and how GBK UK Ltd can create several product versions for different applications and markets from a single part.

Finally, there is also a preview of the upcoming Advanced Engineering UK group of events – due to take place from 12th – 13 th November at the NEC, Birmingham, UK; as well as all the latest news and developments in the fastener industry.

Features New test stand enhances product reliability........... 34

Part of the Mack Brooks Group Romeland House, Romeland Hill, St Albans, Herts, AL3 4ET, UK

20-22

4 Fastener + Fixing Te chnology • Issue 11 Oct – Dec 2013

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FASTENER INDUSTRY NEWS

NORMA Group earns quality achievement award NORMA Group has earned American PACCAR Inc’s quality certification for a second consecutive year. The 50ppm award is presented to an elite group of suppliers who have achieved a defect rate of 50 parts per million (ppm) or less during 2012.

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ACCAR evaluates its suppliers’ services on a rolling six month performance basis. PACCAR’s award criteria also include warranty claims, the production parts approval process (PPAP), and on-time delivery. Suppliers must maintain a quality system in compliance with QS-9000, ISO/TS 16949 or ISO 9001 for 2008 and pass PACCAR’s supplier readiness review.

“The PACCAR 50ppm award is a great distinction for NORMA Group. It reflects the dedication of all NORMA personnel to deliver the highest quality product solutions, and also our commitment to always meet and exceed customer expectations,” says Werner Deggim, CEO of NORMA Group.

NORMA Group has been supplying standard and quick release NORMACONNECT V profile clamps to PACCAR’s DAF trucks since 2006. www.normagroup.com

Anochrome takes part in Locking & Sealing Summit In early September Inlex Locking, a division of the Anochrome Group, joined representatives from as far away as Brazil and Taiwan along with their counterparts from France, Italy, and Spain, in an inaugral Locking & Sealing Summit.

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he event was held at the premises of Prelok (France) located in the scenic French countryside close to the town of Pont du Vaux, in the Bresse region.

A varied agenda saw subjects including the latest product developments and new innovative processing technology and methods, as well as the important issues that will face the industry in the future.

Ian Vickerstaff, Inlex divisional managing director, stated that the meeting was an excellent opportunity to meet new people from within the industry, as well as renewing some old friendships. “It was encougaring that we could have such an open and frank discussion about new developments, from products, processes and the latest production equipment and techniques.

We can use this type of forum to tackle the important issues that we will encounter over the next few years and cooperate with one another to find robust solutions to these problems.”

Inlex Locking offers a wide range of pre-applied sealing and locking products for threaded components, from the Eslok nylon anti-vibration ‘patch’ to the Precote and 3M Scotchgrip micro-encapsulated adhesives and non-curing sealants. In addition Inlex can offer induction hardening, dry-bonded lubricants and component optical sorting and many other products and processes. In conjunction with its sister company Wolverhampton Electro Plating, which offers a wide range of corrosion protection finishes, Inlex can offer a ‘complete fastener finishing service’. www.anochrome.com

KEENSERTS® used in aerospace simulators KVT-Fastening (a Bossard company) has recently supplied its KEENSERTS® threaded inserts for use in triaxial aviation and aerospace simulators.

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CUTRONIC, a manufacturer of movement simulators for aviation and aerospace, the defence, automotive and consumer industries, produces a range of simulators, such as small, single axis simulators (e.g for the automotive industry), triaxial simulators (aviation and aerospace) and five axis simulator systems (defence industry).

The simulator systems manufactured by ACUTRONIC allow the customer to illustrate any conceivable manoeuver realistically in the laboratory. A temperature chamber is frequently also required for this. The subsequent area of use of the test object with regard to the flow of movements, temperature and load period can be regulated and varied for test purposes during this process. As a result, the development time for new products is accelerated and the research and development costs are massively lowered.

Due to the installation of KEENSERTS ® threaded inserts, the high loads that occur when the test pieces are accelerated in the simulator are reliably transferred to the load carrier.

KEENSERTS ® are heavy duty, wear resistant threaded inserts made of anti-corrosive steel 1.4305. They are delivered with pre-assembled key locks, and guarantee twist and vibration proof fit. Therefore it is impossible for the screw to be unscrewed while loosening it.

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FASTENER INDUSTRY NEWS

Vossloh AG is stepping up its presence on the American continent and opening a production plant for Vossloh rail fastening systems in the USA.

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he fitting out of the facility will start in the third quarter of 2013, with plant commissioning followed by regular production scheduled to begin after mid-2014. There will be 50 new jobs at the plant in Waco, Texas.

By manufacturing within the USA, Vossloh will be meeting the requirements of the ‘Buy American Act’ that obligates the US government to give preference to contractors producing in the USA. Being the world’s foremost manufacturer of rail fastening systems, Vossloh is thus laying the decisive foundations to be eligible for contracts awarded by the public sector. In this way, Vossloh will benefit more intensively from growth in the US rail market, specifically heavy haul, transit and high speed lines.

According to the World Rail Market Study published in 2012 by the Association of the European Rail Industry and Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, in the period 2009 to 2011 the NAFTA region was the world’s second biggest rail infrastructure market with an annual accessible volume of 5.5 billion euros. Over the years ahead, the market volume in the USA, Canada and Mexico is set to again show a steady rate of expansion, rising to 5.9 billion euros annually in 2015 to 2017. Besides replacement expenditures, funds are planned for the busy freight haulage network as well as sophisticated new high speed projects and rapid transit lines.

With its two divisions, transportation and rail infrastructure, Vossloh AG has for a number of years been successfully operating on the North American market where it is the third biggest supplier of switches, turnouts and their components. Vossloh’s transportation division supplies rail vehicle components besides having completed an extensive array of complex bus and light rail refurbishment projects.

RotaBolt to produce fasteners in Taiwan

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In direct response to the major growth in demand for RotaBolt technology throughout Southeast Asia, and in particular from Taiwan, RotaBolt is to open a new production facility in Taipei as a joint venture with Coretech, who have been distributing RotaBolt® fasteners throughout Taiwan for the last three years.

od Corbett, managing director of RotaBolt, commented: “The take up of our measurement technology has been dramatic. In the petrochemical sector, word has started to spread about our successes in achieving leak free operations – the potential for us is substantial. In time, this new facility will enable us to realise that potential.”

The new plant is planned to begin production in the late summer. Initially its output will be servicing the rapidly increasing local demand, but the company already has established successes in other countries including Mainland China and Malaysia, and sees the beginning of production in Taiwan as a major step forward in helping to extend the application of its technology across a variety of sectors in Southeast Asia.

In Taiwan, the success of RotaBolt’s technology driven approach took a significant step when one of the largest petrochemical companies contacted the company as part of its continuous improvement processes during 2010. It had read about the use of RotaBolts in the tightening handbook of another global operator.

A combined feed exchanger at an aroma production plant had leaked during hydro testing, on start up and then again during production. It was fitted with 56 RotaBolt fasteners and it has not leaked since. The operators described it as a ‘miracle’ and immediately initiated plans to use the technology on a variety of reactors and heat exchangers.

In addition, the company decided to incorporate the science of RotaBolt’s tension control technology into its own training regimes and was successful in securing support for the training from the Taiwanese government. News of the success quickly spread to 60 other plants operating in the area and the foundations were laid for RotaBolt’s expansion.

The new joint venture is 70% RotaBolt owned and 30% Coretech.

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www.ambrovit.it

evolving Technology

Ambrovit is one of the most bigger stockist of screws in Europe of HEX LAG SCREWS

NUTS, WASHERS, BOLTS

CHIPBOARD SCREWS

THREADED RODS

DRYWALL SCREWS

TAPPING SCREWS

DOME SCREWS

DRILLING SCREWS

AND EURO SCREWS MACHINE SCREWS

PVC SCREWS S.S. A2 SCREWS

Ambrovit is one of Europe’s largest wholesale distributors of chipboard, self-tapping, self-drilling screws and bolts. Thanks to its new automated warehouse, Ambrovit is now able to store around 22.000 ready-to-ship pallets as well as offer a Special Service to guarantee quick delivery.

BLOCKFRAME NEW PRODUCTS 2O13

SELF DRILLING

STANDARD PRODUCTS 2O13

CARPENTRY

SPECIAL PRODUCTS 2O13

Ambrovit S.p.A. Via Giulio Natta, 29 - 27026 Garlasco (PV) Italy Tel. +39.0382.810280 Fax +39.0382.1760014 email sales@ambrovit.it

FASTENER INDUSTRY NEWS

Specialinsert relocates headquarters

High quality precision pressing Baker & Finnemore has a history and reputation of producing high quality precision pressings for all industries including the automotive sector.

An example of this was the development of an extremely complicated pressing for use in Jaguar Land Rover cars.

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Specialinsert Srl, a leading Italian manufacturer since 1974, has announced the completion of the relocation of its headquarters in Turin, Italy.

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he new facility hosts 250 square metres of executive, administrative, export and R&D offices, an 80 square metre testing laboratory, and a full automated 900 square metre warehouse that Specialinsert says will enable it to improve its ability to serve all of its partners worldwide.

The three story building, including an underground level, also includes a show room for all Specialinsert’s products and a 100 square metre conference hall that will be used to arrange meetings and technical training sessions with partners. Additionally the new headquarters includes the recently created composites department – which is in charge of developing innovative fasteners for applications on composite materials.

“We would like to thank all our customers for the confidence in us throughout the years. This new headquarters confirms our commitment to continuously improve the quality of our services for the future.”

Specialinsert’s new headquarters are located at Via Monfalcone 144, 10136 Torino, Italy. Contact details such as telephone, fax and email will remain as before. www.specialinsert.it

10 Fastener + Fixing Te chnology • Issue 11 Oct – Dec 2013

aker & Finnemore (Bakfin) explains that this part has proven to be so innovative and well-engineered that it has been carried forward in several model builds since its creation, refreshing its product lifespan whilst competitor components have become obsolete.

Bakfin is ISO/TS 16949 accredited, but even before it received the accreditation it says it was still producing parts to an exceptionally high standard, using procedures and exhibiting qualities that would rival even the most veteran ISO/TS 16949 certified companies.

“This level of precision, and quality management, did not go unnoticed. We were approached by one of our customers – a well established vendor management company. They tasked us with working with their customers on developing solutions.”

Through Bakfin’s attention to detail, and willingness to understand the application, it was able to develop the necessary part. This placed it in the sights of Tier 1 automotive manufacturers who are now dealing with Bakfin directly. www.bakfin.com

UGIVIS becomes ISO/TS 16949:2009 certified UGIVIS, the stainless steel fastener manufacturer based in Belley, France, has announced that it has become an ISO/TS 16949:2009 certified automotive fastener producer.

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GIVIS states that the certification is a result of all the efforts and daily involvement of its teams to satisfy the demands of its customers.

“We are confident that the levels of quality and service available at UGIVIS will enable us to expand our business relationships and meet our customers highest expectations.”

Blind Fastening Solutions

THE OTHER CHOICE

European knowhow with Asian production: cost saving high tech offer

Breakstem Rivets Speed Rivets Blind Rivet Nuts

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COVER STORY

The TR Group majors on the design

By Glenda Roberts, global sales director

Celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, TR Fastenings is one of the world’s leading manufacturers and distributors of mechanical fasteners. It supplies over 150 million components every day, majoring on the design, manufacture and distribution of mechanical fasteners on a global basis to OEMs, their subcontractors and other fastener distributors. This competitive combination has fuelled sales and geographic expansion over the past two decades and today the TR Group has over 5,000 customers and has attained ‘Preferred Vendor’ status with over 30 global customers; offering a cradle to grave solution, from design through to VMI logistics service and aftercare.

Product design The electronics sector has been the key growth area of TR’s business for many years. This sector encompasses a wide range of manufacturing industries and is often best described as ‘a product that ends up being connected by a plug into a power supply’; from a PCB assembly, enclosures for telecoms and servers, fire and smoke alarms, screws for disk drives through to ATM machines. To support this diverse product TR has developed new designs and thread forms and acquired licences for products that are used in new materials or give more efficient drive torque and speed of assembly.

The TR Group has 14 hub sites globally supported by smaller satellite locations. Seven of these are manufacturing, of which six are in Asia. Having manufacturing within the group is a distinctive advantage, as the inherent knowledge of materials, capability, processes including heat treatment, different finishes and electronic sorting to ensure final quality, is available to our teams. This also assists with quick turnaround of enquiries, product trials and testing. TR has also increased the numbers of application engineers who rely heavily on this support to provide for the growing needs of our customers. This is not just on new design but also for VA/VE initiatives.

Recent licences from the Phillips Screw Company and Acument have added to the growing portfolio of products and solutions on offer. The Mortorq ® Super Spiral Drive recess from

12 Fastener + Fixing Te chnology • Issue 11 Oct – Dec 2013

Phillips is the most recent of the licences acquired, and is a unique drive solution which reduces the head height without any loss of torque and takes the weight out of the product – a critical factor for many companies.

During the last 12 months TR has expanded Phillips Mortorq® the range of plastics and cable Super Drive System management product, branded as ‘a clear alternative’, that compliments the other products we supply to the end user. The core range is extensive and we have increased this by proving our value when requested to assist in the design and manufacture of specials. We have the ability to tool up and supply samples in 5 weeks, which is significantly better than the competition.

A comprehensive matrix of this product range is on the TR website making it easier for designers to access this and their fastener needs from one source. We provide samples so that the integrity of the product can be verified or for use in trial builds.

Within the UK we are seeing a growing number of new

start-up electronics companies emerging following the demise of businesses that have transferred to low cost countries.

Skilled engineers and new entrepreneurs are finding there are still opportunities within the UK and Europe to open niche businesses. We are keen to support these and have business models to cope with both small and large companies offering the same level of service to both.

The TR self-clinch range of fastenings is widely used in enclosures and telecoms cabinets, and this includes panel fasteners, product for PCBs, clips, rivets, screws and plastic components. The Antennae telecoms product is another niche area for which TR has perfected the supply of product.

This varies from fixing kits to the complex tuning screws used in microwave filters, and designs for special screw thread forms into magnesium castings. Micro screws, miniature parts and screws for specialist plastic applications are also showcased on our website.

Global supply chain It is not just about great product design; the logistics of serving the multi-nationals is vital too and the TR global footprint is key. Originally products for the electronics industry were designed in America and Europe. But with the shift to lower cost countries, such as China, and the ASEAN Region we are seeing the emergence of ODMs and design centres in these locations. Finding a good manufacturer in Taiwan or China is one thing but getting the same product to the production line in Mexico, Hungary, USA and Thailand needs additional skills from a company that manage the logistics and give a lean supply chain. TR can therefore provide a holistic supply capability that is particularly attractive to the corporate teams of the multinationals. We are expanding the manufacturing sites increasing capacity and opening new locations in Thailand and Pune in India in response to the growing needs of our clients. www.trfastenings.com

Working together on fire safety products Celebrating 50 years of manufacturing excellence in Ireland, E.I. Electronics is an acknowledged market leader in residential fire safety products. One of Ireland’s largest indigenous electronic companies, E.I. Electronics employs over 400 people and produces over 5 million smoke alarms and 600,000 carbon monoxide detectors a year, which are sold throughout Ireland, Europe and Australia.

Long-term partnership with TR Southern Fasteners E.I. Electronics has achieved continuous growth through the development of a stream of innovative new products manufactured on state of the art process technology, delivered to the highest customer service standard. One of its key supply partners is TR Southern Fasteners, with which it has worked closely for many years. TR Southern Fasteners, which is based in Mallow, is wellpositioned to supply E.I. Electronics with a vast range of essential components for smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.

TR Southern Fastener’s extensive product knowledge enables it to work closely with E.I. Electronics at every stage, from product design to the production line, and it is on hand to provide support 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Furthermore, TR is one of Europe’s largest providers of Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) solutions,

so, it has been able to design and implement a specific supply system for E.I. that saves the company time and money.

“The combination of continuity of supply and high quality of service that we provide E.I. Electronics gives us the competitive edge,” explains Dara Horgan, general manager at TR Southern Fasteners.

Gerry Murphy, purchasing manager at E.I. Electronics, adds: “E.I. Electronics and TR Southern Fasteners enjoy a mutually beneficial partnership. It has been a long standing relationship where we have received a high level of service as we expanded over the past 20 years, and we look forward to their support in the future.”

Global reach, local presence As part of the TR Fastenings group, TR Southern Fasteners is supported by extensive global resources and manufacturing operations in the UK

and Asia. This combination allows TR’s Irish locations to supply a vast range of fasteners and associated components to small, medium and large Irish manufacturers and engineering subcontractors while meeting each individual company’s needs. Customers come from many different industries, including electronics, automotive, IT, home appliances, security, medical, agricultural farm machinery and general industry.

Core products sold by the company include general fasteners (for instance, nuts, bolts, screws, washers) in steel, stainless steel and brass; and TR branded products including: self-clinch fasteners, screws and inserts for plastic, security fasteners and thread-locking nuts. Finally the company also prides itself in manufacturing stud bolts to order on-site in its Mallow facility.

Dara Horgan of TR Southern Fasteners Ltd receives an award from Michael Guinee, MD of E.I. Electronics, for continuity of excellence in service and support

www.fastfixtechnology.com

13

PLASTICS + COMPOSITES

EFC – engineered solutions EFC International, headquartered in St Louis, Missouri, USA, is a premier distributor of engineered components, from world class manufacturers, that supplies a variety of industries including automotive, heavy truck, transportation and agriculture, appliance and HVACR, marine RV and small engine, as well as the furniture industry.

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n addition to its large range of clamps, panel fasteners, screws, bolts, studs, pins, self-retaining nuts, shaft and retainer bolts, speciality nuts, furniture components, connectors, coupling and fittings, EFC is also able to offer numerous customer support mechanisms to ensure the success of applications and projects.

EFC International points out that within its range of solutions it has a selection of products that are particularly suited for applications in plastics, including the BossScrew™ and GripTide™ insert.

EFC says that the BossScrew™ is the only screw for plastics that is designed not to loosen. Its unique thread form,

designed with the patented WERCS ® technology, works directly with the creeping aspect of plastic to interlock with the boss. The main advantages of the BossScrew™ are that it reduces the amount of parts needed in assembly; it permits the design of shorter bosses to save material; it increases the clamp load at assembly; and eliminates any buzzing, squeaking or rattling once installed.

Applications for the BossScrew™ include under the hood, instrument panels, actuators, drive trains, assemblies, seating and routing.

“The BossScrew™ uses standard head diameters and has installer friendly driveto-strip ratio. Time, temperature and vibration only strengthen the joint.”

The GripTide™ is a steel threaded insert for plastics. Due to the strength of the steel used the GripTide™ does not generate any chips or shavings and it requires less thread engagement than

brass or aluminium alternatives.

Being produced from cold formed steel also helps to reduce material and manufacturing costs.

EFC explains that the GripTide™ exceeds minimum torsion and pull out requirements by creating a permanent mechanical interface in plastics. The GripTide™ is flanged to provide positive stops for installation and available in large bearing surfaces or no flange for mating components.

Applications for the GripTide™ include electronic and engine components, assemblies, seating, instrument panels and routing. www.efc-intl.com

From adhesive solution to mechanical integration Lohmann GmbH & Co KG states that it has the capability to not only provide tailor-made adhesive systems, but also to support customers right through to the application stage, with its engineers often facing the challenge of integrating the adhesive application directly into the customers’ existing processes.

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he ‘bonding’ engineers at Lohmann not only provide support for customers while developing the adhesive solution, they will also manufacture bespoke dispensers and machines. At the request of a customer, application engineers Gerd Rottmann and Jan Eller recently developed a laminating station with an integrated spool unwinder. When designing the station, the engineers were responsive to the special requirements of an extrusion facility and were guided by the set up of the existing machine and the materials used in the extrusion of PBT plastic tubes. During the process an 8mm wide adhesive tape is laminated. The application engineers provided the customer with a complete solution. They fitted the plastic tubing with DuploCOLL 377, a double-sided adhesive tape, which met the material and quality requirements and, in addition, ensured the tape was automatically fed into the machine. They also developed the inline laminating station DuploTEC (Technical Application Tools) TAT 90218R. This enables double-sided adhesive tape to be applied to the continuous profile fully automatically.

However, Lohmann applications engineer Jan Eller knows

14 Fastener + Fixing Te chnology • Issue 11 Oct – Dec 2013

that every process is different and requires an individual approach: “The fact that the plastic tubing is not very stable in the longitudinal direction places high demands on the laminating process. Laminating cannot put any strain on the tube, or it might become deformed.” In order to avoid this, the spool unwinder was fitted with a motorised unwinding device to ensure that the adhesive tape unrolls easily, thus minimising the strain on the tube. The characteristics of the adhesive tape also have to be tailored to the process. It is not only the adhesive that has to be compatible with the materials being joined; the carrier and the characteristics of the liner also have to be adapted to the mechanical laminating process.

A laminating station like this offers the customer numerous advantages. As an inline solution, it has a significant cost advantage over the competition. Machines do not have to be modified, and no extra work is involved. Processes are also significantly more reliable compared with an offline version.

A facility of this type can be adjusted to suit all kinds of profile sizes and can be used in a variety of industry sectors. www.lohmann-tapes.com

Whether you build the thinnest tablet or the most powerful jet engine or anything in between, we have your assembly solu�on.

Send us an email at info@phillips‐screw.com and we’ll send you a sample, just tell us the size.

Or see us at

in stand 960!

PLASTICS + COMPOSITES

Bright future for Volt Volt Industrial Plastics Inc says that it has consistently met and exceeded the challenges of the plastic fastener manufacturing industry – which have evolved considerably since the company was established in 1992 – to become a reliable source for precision plastic fasteners that enable customers to reduce the weight, cost and assembling complexities of their products.

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olt Industrial Plastics Inc, based in Yellville, Arkansas, USA, manufactures all of its products in-house meaning that they are ‘American Made’ and have been since the company was established.

The company’s range of products includes plastic screws, nuts (both standard and metric), license plate screws and nuts, Christmas tree clips, rivets, wire and cable routing clips, printed circuit board hardware, dowels, washers, spacers, tapped spacer, and many other fasteners for customers all over the world.

A key factor in Volt’s success has been the commitment of Joe Volltrauer, CEO at Volt, to continually reinvest the company’s profits back into the business to purchase state of the art equipment and to enable facility upgrades – to ensure that Volt remains competitive in the global marketplace.

This programme of reinvestment enabled Volt to experience growth during the recent economic recession when many other companies where struggling. Due to this growth – which saw an increase in demand for Volt’s short lead times and quality plastic fasteners – the company relocated its manufacturing operations in 2011 to a newly renovated 65,000 square foot (6,000m2) facility.

The new location is over two and half times larger than the previous facility and includes additional warehouse space for raw materials and a finished goods warehouse for approximately one billion plastic fasteners, allowing for same day or next day shipping to customers. The additional manufacturing space in the facility houses the latest technology in tool making and production equipment including EDM machines, top of the line CNC-EDM sinker, a CNC milling centre and CNC lathe. Volt’s production line operates 24 hours a day and the company is able to offer same day shipping for products in stock and three to five day lead time on products that are not in stock.

Volt also has the capability to design and produce unique plastic fasteners and injection moulded parts to customer specifications. Customers for newly engineered, application specific parts are served by a large inventory of tool and die components, as well as a broad raw material inventory.

“Our on-site tooling allows for quick production of custom orders based on specific customer applications. We are able to get new tooling quotes back to customers within 24 hours and are often able to analyse, recommend, quote and have prototypes on the way, whilst competitors are still coming up with a price,” explains Jesse Patterson, tool department manager.

Volt not only has the capability to produce new fastener shapes to custom print, it can also produce them in a wide range of materials to achieve specific ductility or hardness.

Volt can mould over 120 different materials and is able to colour match for specific applications. A selection of the materials Volt is able to offer includes:

16 Fastener + Fixing Te chnology • Issue 11 Oct – Dec 2013

ABS – A polymer consisting of acrylonitrile, butadiene, and styrene, which can be combined in different ratios to produce a blend tailored to customers’ specific needs.

Acetal – Acetal resins are odourless, tasteless and non-toxic.

Key properties include high strength and rigidity, excellent dimensional stability, fatigue endurance, relatively low moisture absorption, as well as low dynamic and static coefficient of friction.

Kostrate – This new thermoplastic material, which serves as a cost effective alternative to polycarbonate, exhibits exceptional toughness, rigidity and clarity. It offers a cost-saving alternative for clear applications where rubber modified polystyrene, polycarbonate and copolymer polyester may have been used.

Nylon – Nylon resins are typically used in applications requiring heat and chemical resistance, as well as toughness.

Examples include under the hood automotive components, electrical connectors for the telecommunications and computer industries, as well as components of medical devices.

Polycarbonate – Polycarbonate resin is one of the toughest, most versatile engineering thermoplastics, combining outstanding electrical insulation properties, performance history and economic advantages over other thermoplastics, metals, glass and other materials.

Polypropylene – Polypropylene is a thermoplastic polymer with low specific gravity and good resistance to chemicals and fatigue. It can be readily coloured, has good tensile strength and proven resistance to acids, alkalis and solvents.

Looking to the future and Volt Industrial Plastics Inc is planning to continue its success. Whilst Joe Volltrauer remains the CEO and driving force behind the company, the daily operations are now overseen by the second generation of the Volltrauer family – with daughter Heidi Volltrauer assuming the role of chief operation officer in 2011.

“The lightweight, heat resistant, non-magnetic, non-corrosive, non-toxic, non-flammable, non-abrasive and non-conducting properties of the versatile polymers used in our plastic fasteners make them invaluable for applications where high tensile holding strength is not the primary requirement,” explains Heidi Volltrauer. “In addition, when customers consider that these characteristics may be further enhanced by chemical and fibre additions to increase strength, hardness, flexibility, as well as temperature and UV resistance, they realise why plastic fasteners are so attractive.”

Heidi adds: “I look forward to a bright future for Volt as we are guided by the customer focused principles and dedicated work ethic established by my father over 20 years ago. Our aim is to maintain our reputation and continue to strive forward as a family owned business.” www.voltplastics.com

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PLASTICS + COMPOSITES

Evolution of a fastener GBK UK Limited, formerly known as Tech-Fast.com Ltd, designs and supplies technical plastic fasteners, closures and components for customers active in all major market sectors, including building and construction, electrical and electronic, furniture, shop-fitting and point of sale, and transportation.

G

BK’s customers include small regional businesses, major global businesses, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and technical distributors throughout Europe, North and South America and the Indian sub-continent.

Product volumes range from 100 pieces to millions of units being used by the customers in their products.

The core product ranges are divided into the following groups – panel fasteners, panel access fasteners, panel access latches, motion control dampers, point of sale, cable management, cable and panel protection, and fluid control.

“At GBK we consider our core product range to be central to the assemblies they are used within and refer to them collectively as ‘DNA for assemblies’ literally the building blocks of those products,” comments Peter Green, managing director at GBK UK Ltd. Peter Green explains that often a single part can develop several versions for different applications and markets. For instance the 47018 – Pine Tree Clip originally started as a standard Pine Tree Clip, which had an unusually thin head thicknesses of 0.8mm, but a 19mm head diameter. This made it ideal for automotive and furniture applications. The fixing hole size required is 6.4mm (¼ inch) with a panel range of 2.7mm – 7.3mm.

“ At GBK we consider our core product range to be central to the assemblies they are used within and refer to them collectively as ‘DNA for assemblies’ literally the building blocks of those products.”

18 Fastener + Fixing Te chnology • Issue 11 Oct – Dec 2013

GBK produced the tooling for the 47018 – Pine Tree Clip in such a way that it could have ‘version changes’ produced at very little cost. This was exactly what GBK decided to do, producing the 47058 – Looped Tree Clip and subsequent to that the 47059 – Latched Tree Clip. These version changes were specifically targeted at using the very effective fixing, but enabled the part to have cable ties, purse locks or cable fastened to or through the head of the part. GBK points out that these two items are currently the only lightweight fixings approved by a major construction product company for managing pipe or cable in their installations.

From there GBK developed the standard fastener further to produce the 47120 and 47121 Hook & Loop Clips, which are effectively the standard item with a Velcro coin of either hook or loop material attached to the head of the part. This gives not only a panel fastener, but also a secondary fixing point for material or other media in either automotive and furniture trim or point of sale applications.

The next step of development saw all of these standard moulded items being produced in a crystal clear material, making them ideal for point of sale signage or hanging applications, adding to the significant quantity of clear fasteners already available. These fixings can be used in steel, brick, block, wood, glass or plastic, as well as other base substrates.

Over recent years GBK UK Ltd has seen significant growth and product development, which has in turn led to a new e-commerce website, as well as other key strategic business decisions. “All of these developments have enabled us as a company to provide customers with ‘engineered solutions to everyday problems’, and we will continue to do so into the future,” adds Peter Green. www.gbk-uk.com

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TECHNICAL

The stronger the better is not necessarily the case for fasteners

By Bill Eccles, Bolt Science Have you ever come across a situation in which a high strength, plated fastener has failed in a brittle manner?

Hydrogen induced cracking of plated high strength fasteners is relatively common.

I

t is also common for the blame to be attached to some fault in the manufacturing process rather than the service environment in which the fastener is placed. Rather than a manufacturing flaw it could be due to the choice of the type of fastener, coupled with the service environment in which the fastener is placed, that is the root cause of the failure. This is not widely recognised.

Many fastener users, crudely put, think that ‘stronger is better’. The thinking is that structural failure can be catastrophic not only in terms of material/replacement costs but also the indirect costs related to the loss of company reputation. By using a higher strength fastener, the assumption is that the risk of such a failure occurring will be reduced. But in regard to fasteners, given the adverse effect that hydrogen can have on high strength fasteners, stronger is often certainly not better.

With fasteners, brittle type failures can be especially troublesome since they can occur unexpectedly giving no warning.

The most common type of brittle fracture in fasteners is due to the poisonous effects that hydrogen can have on the strength of some steels. The deleterious effect that hydrogen can have on steel was first reported in a paper to the Royal Society in 1875

by W. H. Johnson. Since that time the topic has been studied extensively but is still the subject of research and controversy.

Hydrogen induced cracking, commonly referred to as hydrogen embrittlement (HE), can occur to high strength steels and certain other metals such as titanium and certain stainless steels. Atomic hydrogen can enter the material during the production process or during its service life (as a result of corrosion or hydrogen in the atmosphere) causing a catastrophic brittle fracture. This occurs at a stress level well below the yield strength of the fastener. Figure 1 shows a M10 electroplated 12.9 socket head cap screw cracked under the head due to embrittlement.

One of the characteristics of hydrogen embrittlement is that it may only affect a small proportion of a batch of fasteners.

This reduction of load carrying ability does not happen immediately the hydrogen enters the steel. Once atomic hydrogen is introduced at the surface of the part, there is a migration of the hydrogen over time to the grain boundaries, flaws and inclusions in the material. The effect of the hydrogen is to cause a reduction in the defect formation energy and a decrease in the inter-atomic bonding energy. Atomic hydrogen can also bind together to form hydrogen gas (H2) whose pressure build-up at a crack tip can also have a deleterious effect. By these mechanisms a normally ductile material can behave in a brittle manner.

Figure 1: M10 electroplated 12.9 screw cracked under the head 20 Fastener + Fixing Te chnology • Issue 11 Oct – Dec 2013

With the fastener under stress (which usually means once it is tightened), cracks are initiated once the local concentration of hydrogen, at a particular defect, exceeds some critical value.

Brittle fracture of fasteners that have been exposed to hydrogen during the manufacturing process can occur, typically, between 1 and 24 hours following tightening. If a fastener fails in a brittle manner in some period following the first day subsequent to tightening, there is an increasing likelihood that the hydrogen was introduced into the steel from the environment rather than during the manufacturing process.

Essentially for a fastener to be affected by a brittle fracture due to hydrogen, there must be three factors present: 1) The fastener must have been introduced to hydrogen.

2) The material must be susceptible – generally the higher the tensile strength/hardness of the fastener, the greater is the risk from this type of brittle fracture.

3) The fastener must be subjected to a high tensile stress.

The stresses imposed into the fastener by the tightening process are usually sufficiently high given the other two factors being true.

The Venn diagram shown in Figure 2 illustrates the interaction of these Presence of three factors.

Hydrogen There are many ways that hydrogen can be introduced into the steel during the manufacturing High Tensile Material process. The most common Stress Susceptibility means is during the electroplating process. It Figure 2: The key factors can also be for HE and SCC introduced from pickling, gas carburising, heat treatment and also during thread rolling, machining, and drilling due to the break-down of lubricants.

In many instances with fasteners the source of hydrogen contamination comes from the electroplating process. It is somewhat rare for non-electroplated fasteners to fail as a result of hydrogen embrittlement. On high strength electroplated fasteners, in order to reduce the risk of hydrogen embrittlement, a heat treatment operation immediately following plating can be performed (this type of heat treatment is frequently referred to as baking). The relevant standard giving guidance on the topic is ISO 4042 (Fasteners electroplated coatings). When high tensile fasteners are electroplated (property classes 10.9 and 12.9), a heat treatment operation is required within four hours of plating. Essentially the sooner the baking is completed following plating the better the efficacy of the treatment.

Typically the heat treatment involves holding the fasteners

HE SCC

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TECHNICAL at a temperature of between 200ºC to 230ºC for between 2 hours – 24 hours. Again, in broad terms, longer is better. If the baking operation is delayed greater than four hours after plating, irreparable damage (micro-cracking) to the fastener may have already occurred (localised residual stresses may be present in the fastener causing hydrogen to migrate to high stress areas).

The purpose of the baking process is to remove as much hydrogen as possible and distribute any remaining hydrogen away from the surface. The surface of a fastener is usually highly stressed due to stress concentration effects. Research indicates that it is the local concentration of hydrogen that can be critical rather than the total content. The baking process facilitates the movement of the hydrogen within the steel so that it can become bonded within the steel structure at ‘traps’ such as inclusions. In such traps, hydrogen is not free to migrate to the high stress areas. Baking, if done properly, significantly reduces the risk of hydrogen embrittlement but will not fully eliminate the risk. To quote from the ISO 4042 standard: “Complete elimination of hydrogen embrittlement cannot be assured.”

To assess the efficacy of the baking, the ISO 4042 standard specifies that when the core or surface hardness is above 320HV (applicable to 10.9 and 12.9 fasteners), an investigation is to be conducted using a test to detect hydrogen embrittlement.

One such test is ISO 15330 (Fasteners – preloading test for the detection of hydrogen embrittlement) that involves tightening the fasteners close to or at yield for 48 hours. To pass the test there should be no breakage or visible cracks. The standard also states that for fasteners of hardness in excess of 365HV (property class 12.9 and 10.9 fasteners which are at the higher end of their permitted hardness range), a written agreement should exist between the customer and the manufacturer to define how to manage the risk of hydrogen embrittlement.

If no such agreement exists then recommended practices should be followed to reduce the risk.

Once the product/fastener is in service, hydrogen can be introduced into the steel as a result of cathodic protection or corrosion reactions. The brittle failure of steel, as a result of the introduction of hydrogen from the environment subsequent to assembly, is commonly referred to as stress corrosion cracking (SCC).

There is often no difference in the features between HE due to the hydrogen being introduced during the manufacturing process and that due to hydrogen being introduced in a service environment. With HE, the fastener made from a susceptible material is first exposed to hydrogen followed by stressing (due to tightening) which leads to a delayed brittle fracture. With SCC the fastener that is made from a susceptible material is tightened and then exposed to hydrogen, which subsequently leads to a brittle fracture. Differentiating between HE and SCC is problematic and is not a trivial matter. Usually the time from tightening to brittle fracture occurring is a crucial indicator. If failure occurs shortly after tightening HE is the likely cause. If it occurs a significant period following tightening, SCC must be suspected. There is a transitional zone in which it could be either. This is not just of academic interest. If it is HE then the fastener supplier is often held to be responsible for supplying a defective part. If it’s SCC, it can be argued that the customer has selected an inappropriate fastener type/finish for the application.

When a fastener fails, the cost of the actual fastener is usually insignificant relative to the overall cost of the failure.

Although the alloy content and microstructure has some effect on the susceptibility of steel to hydrogen embrittlement, it has been found that the strength level (hardness) is the key factor. In general, the higher the strength of the steel, the greater is the susceptibility to hydrogen embrittlement. The chart shown in Figure 3 summarises the experience of the susceptibility of common fastener strength grades to HE. As a footnote, in some special circumstances (for example in subsea applications in which cathodic protection is used) fasteners of hardness greater than 34 HRC are susceptible to hydrogen induced brittle fracture.

22 Fastener + Fixing Te chnology • Issue 11 Oct – Dec 2013

Property class 10.9 fasteners can experience hydrogen induced cracking.

Frequently these issues result from an uneven hardness across the fastener cross section with the surface carburised.

Figure 3: Common bolting materials and their susceptibility to hydrogen embrittlement In conclusion:

• Hydrogen embrittlement, is to some degree, unpredictable and it is sensible to, whenever possible, specify fasteners that are, to a large degree, inherently less prone to this type of failure. Experience indicates that if property class 12.9 fasteners are electroplated, measures can be taken to reduce, but not fully eliminate, the risk from hydrogen embrittlement. In some applications, the consequences of joint failure as a result of brittle fracture are such that a campaign change to replace all potentially defective fasteners from a product is deemed essential even when the failure rate is very low. Usually the extent of the problem is unknown when a decision needs to be taken whether to replace the fasteners. It may be possible to identify a batch of fasteners affected and reduce the extent of the campaign but this can often be problematic. Typically, the cost of the fasteners is minimal compared to the other costs involved in such a campaign. Considering that there are other valid options available, high strength fasteners (10.9 and 12.9) should not be electroplated. Where a fastener user specifies such a product it is crucial they recognise that it is not, and cannot be, risk free.

• For most applications, property class 10.9 fasteners gives the best compromise between strength and brittle fracture risk. If you are a fastener manufacturer, consider limiting the core hardness of property class 10.9 fasteners to HRC 36 (the permitted range in the standard is HRC 33 to HRC 39) to further reduce the risk of brittle fracture.

• On 10.9 fasteners use zinc flake type coatings (Geomet, Delta Protekt, etc) or mechanical zinc plating instead of electroplating.

In my experience 12.9 socket head cap screws are frequently used in the UK particularly, not because such strength is needed in the application, but because 8.8 or 10.9 socket head cap screws are not readily available. The 12.9 fasteners are then tightened to a torque value applicable for an 8.8 fastener.

There is no technical advantage in using a property class 12.9 fastener when it is tightened to a level that a lower strength fastener could sustain. (For example the fatigue endurance strength of a typical 12.9 fastener is the same as that for a 10.9 or an 8.8 fastener.) Hence, using a 12.9 fastener and tightening it to a torque value suitable for an 8.8 fastener does not reduce the risk of failure when compared to using an 8.8 fastener. A property class 12.9 is susceptible to HE and SCC problems given the right conditions. This risk is not widely appreciated by users of fasteners.

Stronger fasteners are certainly not necessarily better in some circumstances. www.boltscience.com

STRUCTURAL FIXINGS

Clarity brought to blind bolt resistances Andy Smith of the SCI (the Steel Construction Institute) reports on a recent project to develop characteristic resistances of bespoke connectors, using the approach described in BS EN 1990.

Blind bolts Blind bolts have been developed to enable easy connections to be made when access to one side of the connection is restricted, such as in a hollow section. A weighted toggle sits within the shaft of the bolt when it is inserted into the hole and will drop across the hole from the inside when the bolt is rotated through 90º. The bolts are manufactured in grade 10.9 material (yield strength of 900N/mm², ultimate tensile strength of 1,000N/mm²) and are available in sizes from M8 to M24.

Due to the unique cross section of the product, and the possible failure mechanisms relating to the toggle, the design rules according to BS 5950-1 or BS EN 1993-1-8 cannot be used without modification. Acting for the manufacturer, SCI commissioned a series of tests on the bolts and developed product specific design rules using an analysis in accordance with BS EN 1990.

“ Tests were undertaken to establish the tensile resistance, shear resistance, and bearing resistance of the bolts, as well as the combined tension and shear behaviour.”

Testing programme Tests were undertaken to establish the tensile resistance, shear resistance and bearing resistance of the bolts, as well as the combined tension and shear behaviour. In common with usual practice, the tensile resistance was determined by

24 Fastener + Fixing Te chnology • Issue 11 Oct – Dec 2013

applying a compressive force to an assembly consisting of two ‘U’ shaped blocks bolted together across their tips. Tests were undertaken on three different bolt sizes – M10, M20 and M24.

Shear tests were undertaken across the slotted region of the bolt for the three different bolt sizes to establish the relationship between the shear area and the resistance. The shear resistance of the threaded region is well established, but tests across this plane were carried out for the M10 size to verify the established design rules for use with blind bolts.

The performance of the bolts in combined bending and shear was established by applying a tensile force to a rig that allows the bolt to be angled. M10 and M20 bolts were tested at angles of 30º, 45º and 60º.

Bearing tests were performed with plate thicknesses of 6mm, 10mm and 15mm, and steel grades of S285 and S355.

The majority of these tests failed due to shear of the bolt, but a sufficient number failed through bearing to develop design rules for the bolts.

In addition to the tests on the bolts themselves, coupon tests were performed to establish the strength of the bolt material. Cylindrical samples were cut from the bolts and subjected to a tensile test to establish the yield and ultimate tensile strengths.

Establishing design rules from test data The test data was used to calibrate the design rules in BS 5950-1 and BS EN 1993-1-8 to be specific to the product.

For the tensile resistance, the test results were first normalised to the nominal yield strength using the observed yield strength.

These resistances were then compared to the nominal tensile strength calculated using the equation from Eurocode 3 with the minimum cross sectional area (which is the area in the slotted region where the pin is located). This comparison is shown below: Comparison between nominal and observed tensile resistance

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STRUCTURAL FIXINGS The graph shows consistency between the three different bolt sizes, but a gradient of less than 1.0 for the line of best fit that passes through the origin. For each of the 14 successful tests, a correction factor was calculated as the ratio of the normalised maximum load to the nominal resistance and then these were used to establish a characteristic correction factor using the statistical methods in BS EN 1990, Annex D. This resulted in the following equation for the tensile resistance of blind bolts:

Where fu,nom is the nominal ultimate tensile strength of the bolt material (1,000N/mm² in this case), A t is the tensile area of the bolt and γM2 is the partial factor, defined as 1.25 in the UK National Annex. This is the same equation as found in BS EN 1993-1-8 for the tensile resistance of a bolt, but with a k 2 factor of 0.537, rather than the 0.9 or 0.63 for standard bolts or countersunk bolts respectively. The mean test result, the characteristic tensile resistance (which is a 95% confidence limit) and the design tensile resistance are shown in the following table for the three bolt sizes tested.

Bolt size

F t,Rm (kN)

F t,Rk (kN)

F t,Rd (kN)

M10

16.87

16.16

12.93

M20

78.03

72.28

57.82

M24

114.43

102.89

82.31

An equivalent equation was developed for design to BS 5950-1, where a tensile strength of Pt = 430N/mm² is used in place of the value given.

A similar analysis was conducted for the shear resistance of the bolts, and this found that the characteristic correction factor on the Eurocode equation was greater than 1.0. Rather than giving an improvement over the standard defined values, the rules from BS EN 1993-1-8 were adopted without modification, so the resulting design equation is:

Where αv is taken as 0.5 when the shear plane passes through the threaded region and 0.6 when the shear plan passes through the unthreaded region, and A is taken as the shear area of the shear plane in question. The mean, characteristic and design resistances for the slotted region of the bolts for the three sizes are as follows: Bolt size

F v,Rm (kN)

F v,Rk (kN)

To EC3:

To BS5950: The test results were split into their tension and shear components and compared to the mean tension and shear resistances from the pure tension and shear tests. These results were then plotted to enable comparison with the rules from the standards. This comparison is shown in below: Combined tension and shear test results

This plot shows that all of the test results fell outside of the design envelopes for both the Eurocode and British Standard, so the current rules can be adopted for the blind bolts. Making the comparison using the mean test results incorporates a suitable factor of safety as the design resistances will be used in the equations in practice.

The bearing resistance is defined in different ways to the Eurocodes and British Standards. In BS EN 1993-1-8, the bearing resistance is the ultimate strength of the connection, and the analysis showed that there is no change to the design rules in the standard as the presence of the slot appears not to have an effect. The design equation is therefore:

Where k1 and αb are factors that take into account the geometry of the plate and hole, fu is the ultimate tensile strength of the plate material, d is the diameter of the hole and t is the thickness of the plate. The mean, characteristic and design resistances for the tests that failed in bearing rather than in shear are as follows:

F v,Rd (kN)

Bolt size

Plate thickness

Steel grade

Fb,m (kN)

Fb,Rk (kN)

Fb,Rd (kN)

M20

6mm

S275

144.6

97.8

78.2

S355

168.1

115.9

92.7

M24

6mm

S275

177.4

119.1

95.3

S355

204.8

141.3

113.0

M10

32.05

23.78

19.02

M20

148.04

95.13

76.10

M24

257.20

131.71

105.37

The test results also showed an enhancement over the resistances to BS 5950-1, so the rules defined in that standard were adopted unaltered.

For the combined tension and shear tests, the intention was simply to validate the current design rules:

26 Fastener + Fixing Te chnology • Issue 11 Oct – Dec 2013

10mm

S275

267.9

198.5

158.8

S355

289.5

235.4

188.3

For design to the British Standards, the bearing resistance is a serviceability limit, allowing a maximum deformation under working loads of 1.5mm. For each test, the gradient of the slope after bedding in was determined, as shown in the following graph:

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STRUCTURAL FIXINGS Initial gradients for M10 bolts in 6mm S275 plates

The bearing capacity of each test was calculated by multiplying the gradient by the deformation limit (1.5mm) and a factor of 1.5 that accounts for the difference between design load and working load (taken as the average of the dead load and live load factors). All of these capacities were significantly lower than the bearing resistances to Eurocode 3 shown above.

A modified version of the BS 5950-1 equation was used to calibrate the bearing capacity:

Where kbs = 1.0 for standard clearance holes, d is the diameter of the bolt, c is the width of the slot, t p is the thickness of the plate, pbs is the bearing strength of the connected part and e is the end distance. This equation was used to develop a nominal bearing capacity for each test, and the results were plotted:

Comparison of the bearing capacities from tests with the nominal bearing resistance

As the vast majority of the test results are above or close to the unity line, the bearing capacity is effectively a serviceability limit, and the bearing resistances are significantly lower than the ultimate design bearing resistances given by the Eurocodes, it was decided that the modified equation given previously could be applied for design to the Eurocodes.

The design equations for blind bolts have been developed to be consistent with the current rules in both the Eurocodes and British Standards, and can be applied for other sizes of blind bolts within the range tested as long as the proportions are similar. More information on blind bolts, including all of the design properties, is available from www.blindbolt.co.uk.

The test results and design values given above should give confidence in the values that are quoted, and enable the designer to use them without further modification. www.blindbolt.co.uk

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Use With Confidence Specialised Wiring Accessories Ltd Abbey Mills, Charfield Road, Kingswood Wotton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire. GL12 8RL Tel: 01453 844 333 Fax: 01453 842 224 All the right connections!® Email: sales@s-w-a.co.uk www.s-w-a.co.uk

Mubea Tellerfedern GmbH P.O. Box 120 57564 Daaden, Germany

Tel.: +49 2743 806 0 E-Mail: info@mubea-tellerfedern.de

www.mubea-disc-springs.com www.mubea.com

EXHIBITIONS

Advanced Engineering UK set for record event

The Advanced Engineering UK group of events will take place from 12th – 13th November 2013, in Hall 5 at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham, UK. Here Ian Stone, managing director of show organisers UK Tech Events, underlines why Advanced Engineering UK is becoming one of Europe’s most important annual advanced engineering sector showcases for technology innovation, processes and industry supply chain capability.

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he Advanced Engineering UK 2013 group of events brings together multiple high growth, value-added advanced engineering and technology events, into a hugely exciting ‘integrated’ UK technology transfer and business development environment. Individual show streams integrated under the ‘Advanced Engineering UK 2013’ canopy include Aero Engineering Show 2013, Composites Engineering Show 2013, Automotive Engineering Show 2013, Auto Electronics 2013 and Printable Electronics for industry.

The biggest show yet Increasing in size year on year, with the 2013 show 25% larger than 2012, the show’s portfolio will provide a combined 600+ specialist exhibitors of engineering technology, equipment, components and specialist services in one giant hall, together with five show floor based open conference auditoriums, playing host to some 200+ expert technical and strategic presentations over the two days.

All of which means that this year’s show will be the biggest showcase yet of specialist suppliers, industry capability and innovation streams across multiple high value engineering and manufacturing communities, crucial to the UK’s industrial growth ambitions. Early pre-registration volumes indicate Advanced Engineering is on course for yet another record show, building on the 9,000+ overall attendance volumes of 2012.

The group of shows ‘formula’ allows visitors not only to target their own primary specific sectors of specialisation, such as aerospace component production or automotive development engineering, but additionally benefit from the wider synergetic showcase of technology and capabilities spread throughout the show floor.

Aero Engineering Show Now in its 5th year, the Aero Engineering Show represents the UK’s only 100% dedicated show and supporting open conference for the aerostructures, power plant and aero systems engineering communities, providing a uniquely tailored annual ‘exhibition showcase’ of technology and engineering capability suppliers supporting the UK’s critically important aero engineering supply chain.

30 Fastener + Fixing Te chnology • Issue 11 Oct – Dec 2013

Attracting engineering and industry professionals throughout UK and international OEM and Tier 1 manufacturers, together with Tier 2 and 3 supplier groups and related aero sector supply chain partner groups, the Aero Engineering Show provides a crucial technology transfer, supply chain development and business networking environment – bringing all the crucial Tier groups together once a year for this very purpose.

The show floor provides a tailored ‘solutions and partners’ showcase of capability meeting the industry’s critical standards – including materials processing technologies, digital design and manufacturing solutions, process engineering, OEM parts, subsystems and component suppliers, as well as aerospace specialist subcontracting.

Composites Engineering Show The Composites Engineering Show provides a crucial UK annual showcase of the very latest in composites materials, composites processing equipment, tooling and technologies, related design and simulation technology, specialist composites processing services, composites test and inspection technologies.

As more and more companies across the UK industry seek to exploit the unique benefits of composite materials into their products and structures, whether for their high strength to weight ratio, durability, wear resistance, insulation quality, low thermal conductivity or even for their complexity shape forming and aesthetic qualities, the show and its supporting open conference programme has rapidly become a ‘must attend’ for engineering teams involved in low volume high performance products through to higher volume consumer and industrial product engineering.

For 2013 some 200+ specialist UK and international exhibitors will gather on the ‘composites’ show floor area, providing materials, design and engineering groups with crucial connectivity to supply groups and partners at the forefront of applications in fibre reinforced polymers, metal matrix and ceramic matrix composites, sandwich and cored structures, fibre metal laminates and more.

Attendees will see the latest in composites raw materials, semi-finished and intermediate product suppliers, design, analysis and simulation, composites processing and fabrication

REGISTER NOW FOR YOUR FREE ENTRY BADGE AT WWW.ADVANCEDENGINEERINGUK.COM

Visit 5 of the UK's leading advanced engineering events under 1 roof

One of the NEC's fastest growing forums The Advanced Engineering UK group of events, including . . .

Once again, the Advanced Engineering UK group of events brings together OEMs, primes and all supply chain tiers, to meet and do business across some of the UK's highest-growth advanced engineering sectors.

Whether attending as an exhibitor or a visitor, each of the 5 co locating advanced engineering shows provides you with a business forum and supply chain showcase within its own sector, and those of its co-locating sister events.

Automotive – Aerospace – Composites – Motorsport – Marine – Consumer – Energy – Electronics and more . . .

Hall 5 of the NEC this 12/13 November.

Register now for your FREE entry badge at:

www.advancedengineeringuk.com Media and industry Partners include

EXHIBITIONS services, processing technologies, equipment and ancillaries, machining, joining, assembly and automation technologies, finishing technology, composites test, measurement and inspection, as well as composites recycling.

Automotive Engineering Show Representing the UK’s only 100% dedicated show and open conference for automotive body, chassis, powertrain and supply chain engineering, the Automotive Engineering Show 2013, doubles in size from the 2012 ’inaugural’ show, to provide a uniquely tailored ‘showcase’ of specialist UK and international engineering services, design/production technology and specialist parts and component suppliers supporting the UK’s multiple vehicle engineering programmes – from passenger car, performance vehicle, CV, truck, motorcycle, specialist, low carbon vehicle and engine sectors.

The UK already boasts a supply chain in excess of some 2,000 specialist companies supporting its domestic automotive development, manufacturing, assembly and integration processes.

A key factor in future growth will be the development of the industry’s supporting supply chains – assuring capacity, capability and sustainability in key areas such as lightweight body engineering, ICE, EV and Hybrid engine/drivetrain production, low and ultra-low carbon vehicles and energy storage development.

Attracting engineering and industry professionals throughout the UK and international OEM and Tier 1 manufacturers, together with Tier 2 and 3 supplier groups and related automotive sector supply chain partner groups, the Automotive Engineering Show provides a crucial technology transfer, supply chain development and business networking environment.

Automotive Electronics 2013 This brand new ‘extension’ event to the already established Automotive Engineering Show reflects the tough competition between vehicle manufacturers that are driving vehicle electronic technologies to support new levels of functionality, safety, efficiency, infotainment and telematics.

The Auto Electronics Show provides all sides of the vehicle electronics sector, with a showcase of leading supply chain partners and technology capability supporting auto electronics design and testing, manufacturing, assembly, integration, and supply chain programmes, supported by a daily programme of open conference expert presentations. Crucial areas of focus include: body and chassis electronics, powertrain and engine management electronics, safety, security and driver assistance electronics, vehicle instrumentation and displays, vehicle infotainment and telematics, electric/hybrid drive electronics, vehicle system networks and power electronics.

Automotive electronics is at a crucial juncture in current and future vehicle programmes, reflecting a landmark shift to more mechatronic systems, with electronics representing up to 50% or more of a vehicles future value. Latest generation electronics technologies, supporting new levels of drivability, safety, functionality and efficiency, are rapidly becoming the key differentiators between competitive vehicle manufacturers.

32 Fastener + Fixing Te chnology • Issue 11 Oct – Dec 2013

Supporting the UK’s resurgent automotive engineering sector, this brand new annual event delivers an easily accessible dedicated forum for knowledge transfer and growing commercial opportunities to meet heightened levels of demand for supporting innovation partners and supply chain capability across the vehicle electronics segment.

Printable Electronics Printable Electronics represents a revolutionary and rapidly developing technology stream enabling circuits to be printed onto a wide range of surfaces. The technology enables the design and development of a whole new range of flexible functionality devices and innovative products, with the added benefits of radically cheaper and environmentally friendly production methods.

The Printable Electronics for Industry Show stream provides the UK-centric programme of daily ‘insight’ presentations sessions together with a suite of supporting UK technology and infrastructure partners supporting this crucial ‘enabling’ technology stream. In addition the event programme provides a much needed UK forum for knowledge transfer and commercial development between supply chain partners, brand owners and integrators.

Aimed at cross-industry design and engineering professionals, the event will reach out to automotive, consumer and industrial electronics, power generation, lighting, signage, architecture, healthcare, sports and recreational and other key sectors, looking to harness, in their product evolution programmes, the benefits of organic LEDs, organic photovoltaics, flexible displays, integrated smart systems, as well as applications harnessing printable electronic components such as batteries, RFID, circuits, memory, conductors and antennae.

200+ expert speakers Visitors to this year’s group of events can pick and choose from an expanded two day programme of expert free to attend presentations, hosted in five parallel integrated auditoriums, covering leading technology innovation, advanced materials, processing and capability advances, current and new applications, together with important industry landscaping/sector trends insight.

Representing the UK’s largest ‘open’ conference programme covering the advanced engineering sector, this year’s parallel open programmes will present some 200+ expert contributors, with dedicated presentation streams for aero engineering, composites engineering, automotive engineering, auto electronics, printable electronics, plus a whole host of content aimed at ‘general’ cross-industry interest – from test and measurement, digital manufacturing, regional initiatives, SME finance and more.

A year’s worth of intelligence in one visit Attendees to this years ‘group of events’ will receive, for the first time, post-event access to Open Conference material presented at this year’s parallel events. Post-event access to presentation material, via a personal log-in to all ‘actual’ attendees, provides the luxury of tapping into the vast array of innovation, process and capability, applications, strategic and general business material for more considered longer term usage.

Don’t forget to pre-register You can pre-register now via any of the individual show websites for a FREE entry badge, which covers all five show streams and open conference programmes. Pre-registered visitors will additionally have the opportunity of networking with other pre-registered organisations via the events’ online networking portal. www.advancedengineeringuk.com

TRI-STEP™ Unique three-stepped threaded inserts for high performance and reduced installation costs

About TRI-STEP™ TRI-STEP™ is a unique three stepped threaded insert and mating hole combination, designed for heat or ultrasonic installation into thermoplastic materials. The design incorporates two diameters of opposing helical knurls and a series of annular vanes. The TRI-STEP™ range includes a high strength oversize design and a thin walled version which is available in two standard lengths.

The Aluminium oversize versions give a 66% weight reduction and insertion process cost savings.

TRI-STEP™ is available in aluminium, brass, steel and stainless steel materials.

Key advantages of TRI-STEP™ threaded inserts

● Reduced installation cycle time

and total installed cost savings of up to 30% ● High pull-out & direct

torque performance ● Eliminates misalignment

during installation ● Eliminates springback

after installation ● Greater surface contact area

with mating component ● Available in sizes M2 to M8

PSM International is a global fastener manufacturer with production in the UK PSM International Fasteners Ltd., Ferry Lane, Pembroke SA71 4RE • Tel +44 (0) 1646 683 501 • www.psminternational.com • europe@psminternational.com

FASTENER + FIXING TECHNOLOGY

New test stand enhances product reliability NORMA Group’s product range includes, among other things, components installed in vehicles at critical points. If those parts fail, major damage can occur. A new test stand ensures the necessary product reliability right from the development phase.

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ORMA Group manufactures a wide range of joining technology solutions, including clamps installed in the cooling water systems of motor vehicles. Such components perform a critical function, even if they are relatively inexpensive as a share of the total cost of the vehicle. If one of these hose clamps fails, the cooling water hose can leak and slip off. In that case the coolant would escape and the vehicle would no longer be functional. The damage would be large in comparison with the relatively small component.

In conjunction with a series of research projects conducted by university students, a new test stand has been developed that NORMA Group can use to analyse screwed connections in order to ensure product reliability.

Measuring and testing under realistic conditions Screws are used in nearly all of the products manufactured

by NORMA Group: in exhaust system couplings, charged air connections, cooling water systems, etc. When a clamp is installed, tightening the screw generates tension, which fastens a hose to the end of a pipe, for example. The new test stand enables NORMA Group’s engineers to measure and study the principle of converting torque into tension under realistic conditions. With conventional hose clamps – such as the ones on garden hoses – these test methods have already been standard practice for many years. Now the new test stand also makes it possible to conduct analyses under realistic conditions (with high preload forces) to study profile clamps, high-pressure couplings, and exhaust system connections, all of which are used in motor vehicles, ships or aircraft.

NORMA Group has used the experience it has acquired

34 Fastener + Fixing Te chnology • Issue 11 Oct – Dec 2013

over the years, with the knowledge it has gained from other component applications, in order to perfect this state of the art test stand. Moreover, components today must also withstand greater stresses and comply with tighter production tolerances than ever before.

Test stand simulates ‘soft tightening’ NORMA Group points out that generally speaking, typical screw test stands do not consider all of the critical parameters.

When a hose clamp is being installed, it is first positioned over the hose. Then the screw must be turned a few times in order to generate the required tension, because the hose is compressed in the process of tightening the clamp. As a consequence, the number of turns until the clamp is secured is many times more than when turning a lug nut, for example.

The new test stand is able to simulate that ‘soft tightening’.

Standardised testing shortens development times In order to ensure that products have been thoroughly investigated prior to market launch, NORMA Group has adopted this testing as a standard practice along the path to developing a new component. Over the course of the product development cycle it ranges from simple functional verification and additional functional testing all the way to comprehensive functional endurance tests. NORMA Group starts with simple test methods and proceeds to prolonged, complex testing procedures, thereby following the path of a product’s development. This – and also the fact that the testing is now conducted in-house – shortens the total time it takes NORMA to develop a new product. www.normagroup.com

Baker & Finnemore Limited, 199 Newhall Street, Birmingham, B3 1SN, UK Tel: +44 (0) 121 236 2347 Fax: +44 (0) 121 236 7224 e-mail: sales@bakfin.com

10-1Z-6-130610-SE

Customer Value through Innovation.

NORMA Group’s Engineered Joining Technologies and applications know-how provide cleaner, more efficient use of precious resources in areas such as Cooling Systems, Air Intake & Induction, Emission Control and Fixing Systems.

www.normagroup.com

PRODUCTS

HEROSLAM licensed for TAPTITE® line HEROSLAM SAL has recently received the worldwide license for the TRILOBULAR™ family of thread rolling tools for the production of TAPTITE® line of fasteners.

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his license, granted by CONTI Fasteners AG, enables HEROSLAM to manufacture and market the whole family of TRILOBULAR™ thread rolling dies including TAPTITE ®, DUO-TAPTITE ®, TAPTITE II ®, TAPTITE 2000 ®, PLASTITE ®, POWERLOK®, and FASTITE 2000 ® dies.

With this license, HEROSLAM becomes one of the few manufacturers of thread rolling dies worldwide that is able to offer its thread rolling solutions for the production of TRILOBULAR™ licensed fasteners.

Besides CONTI’s recognition of HEROSLAM’s technical capabilities and tooling quality, this license gives HEROSLAM the possibility to approach an important market niche that the Basque company could not approach before. Thus, HEROSLAM enhaces its licensed tool portfolio, adding the TRILOBULAR™ line of tools to the existing MAThread ® and MATpoint ® licensed tools.

Alberto Gabika, managing director of HEROSLAM, says: “Our customers, who were already very satisfied with the quality and tool life that our thread rolling tools provide, were demanding TRILOBULAR™ thread rolling tools from us for the production of TAPTITE ® and similar fasteners and we did not want to disappoint them. We have made a great effort to obtain this license and we are pleased to announce that we have achieved our goal. We invite all our customers with a TRILOBULAR™ license to contact us for further information.” www.heroslam.com

Self-clinching captive screw panels PEM® types PF50™ and PF60™ self-clinching captive panel screws keep hardware parts count to a minimum by integrating a captive screw in a spring loaded assembly to promote easy and efficient handling and installation.

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heir permanent mounting in thin metal assemblies additionally eliminates any risks associated with loose hardware that could fall out, get lost or misplaced, and potentially cause damage to internal components. These fastener solutions ideally suit panels, covers, drawers, racks, and other access points where secure attachment and subsequent access will be necessary.

Their low profile design minimises protrusion on front panels to satisfy particular functional and cosmetic requirements.

When tightened the fastener, depending on size, will protrude only 0.34 inches/8.64mm from the top of the sheet.

PEM types PF50 and PF60 captive panel screws feature a Phillips recess as standard to enable captive screws to be tightened or loosened simply using a Phillips screwdriver (a Torx ® recess can be specified). Their large heads (knurled or smooth knobs, depending on type) further allow for operation by hand without tools.

These steel fasteners install permanently in aluminium or steel panels as thin as 0.030 inches/0.8mm and are offered in multiple screw lengths with thread sizes from numbers 4 – 40 through ¼ – 20 and M3 – M6. They can be engineered with MAThread ® anti cross-thread technology and can be customised with a scratch-proof DuraBlack™ finish.

SPRINGS - HIGH PERFORMANCE • Inconel • Nimonic • Hastelloy • Elgiloy • MP35N • Titanium • High-tech calculations

Lesjöfors Sales, Stockholm • Phone +46 8 445 88 88 • info.vby@lesjoforsab.com

A leading manufacturer of high performance springs and stampings – www.lesjoforsab.com

Special Screws directly from stock!

Hexagon set screws with full dog point and half dog point According to DIN 561, 564

Stand 520 Fit bolts, plugs, knurled thumb screws, square head bolts, flat headed screws, hexagon set screws, brass screws and specials.

Fon +49 40 53 28 52- 0 Fax +49 40 53 28 52- 52

info@pasvahl.de www.pasvahl.de

NOCHROME F&F ADVERT_Layout 1 09/01/2013 12:30 Page 1

130917_Pasvahl_Türkisch_Zapfen/Spitze 92x133.indd 1

18.09.13 12:19

One-Stop-Shop Solution

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Europe’s Widest Range of Corrosion Resistant Surface Coatings High Performance Corrosion Protection Exceptional Anti-Vibration Thread Locking & Sealing Features Excellent Technical Support & Application Engineering Continually Providing New Solutions & Product Innovation

email: enquiries@anochrome-group.co.uk

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PRODUCTS

TFC launches new linear spring series

Nestinox markets balustrade fixings Nestinox has acquired the exclusive dealership for marketing the unique glass fixings of the Italian firm Nuova Oxidal in the Benelux region.

TFC’s Smalley® linear springs offer a selection of spring loads that react along a straight line as opposed to a conventional helical spring that fits in a circular cavity providing a radial force between mating components.

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inear springs are a continuous wave formed wire length produced from spring tempered materials that act as a load bearing device.

As they are manufactured using the same technology that is applied to the production of Smalley ® edge coiled flat wire wave springs, they have the same load/deflection characteristics and burr free edge profile.

Linear springs from TFC are now produced as a standard item with over 200 sizes readily available from stock in both carbon spring steel and stainless steel. TFC provides unique customer designs without tooling costs and its engineers are available to discuss applications and provide a free of charge design service if required.

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uova Oxidal has announced it is working on expanding and improving its range of products and as a result will focus on the demands of architecture.

The company has launched a new balustrade clamping profile – SIRIO F. Available flush-mounted or an at sight version, with a top or side wall fixing, SIRIO F is suitable to any kind of installation and load requirements.

Nuova says that SIRIO F has been designed to make the user’s job easy, as it does not require any special tools for assembly. Glass panels already installed can be adjusted easily by means of fixing systems getting the alignment simple and fast.

SIRIO F is suitable for glass thickness from 17.52mm – 25.52mm and is made of aluminium and is available with or without covers in silver or stainless steel finish. Other finishes are also available on request.

A global source for all your products

You need to use Advance Spares Ltd! High quality fasteners from low cost sources Flange Bolts • Shoulder Rivets and Bolts Trilobular Screws and Bolts • SEMS Cold Formed Specials • Machined/Turned Parts Plastic Trim Panel Fasteners • Metal Edge Clips Tubular Brass Rivets • Kitting

t: +44 (0) 1978 823 900 e: sales@aslgroup.uk.com w: www.aslgroup.uk.com Supplier to the OEM and automotive industry

Unit 21, Vauxhall Industrial Estate, Ruabon, Wrexham, LL14 6HA, UK

Wanted/Seeking Channel Partners/Mergers with Fastener Companies

Not only specialists in

Solar Fasteners We’re also experts in: • Anchors • Bolts • Nuts • Washers • Screws • Thread Bars • Pipe Clamps • Stone Cladding Clamps • Stainless Steel Structural • Hand Tools • Packaging Guide • Industrial Safety Products • Disposable Items • Chemicals • Machines • Pipe Fittings • 100PC Assortment Sets and these industries: • Railway Fasteners • Telecommunication Fasteners • Shipbuilding Fasteners • Power Transmission Fasteners • Automotive Fasteners Payment on 60 days Bill of Exchange (BOE) acceptable @ Product A-63/2, G.T. KARNAL ROAD INDUSTRIAL AREA AZADPUR, DELHI-110 033. INDIA

www.cancofasteners.com e: info@cancofasteners.com t: +91 11 4766 1666 m: +91 98 1106 3537

92mm X 135mm

PRODUCTS

Innovative yet reliable water sources Bossard AG recently worked with Hinni AG, a Swiss manufacturer of hydrants, to find a more efficient manufacturing method for fastening solutions.

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inni’s hydrants are mostly assembled by hand in individual process steps. The high number and variety of hydrants Hinni offers was presenting it with a challenge as far as production was concerned. Hinni was using screws for the internal and external parts of the hydrants, with each screw being lubricated by hand and then fastened in a separate step. This extra step was not only making the manual workflow more laborious, it also led to some inconsistencies in the screwing process.

Thanks to the collaboration with the Bossard engineering experts, Hinni found a new optimal solution. The company now uses screws that are fitted with the ecosyn ® -lubric tribological dry coating developed by Bossard, which offers various advantages.

For instance, fully coated screws can be used during production, which eliminates the need for the laborious intermediate step of separate lubrication. In addition, the consistent preload force guarantees the operational reliability of the hydrants.

Black coated elements are installed to ensure that there is a visual difference to the uncoated screws. This makes it obvious to the engineer who performs maintenance work on the hydrants that the parts in question are ecosyn ® -lubric coated elements.

An additional advantage of this dry lubrication is that it provides a consistently even preload force, even in the case of repeated tightening (up to five times with reproducible friction values). Bossard points out that this is especially important for the audits conducted at regular intervals.

“With ecosyn ® -lubric customers are able to produce more efficiently, helping to reduce costs and at the same time increase productivity. In addition, due to the standardised and secure screw connections with ecosyn ® -lubric, Hinni AG is able to meet its promise to its customers – reliable yet innovative.” www.bossard.com/ffm

PRODUCTS

ADVERTISERS INDEX

Optimising production processes in riveting technology

Adolf Pühl GmbH & Co KG...................................................................7 Advance Spares.................................................................................38 Advanced Engineering Show............................................................. 31 Albert Pasvahl GmbH + Co................................................................ 37 Alloy & Stainless....................................................................................2 Ambrovit...............................................................................................9 Anochrome Group............................................................................. 37 Autonic Engineering Co Ltd................................................................ 21 Baker & Finnemore Ltd.......................................................................35 Blind Bolt Co.......................................................................................25 Bonfatti Filettature Srl..........................................................................29 Bossard Ltd...........................................................................................5 Bülte Plastiques SA.............................................................................. 19 Canco Fasteners................................................................................39 DIV D.O.O...........................................................................................23 EFC International................................................................................ 15 GBK UK Ltd.......................................................................................... 19 GESIPA Blindniettechnik GmbH........................................................... 27 Heroslam, S.A.L.................................................................................. 37 Jupiter Clamps...................................................................................39 Lesjöfors AB........................................................................................36 Lohmann GmbH & Co KG.................................................................. 19 Mubea Tellerfedern GmbH.................................................................29 ND Industries......................................................................................44 NORMA..............................................................................................35 Peter Schröder GmbH........................................................................ 21 Phillips Screw Company..................................................................... 15 Precision Technology Supplies Ltd......................................................43 PSM International................................................................................33 Rivelit.................................................................................................. 11 Rotor Clip Ltd......................................................................................39 Specialinsert Srl.................................................................................. 21 Stafa Group........................................................................................ 27 SWA Ltd...............................................................................................29 Top Screw Metal Corp........................................................................40 TR Fastenings Ltd..................................................................................1 Volt Industrial Plastics Inc.................................................................... 17 Wrentham Tool Group........................................................................28

GESIPA® states that riveting processes for mass production in industrial manufacturing can be automated relatively easily and cheaply to produce economic benefits, with its range of riveting machines offering flexible and versatile in-line operation by either machine operators or robots.

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he practical modular design and wide range of applications from 2.4mm to 8mm diameter ensures that GESIPA® riveting machines can be configured to suit customer requirements. Capable of up to 48 riveting processes per minute, GESIPA® GAV 8000 eco, GAV 8000 electronic and GAV HF riveting machines are amongst the global market leaders in industrial applications.

Changes in application can also be handled rapidly and the system can be adapted to suit new requirements.

GESIPA® points out that the optional setting process monitoring system has become indispensable, in particular when it comes to fitting safety components, such as in the automotive and automotive supplier industry. A combination of using highly functional GESIPA® blind rivets and GESIPA® blind riveting machines with monitored setting process guarantees safe processes and fastenings. The option of interrupting the setting process in the case of anomalies and saving setting process data provides additional security and also means the fastening can be tracked and retrieved at any time.

“A comprehensive analysis of the fastenings and processes used in production can help to make long term cost reductions.

Our technical sales team specialises in using the wide range of GESIPA® PolyGrip ® or G-Bulb ® blind rivets to optimise the variety of parts in such a way as to ensure that mistakes are largely avoided and long term savings potential can be targeted in the area of handling and logistics costs. In the course of this optimisation process, work stations can be improved still further or even cut down and cycle times can be reduced considerably, thereby leading to further increases in production efficiency.” www.gesipa.com Micro solutions Market report:

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FASTENER ASSEMBLIES CAN RATTLE, LEAK, LOOSEN, SEIZE, STRIP, CORRODE, SHEAR, CRACK, FRACTURE, SPLIT Fastener failure can compromise even the best designs. Turn to ND Industries® for solutions to all your locking and sealing related problems.

• Family business founded in 1955 • In-house research and development, manufacturing, and fastener material application • Products designed to lock, seal, mask, lubricate, reduce noise, vibration, harshness, and much more • Industry specified and approved www.ndindustries.com • products@ndindustries.com U.S.A. Processing Locations: New Jersey • North Carolina Michigan • Ohio • Illinois • Texas • California International Processing Locations: China • Taiwan • Turkey