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Transcript of FAST Magazine - July 2009
FASTENING & ASSEMBLY SOLUTIONS AND TECHNOLOGY
JULY 2009
3
FAST JULY 2009
FASTCOVERSTORY
4 FASTUPDATESNews and application stories from the fasten-ing and assembly industry
14 FASTTUTORIALAdhesives and their applications
51 FASTPRODUCTSDetails of new products and services
FASTCONTENTSJ U L Y 2 0 0 9
V O L U M E 1 3 N U M B E R 3
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Printed byGhyllprint
FAST makes no charge for the editorialmaterial which it publishes, unlike manyindustrial and technical magazines. Thismeans that FAST’s readers can be assuredthat the information which appears onits editorial pages has been selected bythe editor on the sole grounds that itwill be of interest. Make sure that anypublication you receive carries a similarstatement of editorial policy.
©2009 NewbyCom LimitedFAST (Fastening, Adhesives, Assembly &Joining Technology) is a controlled circulation journal published 4 times ayear. Readers who fulfil the publisher’scriteria and individually request the journal will receive free copies.Subscriptions from overseas readers orthose who do not qualify within theterms of the publisher’s control are £56UK and £86 overseas. Single copies £12.
No part of this publication may be reproduced,stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in anyform or by any means without the prior written permission of the publisher. Photocopying or thereproduction without the publisher’s permission isin breach of copyright and action will be takenwhere this occurs.
30 Broadening design horizons Rivets have been assembling materials forthousands of years, but it wasn’t until themid-1930s that designers developed blindversions of these important fasteners
35 Threaded fastener securityResistance to vibration, corrosion,temperature variations, etc. may all beconsidered when specifying threadedfasteners
36 Hinges, handles, latches andhardwareFixing components have become anessential part of many manufactured itemsrather than just mundane products that arespecified at the last minute
41 Self-pierce fasteningThe increase in the use of self-piercefastening in recent years has meant thatspecifiers have needed to keep abreast of awide range of products and installationequipment
44 Fastener installation toolsProducts and equipment that fall under theinstallation tools’ banner range fromunsophisticated hand-tools to all-singing,all-dancing machines that can do anythingexcept bath the baby
47 Adhesive application equipmentWith the use of adhesives continuing togrow the need for specifying the correctpreparation, dispensing, and applicationequipment has never been greater
49 Self clinching fastenersThe use of self-clinching fasteners canprovide reliable solutions in design,assembly, and manufacturing. We look atrecent developments
Put 3M's Product Selector to the testand win!3M's online Tapes and Adhesives Product Selector offers
quick and practical advice to meet the needs of tape and
adhesives users. With a full range of world-class products,
the website means you're only ever a few clicks away from
finding the best product suggestions to suit your individual
requirements.
And now there's a chance to win valuable prizes for you
and your colleagues. Every month 3M will give away a
team adventure experience worth up to £500 plus weekly
prizes worth up to £100
Sample 3M's solutions and you would qualify for the
Click, Stick and Win promotion! But hurry - the closing
date for free sample applications and prize draw entries is
31st August 2009. Be sure to read the terms and conditions
at the website: www.3m.co.uk/clickstickwin
3M 08705 360036
FASTFEATURES17 Fastening & Assembly Solutions
We look ahead to October's exhibition at theNational Motorcycle Museum
19 Show launch for vibration-prooffastenersWe review a fastener design launched at lastyear's Fastening & Assembly SolutionsExhibition
20 Question and AnswerAdam Binding of Lee Spring answers questionson the use of springs
22 The next generation of rivet nutfasteningA new design of rivet nut removes thelimitations of previous types
26 Threadlocking – thecontinuing storyColin Chapman ofHenkel describes someof the developments inthe all important area ofthreadlocking since itsintroduction in 1953
28 Sleeping on the jobWhen lying on your bed, you may not realisethat the adhesives used in mattress assembly caninvolve the same range of substrates you areusing in your company’s production processes
4
FAST JULY 2009
FASTUPDATES
Prime Minister, Gordon Brown
has announced the creation of the
UK Innovation Investment Fund
to invest in technology-based
businesses with high growth
potential. The new fund will focus
on investing in growing small
businesses, start-ups and spin-
outs, in clean technology and
advanced manufacturing.
The Department for Business,
Innovation and Skills, with the
Department of Energy and
Climate Change and the
Department of Health, will invest
£150 million alongside private
sector investment on an equal
basis known as pari-passu. It is
the Government's belief that this
could generate enough private
investment to build a fund of up to
£1 billion over the next 10 years.
The UK Innovation Investment
Fund forms part of the
Government’s strategy for
Building Britain’s Future.
“This fund will help build
Britain’s future by investing in
key sectors,” said Brown. “It will
provide crucial support for our
most promising start-ups and
existing small companies just
when they need it most. Venture
capital finance is the lifeblood of
innovation and crucial to ensuring
the commercialisation of the dis-
coveries coming out of our
research base. The fund will boost
future UK competitiveness.”
Science and Innovation
Minister Lord Drayson and a
champion for the fund: “We must
safeguard the Government’s
record investment in the science
and research base over the past
decade. We cannot afford to lose
out on the wealth this investment
can yield and we will need this
wealth to continue our sustained
investment in research.”
The UK Innovation
Investment Fund will operate on a
Fund of Funds structure which
means it will not invest directly in
companies, but rather invest in a
small number of specialist tech-
nology funds that have the exper-
tise and track record to invest
directly in companies. The fund
will provide a cost effective solu-
tion that provides a market return
to both private sector investors
and HM Government, a govern-
ment statement suggested.
The twin-engined Miles Gemini
is a low-wing cantilever mono-
plane of plastic-bonded plywood
construction, which first flew on
26 October 1945. Originally pow-
ered by 100hp Blackburn Cirrus
engines, the aircraft with its twin
vertical fins was put into large
scale production straight away
and 130 Geminis were sold in the
first year. Miles Aircraft collapsed
in 1947 having manufactured 170
Geminis and only a few examples
of the model remain.
In its day, the Gemini was
viewed in the same light as
today's Learjet so it's no surprise
that enthusiasts are keen to reno-
vate the remaining four examples.
One particular project is using
Oddie fasteners on the renovation
of a 1947 version, where the quick
release, quarter turn fasteners are
being used to secure panels and
components which have to be
quickly and easily removed for
servicing or replacement.
The fasteners were launched
on the Hall-Fast online shop in
March this year, enabling cus-
tomers to purchase a standard
range in small quantities for the
first time.
A standard range of four head
styles in three standard sizes is
available from stock for next day
delivery and can be purchase on-
line in multiples of 50.
HALL-FAST INDUSTRIAL SUPPLIES01623 551791
Venture capital fund to boost advanced manufacturing
Miles Gemini flies again
6
FAST JULY 2009
FASTUPDATES
Flexible tooling and handling sys-
tems specialist, Bilsing
Automation was looking for an
adhesive to join carbon fibre
structural components with alu-
minium fixtures for a new design
of robot arm.
The rotating, clamping and
swivel movements of robot parts
on busy production set stringent
performance and reliability tar-
gets for adhesive materials.
Company CEO, Alfred Bilsing
explains: “Wherever gripping and
transportation becomes necessary
in the automated pro-
cess, there needs to
be flexible tooling to
minimise the design
and development
expense.”
After researching the
market for a suitable
adhesive, Bilsing
chose Araldite 2031
because its superior
resistance to vibra-
tion allowing quicker
movement of parts
and operate for a
longer period of time
without downturn.
“It met every target we set it under
the most demanding of condi-
tions,” said Bilsing.
Araldite adhesive systems
from Huntsman Advanced
Materials are not exclusively for
industrial use. An innovative one-
piece hockey stick, made using a
new third generation resin system
looks set to be more widely used
after the recent World Ice Hockey
Championships. Designed by
Composite Busch, the stick was
used by the Swiss ice hockey
team and has won widespread
praise from the Russian, Austrian,
Latvian and French teams.
Patented Huntsman nanotech-
nology gives the hockey stick
extra strength, enhancing the all
important features of good stick
and blade slashing properties as
well as bending, resistance and
torsion features needed in cham-
pionship games. The one piece
design also allows the energy
released by the player to be deliv-
ered, smoothly, directly and more
efficiently onto the puck.
Araldite's NanoTech
Composite RTM system is able to
withstand shock without develop-
ing micro cracks making it ideal
for any sector where highly
exposed parts need protection
such as in high contact sports and
in the automotive area.
HUNTSMAN ADVANCED MATERIALS01223 832121
PEM China has received the
Advanced Environment Pro-tec-
tion Enterprise award from the
Kunshan Municipal Government.
The award recognizes the 'efforts
and excellent results achieved in
meeting and exceeding environ-
mental protection requirements
and was presented during 38th
World Environment Day cere-
monies in June.
PEM China is a
PennEngineering's fastener
manufacturing facility located in
Kunshan, China.
PEM 01302 765721
Stuck with adhesive systems
PEM China wins environmental award
Intertronics has released an
enhanced version of its Dymax
Selector Guide on adhesives for
medical device assembly. The
guide contains a number of charts
intended to help R and D engi-
neers and product designers
choose the appropriate adhesive
for their application. All Dymax
MD adhesives are biocompatibil-
ity tested in accordance with ISO
10993 and/or USP Class VI.
Pages are devoted to specific
adhesives for the assembly of
catheters and guide-wires, injec-
tion needles and syringes and res-
piratory devices.
Multi-purpose bonding charts
quickly show the range of prod-
ucts available, their technical data,
and the various substrates to
which they adhere. Most products
shown bond well to a number of
plastic substrates as well as to dis-
similar substrates such as metal,
glass and ceramic. While most
formulations cure instantly upon
exposure to UV/visible light, the
line of cyanoacrylates is offered
for bonding opaque substrates and
for applications where aggressive
adhesion to rubber is needed.
On the last page of the guide is
a selection of dispensing and relat-
ed equipment built to optimise
both performance and cost
savings.
INTERTRONICS 01865 842842
Guide to medical adhesives released
Assembling rugged robots
One-piece hockey stick made using a third generation resin system
8
FAST JULY 2009
FASTUPDATES
Engineers at Rencol have devel-
oped a new way of mounting an
alternator bearing in the cast
housing accurately and rigidly
using a tolerance ring, reports the
company’s technical engineer
Shama Basham. “This approach
presents a simple and cost-effec-
tive alternative to the more tradi-
tional mounting technologies of
plastic/rubber boot and glue.”
Typically, alternators turn
twice as fast as a car’s engine in
order to improve current output,
particularly when an engine is
idling. “These high speeds can
cause bearings to run at a high
temperature and, in the case of a
rubber boot being used, heat is
trapped within the assembly. This
excess heat can cause the grease
within the bearing to break down
and can shorten their life. In addi-
tion, variations of the rubber boot
can occur which can affect its
spring rate which may lead to side
movement of the bearings under
heavy load conditions.”
Sharna Basham points out that
as an alternative to the use of a
rubber boot adhesives have been
considered. “On the face of it glu-
ing the bearing into the cast hous-
ing is an attractive option. In prac-
tice, however, it is difficult to posi-
tion the bearing accurately with
any degree of consistency.
Outgassing of particulate to the
electronics, especially at high tem-
peratures also can be a problem.
“A further consideration is the
fact that the 2007 WEEE (Waste
Electrical and Electronic
Equipment) directive means that
component parts must be capable
of being reworked or recycled.
The use of adhesives makes it vir-
tually impossible to dismantle an
alternator into its constituent
parts.
“Tolerance rings overcome
these problems. They are easy to
assemble, allow rework, and
offer excellent thermal expansion
qualities. Air flow around the tol-
erance ring allows the bearing to
run as much as 6ºC cooler when
compared to a rubber boot
mounting. Constant spring rates
allow for better centring of the
bearing to minimise movement
under side loads. In addition, the
sprung nature of the coupling
between bearing and housing
improves the overall assembly
and brush life is extended as
vibration is dampened under
worst case conditions.”
SAINT-GOBAIN PERFORMANCEPLASTICS RENCOL 0117 938 1700
Tolerance rings used for mounting alternator bearings
'Every major automotive, station-
ary power, and back-up power
manufacturer in the world is con-
sidering how best to utilise fuel cell
technology in order to reduce car-
bon-dioxide emissions and the
reliance on fossil fuels'. This is the
view of Philippe Christou, techni-
cal director of Huntsman
Advanced Materials, who goes on
to stress that this situation 'makes
the fuel cell component market a
potential boom market represent-
ing long-term opportunities'.
Since the conversion of fuel to
energy takes place via an electro-
chemical process, the process is
much cleaner, quieter, and up to
three times more efficient than
burning fuel. The fuel cell’s bipo-
lar plates have superior corrosion
resistance, lower contact resis-
tance, higher thermal conductivi-
ty, and a longer operating life at
higher temperatures.
Huntsman has developed two
new resin systems 'that meet the
most stringent requirements for
graphite composite fuel cells for
large-scale production of auto-
motive and stationary power
applications'.
HUNTSMAN ADVANCED MATERIALS01223 832121
Boom time for fuel cell component market
The Avdel Training Academy has
been established by the company
to offer free training courses ‘to
those with an interest in fastening
systems’.
Held at the company’s site in
Welwyn Garden City,
Hertfordshire, course topics
include: ‘The methods and tech-
niques of riveting’ and
‘Applications and techniques of
speed fastening’.
Courses can be tailored to
meet the requirements of the par-
ticipating companies which do
not have to be customers of
Avdel.
Engineers will talk those who
attend through the basics of the
course subject and then spend
time in Avdel’s demonstration
facility allowing participants to
see applications, place fasteners,
and receive hands-on experience
of speed fastening techniques.
AVDEL 01707 292000
Free courses in riveting technologies
Feature:
Blind side riveting
technology – p30
10
FAST JULY 2009
FASTUPDATES
TFC Europe reports that its
Smalley brand laminar sealing
rings have been used 'to provide a
solution to problems faced by a
diesel engine manufacturer
required to supply engines with
reduced emissions - in line with
new European off-road emission
legislation'.
Traditionally, because of fail-
ures due to cracking, exhaust
manifolds on large diesel engines
needed to be cast as two parts,
connected by means of a sliding
joint. The dimensional tolerance
of the engine assembly and ther-
mal expansion caused by temper-
ature made the use of rigid bolted
joints with a gasket highly com-
plex and expensive. Machined
cast-iron piston rings in the slid-
ing manifold joint were used to
overcome the problem, explains
TFC’s Brian Goode. These
worked well at engine start-up
and even after hundreds of hours
because the emission standards
did not require engines to run as
hot. Now, however, the standards
are more demanding with the
result that cast-iron rings are fail-
ing due to increased engine and
exhaust temperatures.
The Smalley rings are pro-
duced in a variety of metals 'mak-
ing them capable of working
extremely well in high tempera-
tures'. The laminar sealing ring is
described by TFC as a metallic
labyrinth seal consisting of multi-
ple rings in a groove. The materi-
als used enable the product to
withstand corrosive and high
temperature environments and be
used in a range of applications
including compensators in
exhaust pipe systems of internal
combustion engines, exhaust gas
recirculation systems, and tur-
bochargers.
TFC EUROPE 01435 866011
Sealing rings combat newemissions standards
The use of ultrasonics as a pro-
cess for welding, joining, and
sealing has been widespread
within industries such as plastics
and automotive for many years.
However, the characteristics of
the conventional process, which
produces amplitude in the verti-
cal plane, has limited the use of
the technology for certain appli-
cations within the electronics and
medical device industries. “This
has largely been due to concerns
over damage to fragile compo-
nents or the perforation of
micron-thin seals and mem-
branes,” reports Stuart Hall, tech-
nical director of Telsonic.
Now, the company has devel-
oped the Soniqtwist technique
“which eliminates these prob-
lems and allows delicate compo-
nents and membranes to be
joined, welded, or sealed”.
Soniqtwist does not stretch
the membrane during welding
nor does it cause a diaphragm
effect or induce perforation. “It
eliminates these risks when weld-
ing polymer-based foils, films,
and membranes”, says Stuart
Hall. “In addition, complete weld
cycles can be achieved in less
than a second. A further benefit is
that multiple membranes, in close
proximity to each other, can be
processed without causing any
previously welded membrane to
become dislodged or lose its
hermetic seal.”
Martin Frost, the compa-
ny’s sales manager, points
out that the process is “ideal
for a wide range of welding
and forming operations on
thin wall section components
in a variety of materials
including plastics, ceramics,
and aluminium. Soniqtwist
also minimises particle pro-
duction and size thus sup-
porting good automated
manufacturing practice
requirements in the medical
device sector.
“Welding operations on
electronic device housings
also can benefit, and it is worth
noting that the process is not lim-
ited to circular parts - rectangular
and non-symmetrical compo-
nents can be welded, sealed, and
joined.”
The principle of the
Soniqtwist technology is quite
different to that of conventional
ultrasonics as the converter is
mounted tangentially to the
booster axis thus creating recip-
rocal circumferential amplitude
to a specially designed sonotrode.
The new process creates a recip-
rocating ultrasonic friction weld
of the upper contacted film,
membrane, or rigid part compo-
nent about the lower component
part. The vertical force from the
electronic proportionally-con-
trolled pneumatic actuator used
in the Soniqtwist configuration,
collapses the molten joint and
maintains the required pressure
until the weld joint has solidified.
Soniqtwist welding heads can
be retrofitted to standard bench-
top machines. In addition, the
heads can be mounted to pneu-
matic actuator modules or servo-
operated actuators enabling
incorporation within a fully auto-
mated assembly machine. Multi-
head configurations also can be
assembled.
TELSONIC 01202 697340
New process for ultrasonicwelding of medical and electronic components
Smalley rings work well in high temperatures
12
FAST JULY 2009
FASTUPDATES
A flexible and rapid low-cost
means of installing self-tapping
inserts in plastic is provided by
Tappex’s FlexiArm installation
machine which consists of a pan-
tograph arm with a pneumatic
screwdriver attached. The screw-
driver can be specified with an
automatic reverse torque-clutch
control at either 510 or 1,100
RPM, or a manual reverse torque-
clutch control at 510 RPM,
depending upon the size of the
insert and the material into which
it is being installed.
The FlexiArm provides a low-
cost assembly solution for many
different post-mould applications
and its size allows it to be installed
alongside the respective moulding
machine, so that inserts can be fit-
ted during the waiting time of a
typical mould cycle. It is available
with one, two or three arms.
With harder materials it is
more critical that the insert is
exactly aligned with the receiv-
ing hole. The FlexiArm facili-
tates this by being adjustable in
two planes. A range of production
drivers is available to provide an
accurate method of installing the
inserts at various heights and
positions in the moulding.
TAPPEX THREAD INSERTS 01789 206600
Your views countThe team would very much like to
know what you, the readers, think
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Inserted into this copy, you should
find a short survey form that you
can use to tell us a bit about
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Unfortunately, there are no
rewards or give-away
enticements for taking
part in the survey, other
than helping us to keep
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Thank you
FAST Magazine National Reader Survey 2009
It’s good to torque
FAST Special on installation tools p44
Achieving a Queen’s Award for
Enterprise ‘International Trade’ for
UK manufacturing exports and
becoming one of the world’s top
specialist manufacturer of torque
tools doesn’t happen by accident.
And when you consider the high
regard it’s held in for precision and
development when it comes to
products, it’s no wonder that
Norbar Torque Tools applies the
same precision when it comes to
developing people. People are at
the heart of the company’s vision
and a recent innovation involved
everyone right through to the direc-
tors.
Each of the Banbury based
company’s 200 employees is
reviewed individually twice a year
and it’s a two way review where
people are encouraged to feed back
to the company about areas where
things could be changed or
improved. Human Resources
Manager, Wanda Stewart-Lee
explained: “A number of training
needs were identified as part of our
review process. A consistent theme
coming through was that our
employees wanted to gain a better
understanding of how the business
works, its key processes, how they
interlink and how employees have
an input into these.”
In terms of achieving its objec-
tive Wanda Stewart-Lee is confi-
dent that as well as staff feeling
more involved and better equipped
to do their jobs there’s also a big
benefit for the business overall.
“The feedback has been universal-
ly positive. People appreciate the
effort that’s gone in to designing
the courses. At one level the fact
that the directors take part is reas-
suring and shows commitment.
Additionally, because we chose
presenters based on their knowl-
edge and where necessary helped
them gain presentation skills it
shows that everyone can play a part
in their own and everyone else’s
development,” she commented.
The commitment from director
level right down is an important
facet and Norbar MD Neill Brodey
is in no doubt that it’s the right kind
of thing to be investing in. He
explained: “At a time when there is
a real temptation to batten down
the hatches, avoid investment in so
called ‘soft’ areas such as non tech-
nical training, Norbar is clearly
demonstrating that there are ways
of using the resources that already
exist within an organisation to
great effect. With a £20m turnover
and having almost doubled its
income from exports over the past
six years the company doesn’t
believe in standing still.”
NORBAR TORQUE TOOLS 01295 270333
Easy installation of self-tapping inserts
14
FAST JULY 2009
Companies who provide equipment and
systems for applying adhesives welcome
these advancements, but it also brings
new challenges. It often means that dis-
pensing equipment manufacturers need
to set about developing new and innova-
tive methods of processing and applying
these new products.
The same adhesive can often be
applied in a number of different ways, the
choice of which will depend not only on
the characteristics of the adhesive, but
also the production requirements of the
user and the specific use that the adhesive
is being put to.
As a simple example, applying a high
viscosity polyurethane adhesive to vehi-
cle windscreens in an automotive plant
will involve extruding beads of adhesive
that are applied by robot arms fitted with
automatic dispensing valves. The adhe-
sive will have been pumped under very
high pressure directly from 200 litre size
drums. By contrast, the same adhesive,
when applied by your local windscreen
replacement dealer would be extruded
using a simple hand held cartridge gun.
Systems for dispensing adhesives
range from a straightforward cartridge
gun to highly sophisticated multi-compo-
nent metering, mixing and dispensing
devices. Cartridge guns are available for
dispensing single or two component
adhesives. Both types rely on pressure
being exerted onto the rear of a plunger
or plungers, either manually or pneumat-
ically, to force the adhesive out through a
nozzle. In the case of the two-component
option, disposable plastic static mixers
are attached to the outlet nozzle to facili-
tate mixing.
Pressure feed containers are an inex-
pensive choice for dispensing single
component flowable, light viscosity
adhesives. Obtainable in a large range of
capacities, from 1 litre size upwards, they
also rely on air pressure to force the adhe-
sive to the application point, where it is
applied by dispensing valve or spray
valve. Adjusting the air pressure directly
regulates the fluid pressure and hence the
flow rate. As the fluid pressure is restrict-
ed to the maximum available air pressure
– usually in the region of 6 Bar – appli-
cations requiring long outlet hose lengths
or those using higher viscosity adhesives
are not suitable for use with pressure feed
containers.
Transfer piston pumps are pneumati-
cally driven and are used to dispense
light to medium viscosity adhesives.
These positive displacement, reciprocat-
ing pumps deliver material on both the up
and down strokes, giving a continuous
output. A positive air to fluid pressure
ratio translates into high fluid outlet pres-
sures which allow the pumps to transfer
adhesives over long distances if needed.
Extrusion piston pumps are similar in
concept to transfer pumps but will pro-
cess adhesives of virtually any viscosity,
even semi-solids, although a different
internal valve arrangement to the transfer
pumps is required to handle the higher
viscosity materials. To assist priming
with heavy materials, the pump is mount-
ed onto pneumatically or hydraulically
driven rams and is coupled to a follower
plate that fits snugly into the adhesive
container, wiping the sides clean as it
goes. This type of pump offers great flex-
ibility to the user as it can be used to
pump adhesive directly from original
containers from 1 litre to 200 litres
capacity and will develop very high pres-
sures when necessary.
Metering, mixing and dispensing sys-
tems used for processing plural compo-
nent adhesives fall into three main cate-
gories:
● Plural component piston pump sys-
tems make use of mechanically linked
double acting piston pumps driven by
either pneumatic or hydraulic motors.
Mixing ratios can be infinitely variable
The advancement of technology surrounding adhesive development is unrelenting. Bob Jonesbelieves this is good news for manufacturing, as new adhesive products bring with them theprospect of greater efficiency, a safer working environment and bigger profit margins
Adhesives application
Dispensing adhesives in the factory environment
Bob Jones is marketing manager with DOPAG (UK)
FASTTUTORIAL
15
FAST JULY 2009
and manually adjusted between the limi-
tations of the pump-linking device,
(although 1:1 fixed ratio systems are
available,) which usually takes the form
of a pivoting beam and the relative size of
the pumps in comparison to each other.
These systems are robust and multi-pur-
pose and are able to successfully process
filled and abrasive adhesives. The com-
ponents are supplied to the system by
either pressure feed containers or transfer
pumps.
● Plural component gear pump systems
use gear pumps to proportion low to
medium viscosity non-abrasive adhe-
sives, by controlling the rotational speeds
of the gear pumps in relation to each
other. Ease of changing the mixing ratio
is a major feature of this type of system
and is a simple affair, achieved merely by
entering the desired ratio into the con-
troller, making this system ideal for users
who need to change adhesives frequently.
Pressure feed containers supply the com-
ponents to the gear pumps.
● Volume counter systems proportion
the adhesive components by means of
electronically controlled flow meters that
allow integrated monitoring and automat-
ic regulation of the chosen mixing ratio,
resulting in particularly precise metering
accuracy. These systems are ideal for use
with materials that have extreme mixing
ratios or with materials that are filled
with micro spheres.
As technology moves on and more and
more new markets and applications
emerge, these tried and tested methods of
pumping, metering and dispensing are
constantly being augmented by new and
innovative systems.
Needle dispensing valves can be used
with most single component adhesives.
When fully closed, the needle sits against
a seat forming a positive shut-off. When
dispensing is required, a double acting air
cylinder lifts the needle from the seat,
allowing adhesive to flow through the
valve. These valves can be manually or
automatically actuated.
If a particularly stringy product needs
to be dispensed, such as contact adhesive,
a snuffer valve is recommended that cre-
ates a vacuum in its outlet nozzle, suck-
ing back any adhesive residue on closure.
For abrasive materials, valves with
diaphragms that separate the fluid and
pneumatic parts are used.
Proportional control dispensing valves
that will monitor the linear speed of the
robot arm onto which it is mounted and
adjust the size of the bead of adhesive in
proportion to that speed of the robot, thus
maintaining a constant bead size regard-
less of the speed of application are also
available.
The majority of plural component
adhesives can be homogenised using a
static mixing system, but for applications
where the adhesive components have
widely differing viscosities or very high
mixing ratios, either a dynamic or static-
dynamic mixing system can be used suc-
cessfully.DOPAG (UK) 01299 250740
Optically clear
Lohmann’s Duplocoll® CPT(clear performance tape) hassignificantly improved theproperties of acrylic adhe-sives.
How could it improve yourproject?
Solar
Lohmann Photovoltaic tapeshave been specially devel-oped for the energy industry.
Where could you use them?
Electronics
Lohmann’s unique ESD pro-tection films have been spe-cially developed for elec-tronics applications.
What could they do for you?
Low Energy Surfaces
Lohmann’s Duplocoll® 56000LSE (low surface energy) is aspecially developed pressuresensitive adhesive tape. Ithas been developed forapplications involving verylow surface energy.
Have you got Low Surface Energy? Lohmann can help!
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Lohmann’s PatentedDuplocoll® CF technologyadhesive tapes are ideal fora variety of clean, easy toapply precision cable fixingsin vehicle, machine cabinets,furniture…
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Our word is your bond
17
FAST JULY 2009
If there is a single word that best
sums up the conversations
overheard at the Fastening
& Assembly Solutions
E x h i b i t i o n s i t i s
Really? And it is usu-
ally accompanied by
further animated dis-
cuss ions cen t r ed
around whatever revela-
tion has just been offered by
an exhibitor as a potential solu-
tion to a visitors problem.
As far as I can see, visitors to our exhi-
bitions are there primarily for one of four
clearly defined reasons:● There is a need to address a specific
design challenge● The production department needs to
speed up assembly● The management are demanding
cost-down● A company is seeking ideas and inspi-
ration in fastening and assembly
Whichever of these elements is
the driver behind a visit to the
show, (or whatever combi-
nation of them for that
matter), the Fastening &
Assembly Solutions
Exhibition is able to
deliver the required
answers required in a
single visit measured in
hours. Thanks to a
wide a r r ay o f
exhibitors who represent
just about every possible
method of fastening,
assembly and joining
available, there really is
something for everyone at
the show, whatever the
application in hand, right
across UK manufacturing
industry.
Whether it is working with fabrics or
designing the next generation of
aerospace electronics plat-
forms, the manufacturing
community that makes up
the backbone of UK
industry keeps coming to
this exhibition to find
answers , inspirat ion,
expert advice and imme-
diate cost-down opportu-
nities. It is about focus,
and because so much fas-
tener, fastening, adhesives
and assembly technology
is packed into one place at
one time, problems that
have taken some visitors
weeks to overcome can be
resolved here within hours
thanks to the experience
and unrivalled knowledge of the
exhibitors.
The forthcoming Fastening &
Assembly Solutions Exhibition is being
held on October 29th at the National
Motorcycle Museum Birmingham, right
outside the NEC. It isn’t just centrally
located – it also offers an abundance of
free parking right outside the show and is
a fantastic environment for engi-
neers of all disciplines. To
add value to the day and
allow exhibition atten-
dees to see the muse-
um after visiting the
show, we (the organ-
isers) are providing
every visitor with a
free museum pass nor-
mally costing £6.95 (and
worth every penny too!).
Moreover, currently employed
manufacturing professionals who wish to
attend and pre-register in advance at
www.fas ten ing-so lu t ions-exhib i -
tion.co.uk will also have the advantage of
a free Luncheon Voucher as well.
So our summarised proposition to you
as a potential visitor is this: come here if
you have a fastening or assembly prob-
lem and talk to the experts about it. You
will probably find the answers you need.
Come here if you think you are on top of
your fastening and assembly operations
and options – the chances are that you
will find a surprise in the form of a new
product or process that offers a better
way. Come here to achieve more in a few
hours than you might otherwise do in
weeks.
We hope to welcome you on the day,
and strongly recommend that visitors
pre-register in advance if possible.
“Assemble here for better designs, fresh ideas and new cost reduction opportunities!” says FAST'spublisher, Mark Newby who also organises the Fastening & Assembly Solutions Exhibitions. Thenext event is at the National Motorcycle Museum on October 29th
Fastening and assemblyshow will promote costsaving designs
“Thereis no better
place to get up todate on the latest
fastener technologiesand applications”.Geoff Hammond,
Wago. “Younever know
what you can comeup with or what hasbeen developed sinceyou last investigated”Ivan Phillips, Corus
Automotive
19
FAST JULY 2009
Secure Bolt System (SBS) is a method of
providing ultimate fastening security to
bolted joints. The product comes in two
distinct styles. One product suits applica-
tions subject to high vibration levels
where other fixing methods may prove to
be unreliable, while the other is resistant
to tampering.
SBS has been extensively tested and
has been found to perform much better
than common fastening solutions such as
flat, spring or conical washers.
Furthermore it has been tested against
established products specialising in high
vibration applications and found to per-
form equally as well or even better whilst
holding significant benefits of being easy
to install, easy to undo with standard
tools and being completely reusable.
The system works on the bolt head or
nut having wedge shaped ramps formed
on its underside which marries up with
corresponding wedges on the washer. In
the standard option the washer is
arranged such that the hexagon shape
lines up exactly with the head of the bolt
or nut therefore allowing the unit to be
tightened or loosened using conventional
tools. The underside of washer has a
series of serrations that will achieve an
extremely effective grip on
the housing when the fasten-
er is tightened down. If you
try to undo the fastener by
locating on the bolt head or
nut only you will find it
impossible to loosen. This is
because the angle on the
wedges is greater than the
pitch of the thread and there-
fore by trying to move one
component of the fastener
relative to the other you are
in effect tensioning the bolt
and increasing the locking
force. In order to loosen the
fastener it is necessary to turn
the bolt head/nut together
with the washer, using the
hexagon washer version this
can be done using a standard
spanner or socket. Therefore this deriva-
tive is fully vibration proof.
The tamper-resistant version uses the
same mechanical principles but has a
round washer with special notches cut in
the outer diameter. Installation remains
quick and straightforward as before but a
special socket having drive dogs to suit
notches on the washer is required for
removal. Without this tool removal is vir-
tually impossible and so the fastener
becomes tamper proof except to nominat-
ed tool holders.
SBS fastening solutions are available
in a range of metric and imperial sizes
from M6 to M24 on nuts, up to M20 on
bolts and M36 on washers, and in various
grades. Most commonly used is grade 8.8
in high tensile steel with a zinc plate fin-
ish as standard. Other materials such as
stainless steel and surface treatments are
available as well as specialist products
such as SEM’s screws.SBS is distributed
in the UK and Ireland by IEC 01202 339559
The Secure Bolt System was launched at last year's Fastening and Assembly Solutions Exhibition at the Motorcycle Museum, Birmingham and then again at RAF Cosford show in April this year.In case you missed the show, here's how the system works
Vibration-proof fasteners launched atlast season’s exhibitions
20
FAST JULY 2009
Adam Binding considers the appropriate use of springs in another of ourregular question and answer features
Springs – when,where and howthey should be usedAdam Binding is European Marketing
Manager for Lee Spring Limited and isresponsible for marketing the company'sproducts and services throughout EUmember countries. He has been with thecompany for five years.
Surely all springs are the same aren’t they?
Not really. There are many different
types, each designed to suit specific
applications. The most common types are
compression, extension and torsion
springs or derivatives of these such as die
springs and instrument springs. Other
forms include Belleville spring washers,
also known as disc springs, constant
force springs plus battery, wave, conical,
swivel hook and drawbar springs.
Is there some kind of standardcalculation formula that a designer canuse if they know what mass or weightthey have to move from A to B, and inwhat time and at what rate?
Yes, spring theory is normally developed
on the basis of spring rate or load and the
formula for this is the most widely used
in spring design. Other formulas exist to
determine spring index, stress correction
factor and shear stress. The formula for
spring rate is: S = ΔF = Gd 4
ΔL 8nD 3
Where:
S rate in N/mm
F spring force N
ΔF change in spring force N
ΔL deflection mm
D mean coil diameter mm
d wire diameter mm
G modulus of rigidity N/mm
n number of active coils -
Do you sell more of the springs that areused for pulling things together, orpushing things apart?
Push type (compression) springs are the
most widely sold type of springs, fol-
lowed closely by extension and torsion
spring types.
How many ‘generic’ families of springtypes are there in existence?
As mentioned earlier mainly there are
three kinds – compression, extension,
torsion and each one can have different
configurations. Other types include wave
spring, constant force spring, clock
spring, drawbar spring, garter spring,
spring washers.
What material choices are there fordesigners?
A very wide variety is available to suit
most applications. The list includes
music wire, stainless steel (different
types), carbon steel, phosphor bronze,
beryllium copper, gold, Nitinol wire and
alloys such as Monel, Hastelloy, Inconel,
Elgiloy, Waspalloy and Nichrome.
What is the best spring material forcorrosion resistance?
It depends on the application. Stainless
steel is better than carbon steel for corro-
sion resistance.
What is the best spring material type forapplications in very low temperatures?
There are different grades of alloy steels
available for very low temperature appli-
cations. Steel types A201 and T-1 can
operate at -45°C while nickel steels with
2.25% Ni can go down to -59°C and with
3.5% Ni extending to -101°C. The only
alloy steel recommended for cryogenic
use is 9% nickel steel which has a service
temperature of -195°C and is used for
transport and storage of cryogenics
because of its low cost and ease of fabri-
cation.
What is the best spring material type forhigh temperature applications?
Again different grades of alloy steels are
available to suit high temperature appli-
cations. Inconel is very widely used as
are Nimonic and Elgiloy alloys and tung-
sten tool steels.
Does the integrity of a springdeteriorate with usage or time? If so,can this be calculated at the designstage?
Yes in certain circumstances. Correct
stress calculations can minimise the
problem. This deterioration is called
‘creep’. A spring can deteriorate slightly
under creep (either time or load). It
depends on the design stresses. If the
stresses are low and well within the lim-
its, the creep would be negligible.
Are there any key performance issuesthat spring uses should bear in mind?
Spring failures are rare but these can
occur in the ends of extension springs
which absorb and store energy by offer-
ing resistance to a pulling force. To max-
imise the life of this type of spring the
path of the wire should be smooth and
gradual as it flows in to the end. A mini-
mum bend radius of 1.5 times the wire
diameter is recommended. Designing the
correct leg configurations and loadings
on torsion springs can also be a source of
21
FAST JULY 2009
frustration for users. We recommend
checking with a specialist to ensure prod-
uct service life requirements are met.
Tell us about some of the more unusualapplications that you have beeninvolved with
Some that spring to mind include: ulti-
mate quality roulette wheel mechanisms,
tray dispenser systems for use in airport
security systems, a very demanding high
performance application in a Yamaha
clutch and ejector seat mechanisms for
use in ‘life or death’ situations.
How big are the biggest springs you can supply? And the smallest?
We go up to 16mm (0.625in) wire diam-
eter and down to 1.45mm (0.57in) on
standard products. However using micro
coiling techniques it is possible to pro-
duce springs from wire no thicker than a
human hair.
In your experience, do most engineersfully understand ‘spring technology’?
Usually, engineers understand spring
technology with some help in the form of
tutorial/manual. We offer an engineers’
guide which discusses all the elements
involved in designing and specifying
compression, extension and torsion
springs.
Do you offer any assistance to engineerswho might need advice or is it a case of“Find it on our website”?
Yes, we do offer assistance to engineers:
by phone, email and of course via our
website. Most spring companies, includ-
ing ours, have dedicated engineering spe-
cialists on hand to respond to technical
enquiries.
Does the industry as a whole have‘minimum order quantities’?
Most do on stock spring selections but
not on custom spring orders.
What about prototyping, or theproduction of specials? Do you getinvolved with these?
We have always offered prototyping ser-
vices to help customers with spring
design through to production. Any spring
manufacturer will require a drawing, cad
file, a sample or a technical specification
to create a custom design. Performance,
operational and environmental conditions
are essential. Most reputable manufactur-
ers use cad systems to generate and
present custom spring designs to cus-
tomers.LEE SPRING 0118 978 1800
22
FAST JULY 2009
The rivet nut is a tried and tested method
of quickly and cleanly installing a load
bearing thread into thin sheet materials,
in both open and blind application set-
tings. A mating bolt can then be installed
into the rivet nut which in turn secures
components to the thin sheet material.
Despite the enormous choice of product
and suppliers, the principle design and
function of rivet nuts, irrespective of the
styles and sizes, remains to be the same.
Essentially, a rivet nut is a tube of
metal comprising of three sections. At the
far end of the product is a threaded sec-
tion where the rivet nut wall is thick (the
nut), the mid section is an unthreaded
area with a thinner wall (the can) and
finally a flange or head is located at the
other end.
An installation tool drives a threaded
mandrel into the rivet nut until it’s head
nests against a dead stop on the tool, the
nose piece. The rivet nut is then located
into the application sheet hole. Loading
or torque is applied to the mandrel result-
ing in the nut being drawn backwards in
the direction of the head, compressing the
rivet nut between the mandrel and the
nose piece. This ultimately causes the
can, which is the weakest part of the rivet
nut, to buckle somewhere along its
length. As the load on the nut continues
to be applied backwards, the buckle
spreads around the diameter of the can,
forming a 360 degree footprint. The tool
then reverses the mandrel out of the rivet
nut leaving it held captive in the applica-
tion work piece, sandwiching the sheet
between the head of the rivet nut and its
footprint.
Where exactly the initial buckle
occurs is subject to a great deal of varia-
tion and this uncertainty carries with it
significant application limitations and
dangers.
During the instillation process, the
forces applied to the can may cause it to
expand radially towards the application
hole, until its outside diameter presses up
against the wall of the application hole.
The sheet is now supporting the can,
causing its next weakest point to buckle,
which is generally beyond the hole on the
rear sheet. It is imperative that the hole is
no more than 0.1mm greater than the out-
side diameter of the rivet nut otherwise
there is a risk of part of the footprint
pulling into the application hole during
installation. Should this happen, the rivet
nut is likely to be installed ‘cocked over’
making bolt insertion difficult and poten-
tially resulting in cross threading. This
can result in the rivet nut being forced to
turn in the hole. Additionally, with some
of the footprint forming within the appli-
cation hole, there is less footprint to resist
the rivet nut from pulling out of the appli-
cation when a load is applied to bolt.
Often, applications present themselves
where at first glance a rivet nut would
seem to be an ideal choice but where in
fact they are not. Once such instance is
attempting to use rivet nuts in softer
materials, such as some plastics, low den-
sity boards or composites. Here, the
application sheet does not have sufficient
strength to prevent the rivet nut pulling
straight through the sheet or from turning
in the hole when a load is applied to the
mating bolt. This is in part because rivet
A new design of rivet nut removes the limitations of their use in a variety of applications.Paul Hanratty explains the difference
The next generation of rivet nut fastening
A mating bolt installed into the rivet nut
A rivet nut is a tube of metal comprising of three sections
23
FAST JULY 2009
nuts do not have a particularly wide grip
capability, which in turn means that when
installed into the application sheet, even
in their minimum grip condition, they do
not create a wide footprint on the rear
sheet of the application. A large rear sheet
footprint is highly desirable in any appli-
cation setting but it is particularly impor-
tant in soft sheet materials.
Raw material composition, grain
structure and heat treatment all affect the
hardness of the rivet nut and such differ-
ences in hardness occur along the length
of each individual rivet nut. Given that
the can buckles at its weakest point, each
rivet nut will not buckle the same. If there
is a hard spot in the can of a rivet nut, it
is possible the rivet nut will cock over or
will form part of the footprint within the
application hole.
Rivet nut products have been devel-
oped that create a larger rear sheet foot-
print. Unlike rivet nuts that create a 360
degree ‘circular’ footprint, these products
instead have a number of legs that col-
lapse during installation. While their pull
out performance is significantly greater
than rivet nuts, the popularity of this type
of product versus rivet nuts has proven to
be limited, possibly due to their premium
pricing versus that of rivet nuts.
While developing a rivet nut with a
greater rear sheet footprint would be a
distinct application advantage, the focus
of recent global rivet nut product devel-
opment has primarily been within two
areas. First, the development of cold
formed (headed) stainless steel products,
initially in A2 (304 grade) and more
recently in A4 (316 grade) and secondly,
the development of increased thread
strength rivet nuts.
The introduction of cold formed stain-
less steel rivet nuts as stocked standard
items enabled the market to procure
stainless steel rivet nuts at a significantly
lower costs to those made by the tradi-
tional tuning process and therefore mak-
ing it a cost effective solution. This
development specifically addresses the
needs of a growing number of applica-
tions where increased corrosion resis-
tance is required or where manufacturers
wish to install rivet nuts made of the
same material as their application e.g.
the medical industry generally produces
stainless steel cabinets and trolleys
from 316.
There has always been a desire for
rivet nuts with higher thread strength but
from the perspective of rivet nut design,
the need for this strength conflicts with
the need to be able to collapse the can
during the installation process.
After cold heading, rivet nuts are
annealed, thereby reducing the impact of
work hardening caused by the cold head-
ing process. The ‘soft’ rivet nut is then
typically roll tapped, creating a work
hardened formed thread. It is this work
hardening that gives the thread much of
its strength. This process creates a soft
can that collapses without needing to use
excessive force during installation and
ensures the can is malleable enough to
not split or crack during installation. So
rivet nut manufacturers have been chal-
lenged to produce a product that will col-
lapse during installation without splitting
or needing excessive force but that still
achieves increased thread strength.
A number of recent developments
attempted to address this need by intro-
ducing specialist ‘in process’ treatments.
An example is a technique called band
annealing. Here, after cold heading, only
the can portion of each individual rivet
nut is annealed, leaving the nut portion
work hardened. This harder material is
BCT enables a pre-determined collapse point
Bulge Control Technology provides improvedstrength performance
24
FAST JULY 2009
then tapped, creating a ‘twice’ work hard-
ened formed thread. While these devel-
opments have improved thread strength,
the rest of the product nut remains soft
and the issue of increased footprint is not
addressed at all. The nature of this type of
heat treatment also comes with a com-
mercial penalty.
However, BBA – an Italian manufac-
turer of rivet nuts – has achieved a break-
through with the development of Bulge
Control Technology (BCT), which has
led to the introduction of a patented
product that takes the variation and
uncertainty out of the use of rivet nuts. It
provides high strength performance with
an oversized rear sheet footprint.
During the manufacture of the new
product, a pre-determined collapse point
is made on the can of the rivet nut, this is
called the BCT point. During installation,
the product collapses precisely at the
BCT point every time, therefore over-
coming any variation in hardness within
the wall of the product and eliminating
the radial expansion associated with stan-
dard rivet nuts. Knowing exactly where
the product will buckle ensures that the
footprint will always form on the rear
sheet of the application, never in the
work piece hole and it will always pro-
vide a maximum footprint achieving
maximum pull out resistance. Producing
an engineered pre-determined collapse
point creates many significant advan-
tages. The location of the
collapsed point can be var-
ied during the manufactur-
ing process to maximise the
rear sheet footprint.
Creating a pre-deter-
mined collapse point has
enabled BCT to make prod-
ucts from a higher grade of
steel which, despite their
high tensile strength, still
collapse easily and consis-
tently when using standard
rivet nut tooling.
During installation, the
footprint of the BCT prod-
uct is formed first. As the installation pro-
cess continues, the footprint is then
drawn towards the head until the stroke,
torque or load of the installation tool has
been reached. This action therefore pull
sheets together even if there is a void
between them. Rivet nuts will not do this
uniformly and often will form in the
voids between sheets, leaving them sepa-
rated and in doing so, also reducing the
rear sheet footprint.
BCT products therefore create clamp
within the joint so that the sheets are
compressed between the head and the
footprint. This compression provides
additional anti-rotational resistance and
because of the large rear sheet footprint,
supports the sheet reducing the potential
of sheet failure or pull out.
Because the footprint is so big and that
clamp is generated within the joint, BCT
performs well in irregular or oversized
sized holes enabling the product to be
used in a variety of application environ-
ments such as repair, where the quality of
the hole may not be ideal or automation,
where rivet nut to hole alignment can be
an issue. The technology can also cope
with applications where holes are irregu-
lar, allowing the product to be installed
into a slot or track rather than a round
hole.
Thread strength is measured in terms
of the grade of bolt to be installed into it.
Standard BCT products are rated to work
with 10.9 bolts, meaning that the bolt can
be torqued to the recommended load and
the thread of the BCT will not fail.
However, if additional torque were
applied to the bolt, the head of the bolt
will generally shear before the BCT
thread will strip out. But for those appli-
cations that need greater strength perfor-
mance, BCT product is also available
rated to work with grade 12.9 bolts and
again, generally the bolt head will shear
prior to the thread of the BCT stripping or
the BCT turning in the hole. An
aerospace version of BCT has been test-
ed beyond grade 12.9 bolts with excellent
results.
Because of its thread and body
strength, BCT can be modified to work in
adverse conditions. If rear sheet protru-
sion is an issue, for instance, a shorter
version of BCT can be presented that
offers comparable thread strength to a
standard rivet nut but has less physical
threads and therefore protrudes signifi-
cantly less than a standard rivet nut. BBA Srl 07968 754780
A shorter version of BCT is available if protrusionis an issue
An aerospace version of BCT has been testedbeyond grade 12.9 bolts
A large rear footprint reduces the potential of sheet failure
26
FAST JULY 2009
It has been more than half a century since
Dr Vernon Krieble first revealed his
‘magic goo’ to the world. The adhesive
proved an instant success for it locked
tightly a screw that had previously
worked loose through the continual
vibration of a vehicle engine. Indeed, so
tightly was the threaded part locked that
the name Loctite was quickly established
as a brand name.
That adhesive was an anaerobic – a
product that cures in the absence of air on
a metal surface. And since that day in
1953, the development of threadlocking
adhesives has continued to meet the ever-
increasing challenges of engineers
around the world.
For example, there is a need for a vari-
ety of grades of differing strengths. A
part that needs to be regularly disassem-
bled for maintenance or servicing is gen-
erally best served through the use of a
low strength threadlocker. However, it
would be wrong to assume that such a
product does not have good vibration
resistance when in place. Once
cured, an anaerobic threadlocking
adhesive forms a tough plastic
film that effectively makes the two
mating surfaces – the male and
female parts of the threads – into
one unit. To be more technical,
the adhesive creates an inter-facial
connection by means of keying
to the surface roughness to
prevent any movement of the
threads when subjected to severe
vibration.
However, due to the range of
strengths available, when there is
a need to disassemble the compo-
nents normal hand tools are gener-
ally sufficient to break the adhe-
sive film and release the threads.
Low strength threadlockers can be
typically used for adjusting
screws, countersunk head screws
and small fasteners where only a
limited torque could be applied.
On the other hand, where a stud or
bolt is unlikely to need undoing,
then a high strength product could
be used. Here, common applica-
tions include suspension bolts,
brake calliper bolts and studs.
Between these two extremes are medi-
um strength products that also prevent
loosening on vibrating parts such as
pumps, motor mounting bolts, gear boxes
or presses.
Of course, one of the side benefits of
being able to threadlock a joint is that the
adhesive will also effectively threadseal
it, too. Not only is the joint secure, but it
also resists the ingress of unwanted fluids
and contaminants and stops leakage of
any materials within the joint. This seal-
ing capability also prevents corrosion
from occurring.
Wicking gradeGenerally speaking, threadlockers are
used for parts that are ready to be assem-
bled. Yet, on some occasions, it is neces-
sary to lock preassembled fasteners, such
as instrumentation screws, electrical con-
nectors and grub screws.
Here, a wicking grade adhesive can be
employed. Because of its low viscosity
and capillary action, the product wicks
between engaged threads and eliminates
the need to disassemble prior to applica-
tion. As with all anaerobics, the product
will only cure when confined in the
absence of air between close fitting metal
surfaces. These wicking grade adhesives
can also be used to fill porosity in welds,
castings and powdered metal parts.
Sticking to the taskFor maintenance engineers on the move
from one location to another, anything
which reduces the size of the contents of
the tool box is to be welcomed.
With that in mind, around six years
ago Loctite developed a range of innova-
tive products based on the popular glue
stick principle. Although the containers
are smaller in size than the traditional
packaging, they retain the same strength
and other qualities of the original adhe-
sives.
And using the ‘sticks’ is very easy. It
is simply a case of twisting the base of
the container and applying the adhesive
to the surface in question. Beyond that,
these sticks are cleaner to use than many
conventional products and because of
semi-solid formula they are ideal for
overhead applications where other items
might drip.
Colin Chapman of Henkel, maker of Loctite brand products, describes some of the developments inthe all important area of threadlocking since its introduction in 1953
Threadlocking – the continuing story
Adhesives work best onclean surfaces but oiltolerant grades are availablethat can accommodate acertain amount ofcontamination
The author Colin Chapman is with Henkel,
the manufacturer of Loctite brand products
27
FAST JULY 2009
Currently, there are two stick thread-
lockers available. The medium strength
product is suitable for all types of metal
fasteners. It reaches functional strength
in just two hours - which is very useful
where a speedy return to full operation is
vital for pieces of equipment. The high
strength adhesive can be used on all met-
als including stainless steels and those
with protective coatings such as zinc.
Functional strength is achieved in six
hours.
Plated surfacesTalking of coatings brings up the matter
of threadlocking where substrates such as
nickel or other plated surfaces are
involved.
Active substrates, such as copper
alloys, are very good in initiating the
rapid cure process of anaerobic products.
Conversely, plated substrates are passive
– which results in earlier anaerobic adhe-
sives attaining a much slower cure. One
of the most recent developments has been
the introduction of a new generation of
anaerobic threadlockers that can be used
on passive surfaces.
These high strength products reach
functional strength in around six hours
and can withstand temperatures up to
150°C. Although suitable for all types of
industry, automotive engineers have
found this type of product extremely
helpful – especially where recent Health
and Safety regulations have stopped the
use of certain substrates. In particular,
these directives have involved the
replacement of Hexavalent chromium
with Trivalent chrome.
Oil TolerantWhen using adhesives, it is always best
to degrease the components in order to
achieve the best performance. In reality,
however, this is not always possible and
so researchers looked into the possibility
of producing a grade of threadlocker that
could handle a certain amount of contam-
ination.
One recent introduction is Loctite 278.
This is an all-round high strength thread
locking adhesive that can be successfully
utilised for applications where oil or
other contaminants may be present.
Dispensing the adhesiveThe easiest way to dispense adhesive is
to simply squeeze the product from a bot-
tle or apply the ‘stick’. And for many
applications that may be effective.
Yet when it comes to high volume,
repeatable dispensing, something else is
needed.
Adhesives suppliers generally offer
dispensing equipment that ranges from
simple hand operated guns that can be
attached to standard product packs, to
automated machines that demand little or
no operator involvement.
Use of these automatic units involves
the dispensing valve or the work piece
being transported to the dispensing posi-
tion. Here, the application of the adhesive
can either be carried out manually
through mechanisms such as foot or fin-
ger switches, or by means of fully auto-
mated, programmed devices. Either way,
exactly the correct amount of adhesive is
applied – cutting down on wasted prod-
uct and making the application cleaner.
Continuing developmentWhen Dr Krieble introduced his new
found adhesive to the world all those
years ago, it solved a great many prob-
lems for engineers. Since then, a series
of developments – some of which have
been covered in this article – have helped
engineers even more.
Of course, we cannot be certain what
new challenges will be presented in the
future – but when it comes to preventing
parts becoming loose through vibration
shock or impact, the basic technology of
anaerobic threadlockers will remain the
at the forefront of the solutions.HENKEL
01442 278000
Threadlocking ‘sticks’ mean that engineers can readily carry adhesives in a pocket or tool box withouttaking up too much room
Although small in size, threadlocking ‘sticks’ areman enough for the toughest jobs. Here theyare used to secure joints on wheelchairs.
Historically, mattress producers used sol-
vent based adhesives. Not surprisingly,
increasingly stringent health and safety
regulations and insurance issues sur-
rounding products containing solvents
have diminished their use. And they are
being replaced by high performance hot
melt adhesives rather than mechanical
fixing methods or stitching.
There are numerous reasons why
adhesive technology in general – and hot
melts in particular – can benefit design
and production processes. Adhesives free
the designer to create new products and
new methods of manufacturing without
the constraints of mechanical fixings.
Hot melts aid this process by allowing
high speed production with the flexibility
to bond a wide range of substrates.
Adhesives can improve product
appearance by replacing mechanical fix-
ings to make smoother, cleaner, more
aesthetically pleasing products. Hot
melts can fill voids and encapsulate or
seal; individual components or complete
products can be made tamper proof or
tamper evident.
Good adhesives build in toughness by
maintaining their strength and flexibility
throughout the life of a product. They
eliminate weak points created by
mechanical fixings or welding and their
bond strength is spread evenly across the
application area without distorting the
substrate. In impact and tensile strength
tests, hot melts score highly.
With adhesives, the manufacturing
processes can be simplified. There is no
pick and placing, as with threaded fix-
ings, or dirt and danger implications, as
with welding. Hot melt application can
be automated or manual to suit produc-
tion needs and costs – and one adhesive
may well be suitable for a variety of uses.
A simplified product can help to drive
down costs through reduced component
inventory, with easier and faster assem-
bly as fabrication time is reduced and
labour costs are lowered. Hot melts can
bring other economies too – unlike many
adhesives, no curing, drying or extraction
equipment is required, giving space sav-
ing and flexibility in production line
engineering. There is virtually no waste.
In addressing end-of-life product
strategies, hot melts can assist in the ulti-
mate dis-assembly and subsequent recy-
cling of different materials – and thus
have a positive impact on product life
cycle analysis.
Uses vary from automotive assembly
to white goods and from furniture manu-
facturing to civil engineering and con-
struction, hot melts and other adhesives
are being used for a wide variety of appli-
cations, all with different adhesive
requirements and demands.
In the automotive field, heat resis-
tance, ability to withstand fluid ingress,
longevity and application efficiency are
important – uses for hot melts include
headliner fixing, tail lamp sealing, bond-
ing foam behind dashboard/fascia panels
and bonding insulation material to door
FAST JULY 2009
Paul Addison agrees but when lying on your bed, you may not realise that the adhesives used inmattress assembly can involve the same range of substrates you are using in your company’sproduction processes. These include foam, textiles, non-woven materials, metals and plastics
Sleeping on the job?
28
Paul Addison is research and development
manager at Beardow Adams
29
FAST JULY 2009
panel interiors and body panels as well as
number plates to hangers.
With white goods, hot melts are used
to bond body panels, seal gaps and for in-
situ gasket forming – some applications
call for temporary bonds or for the adhe-
sive to be used as a spacer.
In construction, hot melts are used to
bond foam to steel for window con-
struction and on moulds for reinforced
concrete floor panels. Other uses
include bonding foams, metals, plas-
tics and paper, either on their own or
in combination, in the fabrication
of insulation panels, cavity
closures and anti-heave
honeycomb panels. See
FAST January 2008 for
details of their use at
Heathrow Terminal 5 for
instance.
Hot melts are very versa-
tile. They can create an instant bond
or have a longer open time to allow bond-
ing down the production line. As coat-
ings, they can be self-adhesive or can be
reactivated by heat, if that suits the pro-
duction requirement. According to need,
hot melts can be selected to give strong
and permanent bonds or weak and pee-
lable bonds or something in-between.
They are one of the few adhesives to
have low odour retention; they also set
rapidly and require low capital invest-
ment. In addition, hot melts are neither
hazardous, toxic nor flammable and do
not contain solvents, making their han-
dling, storage, transportation and use
easy, safe and reliable without harming
the environment.
But what of the downsides to hot
melts? Like nearly all adhesives, they
have temperature constraints but depend-
ing on formulation, they can retain bonds
at between -60°C and +125°C. They can
be used for low and high speed produc-
tion applications and have proven chemi-
cal, impact and vibration resistance and
high bond strength, with, in some cases,
ambient shear strength capabilities of
over 1,000 N/25 mm2.BEARDOW ADAMS 01908 574000
Beardow Adams, which has won four Queen’s Awards, is the UK’s largestmanufacturer of hot melt adhesives. It develops and manufactures them inMilton Keynes, where it has the capacity to produce over 40,000 tonnes ofadhesive per annum. The production of high quality adhesives for productassembly is an important part of the company’s portfolio for permanent,peelable and reactivatable applications.
Typical potential uses for hot melt adhesives – in white goods for temporary or permanent bonds(opposite) and in the automotive industry for bonding insulating foams behind door panels (above).
30
FAST JULY 2009
The introduction of blind riveting some
80 years ago was a genuine manufactur-
ing breakthrough, allowing fastening
installations from one side of the work
piece when the opposite side was inac-
cessible with a tool, or could not even be
seen. Prior to arrival of this special class
of fasteners, it took two assemblers to set
a rivet, one with rivet hammer to pound it
through the hole, the other with a bucking
bar to set it on the opposite side.
Blind rivets – also called breakstems –
changed all that. They broadened design
horizons, fastened in seconds, delivered
consistent repeatability, and reduced
costs. They were the ideal joining process
to support greater use of aluminium and
the emergence of such new materials as
plastics. Breakstems allowed design and
assembly of large, complex structures,
and manufacturing of products and
equipment that could not be made with-
out them, including tubular shapes and
other enclosed systems. They demon-
strated their value to worldwide markets
in 1936 with the assembly of the first all-
metal aeroplanes.
Breakstems have evolved and prolifer-
ated during the past 75 years, assembling
everything from sub-miniature electronic
components to steel beams supporting
tons of weight in the world’s largest
bridges. They join diverse materials of
varying thickness and composition and
thrive in the most demanding environ-
ments. High-tech monitoring and con-
trols deliver foolproof processing, allow-
ing only the right rivets to be installed the
right way in the right holes. Every major
automotive and truck OEM, appliance
maker, electronic components manufac-
turer, and commercial and military air-
craft producer relies on the strength, con-
sistency, productivity, and versatility of
these fasteners.
How breakstems work A breakstem rivet has a smooth, cylindri-
cal rivet body topped by a flared head,
and a solid rod mandrel with a bulbed
head that extends from the hollow 0rivet
shaft and looks like a nail. When a blind
rivet is installed, setting tool nose-piece
jaws grip the mandrel and pull it into the
rivet body and through drilled or punched
holes in a layer of materials. The mandrel
head expands rivet walls radially, com-
pressing them firmly in the hole while
forming a tightly clinched load bearing
are on the reverse side of the mat aerial.
As the mandrel penetrates the blind
side, its unused portion at the opposite
end of the rivet sleeve breaks off at a ten-
sile load greater than the tension needed
to fully deform the rivet body.
Manufacturers decide the differences
between upset load and break load and
build it into their breakstems.
Mandrels have weakened grooves
where this separation occurs, and some
have a mechanical lock that snaps into
place. This action plugs the opening in
the rivet shell and captures the remaining
portion of the mandrel inside the sleeve.
Rivets have been assembling materials for thousands of years, but it wasn’t until the mid-1930s thatdesigners in Europe and the US developed blind versions of these important fasteners. Pete Beecherland Tim Bartlett plot their development
Broadening design horizons with blind side riveting
Blind rivets broadened design horizons
A blind rivet has a smooth, cylindrical rivet body topped by a flared head
The authors both work with Advel North America.
Pete Beecherl is Engineering & Business
Development Director and Tim Bartlett is Product
Manager
31
The entire installation cycle – from the
time the operator pulls the trigger to the
final setting of the rivet – takes about one
second, and the result is a permanent,
vibration-resistant joint.
Controlled expansion of the breakstem
rivet body, achieved through proper man-
drel design and material selection for
specific applications, provides uniform
compression and hole fill. This allows
effective joining of many types of dis-
similar materials, including metal to plas-
tic, plastic to plastic, and metal to wood.
Designers select blind rivets for the
way they set in particular applications,
and mandrels for how they perform as a
built-in tool. Standard rivet diameters are
3/32, 1/8, 5/32, 3/16, and 1/4in. These
dimensions are expanded as needed to
accommodate customer needs, and com-
bined with mandrels of varying sizes,
designs and materials.
The design challenge is to marry suit-
able rivet sizes and configurations, such
as tapered, float, sharp edged, or serrated,
to the right mandrels to achieve strong
joints while preserving rivet integrity.
The goal is always to have rivet bodies
deform precisely as specified, and man-
drels to break at precise forces to ensure
joint consistency, strength, and durability.
Breakstem benefits Applied with high-speed precision, blind
rivets are the fastest mechanical joining
method available, helping reduce in-
place costs versus screw and other
mechanical joining processes. Depending
on the application and the setting tool,
breakstems install at a rate of 150 to 500
per hour, and each setting is identical.
Installation tools perform the same set-
ting action in every cycle, and all the
operator has to do is load the device,
place the nose piece in the hole, and pull
the trigger.
Unlike threaded assemblies, there are
no concerns over tool clearance, rotation
failures, and secondary parts such as
bolts and tapping plates, all of which add
process time, weight, and cost. Tapping
plates are flat parts fastened atop the
work piece to add strength and reinforce-
ment to threaded parts installed in thin
materials.
Blind rivets have none of the problems
associated with over-torquing and strip-
ping and under- torquing and loosening
that crop up with threaded fasteners. By
definition screws and bolts have varia-
tions in thread pitch to achieve necessary
friction for strong joints, which requires
balancing sufficient torque with too little
torque. Breakstems create their own joint
integrity by becoming as large as or larg-
er than the hole in which they are placed,
and through compression of the rivet in
the joint. They do not loosen, shake out,
or break off, and tight sealing helps block
leaks and seepage.
Large load bearing surfaces on the
blind side of the work piece allow break-
stem fastening in ductile materials and
thin gage metals that require added fas-
tener support. Blind rivets with large
FAST JULY 2009
Mandrels have weakened grooves
The design challenge is to match the rivet size and configuration to the right mandrel
B o l l h o f f F a s t e n i n g s L t d , W i l l e n h a l l W V 1 3 2 J W • Te l : 0 1 9 0 2 6 3 7 1 6 1 • w w w. b o l l h o f f . c o m / u k
for the strongest threads in the softest materialsRight from the outset you can ‘design-in’ performance and strength
to create the strongest original threads in aluminium, alloys and engineering plastics.
Joining together!
33
FAST JULY 2009
heads – those at least 50% larger than the
hole, versus the standard 25% – spread
the load on the blind side and bind parent
materials in a tight clamp. When needed,
three or four structural folding legs
spread diagonally across the surface to
widen load bearing footprints in soft
plastics. As a rule, mandrel heads must be
big enough to spread the load but not so
large as to waste material and add unnec-
essary weight.
Closed end breakstems seal holes by
closing off the tail end of the rivet body
and capturing the mandrel inside the rivet
bore. They seal liquid containers such as
hydraulic pumps and attach reflectors in
sealed beam headlights. Closed end
breakstems are not used as extensively as
they once were, replaced by open end
designs that seal the rivet body bore with
equal effectiveness.
Blind rivets also compensate for hole
irregularities in parts fabricated in cus-
tomer plants. During these processes
operators drill or punch holes in materials
before they are reshaped into components
and before blind fasteners are applied.
This can lead to misaligned or oversized
holes, but this is not a problem for blind
rivets when hole sizes are within .004” of
their expansion range. Rivet body com-
pression during installation compensates
for such irregularities, and so do metal
legs that expand the load bearing surface.
Breakstems also fasten painted parts
and those with other finishes without fear
of surface blemishes. Thread and bolt
processes can scratch, dent, and dimple
surfaces.
Types of blind fasteners There are two classes of blind fasteners –
open end and closed end. Open end
breakstems, found principally in lightly
loaded non-structural applications and in
more demanding structural applications,
are the most commonly used blind fas-
tener. Mandrels break off near the
blind side head and have large
flanges or countersunk heads for
settings in thin-gauge metals and
low strength materials. Open end
breakstems assemble thousands of prod-
ucts and components in virtually every
manufacturing industry. These include
computer chassis, wood to metal truck
trailers, automotive mouldings and exte-
rior lighting.
Design considerations Selecting and installing the right blind
rivet in the right hole is a systematic pro-
cess that carefully evaluates a range of
factors affecting quality and durability of
the final joint. Among these are rivet
diameters, grip ranges, hole preparation,
head styles, and corrosion resistance.
Let’s take a look at each of them.
Rivet Diameters: As noted, blind riv-
ets are available in diameters ranging
from 3/32 to 1/4”, with 1/32” incremental
increases available to provide a deep
menu of selections for specific applica-
tions. Diameter selection is based on
space, strength and material thickness.
The larger the diameter the higher the
shear and tensile strength, which is
derived from the thickness of the rivet
body and its material.
Grip Range: Parent material thickness
must fall within a specified fastener grip
range – the allowable tolerance of rivet
length versus material thickness. Grip
ranges are increased in 1/16” increments,
with each fractional addition producing
greater stem retention. A 1/2” grip range
is usually the maximum length attained
by standard breakstems, but special
designs can stretch this to an inch.
Standard size blind rivets join materials
as thick as 0.750”. Specials install in
materials as thin as 0.020” for cell phones
and computer chassis, and for assemblies
as thick as 2.0” to bridge gaps in tubular
assemblies – lawn chairs, for example.
Hole Preparation: The rivet must
completely fill the hole, and principal
factors for doing this are material thick-
ness, grip range, and rivet diameter. If a
hole is too big, it will not be filled and the
result is loose rivets. If the hole is too
small, the rivet won’t fit. Otherwise, no
special preparation is required as long as
holes are free of excessive burrs.
Head Styles: There are three basic
breakstem head styles: protruding, large
flange, and countersunk. Protruding
heads (also called dome or button head)
This assembly station places 12 rivets simultaneously
Rivets with bigger heads spread the load
34
FAST JULY 2009
and large flange versions are set on the
top side of the material. The only differ-
ence between them is that large flange
designs have heads four to five times the
size of rivet body diameter for increased
bearing surface. Countersunk heads are
flush to top side material. Designers
specify them for product surface appear-
ance and to reduce wind drag – in aircraft
fuselage assembly, for example.
Corrosion Protection: To prevent cor-
rosion, rivet bodies and mandrels are
often made from identical materials,
including low carbon steels, nickel-cop-
per alloys, aluminum alloys, and stainless
steel. Protective coatings and sleeves pre-
vent galvanic corrosion in breakstems
when joining dissimilar materials, or
when rivets do not have the same physi-
cal and mechanical properties as parent
materials. Stainless steel breakstems
offer the best corrosion protection in such
adverse environments as swimming pool
ladders and city buses exposed to salt.
AVDEL UK LIMITED 01707 292000Hand-held tools install fasteners with lower break loads
35
FAST JULY 2009
FASTSPECIAL
Preload indicating washers that
provide an accurate method of
measuring the preload (clamp
force) in a bolted joint also have
been developed by SPS
Technologies. “Using PLI wash-
ers to achieve preload allows
designers to maximise joint
strength”, says SPS product engi-
neer Steve Foster. “Frequently,
fewer fasteners or fasteners of a
smaller diameter can be used thus
reducing joint reliability. The
washers also are useful with joints
that are inaccessible to torque
wrenches. No special tooling is
required in their application.”
Three types of the washers
have been made available. The
standard product is designed for
use under lock-nuts to induce an
average preload of 80% of the
yield strength in bolts ranging
from 80Ksi to 260Ksi minimum
ultimate tensile strength. An
under-the-head version is
designed for use in applications
where space limitations make it
impossible to install an under-the-
nut washer. An oversize version is
for use with reworked joints.
Self-locking nuts
Also available from SPS
Technologies is a line of prevail-
ing torque lock-nuts for securing
screws, studs, bolts, and other
threaded fasteners. The Flexloc
all-metal, self-locking nuts are
described as one-piece products
that resist impact, shock, and
vibration.
“Because they lock without
seating the nuts can be positioned
anywhere along a stud, bolt, or
screw “making them suitable for
use as stop nuts”. Unlike lock-nuts
that utilise nylon inserts, all
threads are load-bearing in order
to withstand the most severe
vibration. “The result is greater
reliability without the need for
auxiliary locking devices, and a
usable temperature range from
below zero to +800ºF.”
Flexloc nuts are offered in a
range of inch and metric sizes, and
in a variety of materials and fin-
ishes.
SPS TECHNOLOGIES 02476 585050
Preload indicating washers
Threaded fastener securityResistance to vibration, corrosion, temperature variations, etc. may all be considered whenspecifying threaded fasteners. FAST takes a look at recent announcements of productsspecifically designed to ensure the elimination of mechanical failure
Sap-Seal, available from
Thomas Smith Fasteners, is a
re-usable threaded plastic cap
that, when used in combination
with a barrier lubricant, resists
corrosion and physical damage to
a wide range of fasteners.
“The product is effective
under extreme temperature con-
ditions and can be used in off-
shore and onshore applications”,
reports the company’s Alex
Fielding. “It protects nuts, bolts,
and threads from damage thus
helping to reduce downtime and
maintenance costs.”
Available in a range of metric
and imperial sizes from M18 to
M90 (5/8in to 4in) Sap-Seal has
been used in the North Sea oil
exploration and production
industry for some years.
THOMAS SMITH FASTENERS 01942 520260
Plastic protection caps
Promoted by Bulte Plastics as
being “suitable for applications
that require extra security” a new
range of self-locking nuts is said
to be able to eliminate backlash
without sacrificing efficiency.
“This type of nut is more effec-
tive than standard hexagon nuts
because it includes a non-thread-
ed part which closes around the
thread thus creating a lock
between the two threads.”
The nuts are manufactured
from polyamide 6.6 that, when
combined with steel screws, pro-
vides low drag torque and
smooth operation throughout the
life of the assembly. In addition
to being used as a secure fasten-
ing for joining many kinds of
parts the products are stated to
save weight compared with con-
ventional steel/nylon lock-nuts.
Applications in the construc-
tion, furniture, electrical and
electronic, and medical industries
are cited “in which properties
such as strength, corrosion resis-
tance, oil resistance, low weight,
and low thermal conductivity are
required”.
Sizes include M5, M6, M8,
M10, and M12. The working
temperature range is from -30ºC
to +100ºC.
BULTE PLASTICS 01789 263753
Self-locking nuts
Designed “to promote secure
attachment” the new PEM
C.A.P.S. access hardware incor-
porates a captive screw and a
plastic, coloured cap in a spring-
loaded assembly. “Not only does
the product enhance secure fas-
tening and enable subsequent
access, the design reduces parts
count, minimises handling, and
prevents screws from falling out
or damaging internal compo-
nents”, says Michael J. Rossi,
PennEngineering.
The fasteners are offered in
self-clinching, flaring, and float-
ing mounting styles to install per-
manently in a wide range of panel
materials and hardnesses.
Offered in multiple screw
lengths with thread sizes from
M3 to M5, the product are avail-
able in a range of eight standard
colours, including black and sil-
ver metallic.
As regards installation, the
fasteners are pressed into mount-
ing holes - their integrated anti-
cross-threading screw technology
ensures proper alignment.
PENN ENGINEERING01302 765700
Access panel screws
36
FAST JULY 2009
FASTSPECIAL
Elesa has introduced a screw-
adjustable friction setting for its
CFU series of hinges. This
allows users to set the open-
ing force of a door so that it
will stay partially open or
will dampen down the
action of the wind in out-
door applications.
“Hinges tend to be sim-
ple things but occasionally
a product comes along
incorporating a really use-
ful and rather different
idea”, says Elesa’s Nigel
Pritchett. “This is a simple
yet clever extension to the
expected features of a nor-
mal hinge.”
The CFU series is man-
ufactured in black
technopolymer with a rota-
tion angle of 270º. Friction
adjustment is achieved by
operation of a centrally-mount-
ed screw - clockwise for more
friction; anti-clockwise for less.
Safety switching hingeElesa also is promoting the use
of its CFS hinge which has a
built-in security switch that
will switch off equipment when
a door or panel is opened. The
CFS aids operator safety and
also can be used to indicate sta-
tus remotely for access moni-
toring.
The types offered are the CFS-
SH with countersunk screws
and the CVS-CH with slotted
fixing for ease of adjustment.
Both are available with top-
mount cable connection or rear
mounting connector and appro-
priate leads to suit machine
control or status indication
usage.
ELESA 01526 322670
Hinges with adjustable friction setting
The PRO3 is a concealed hinge
launched by Dirak that offers
tool-less assembly and removal
for situations in which it is neces-
sary to remove, for example,
enclosure doors. Featuring
Dirak’s D-Snap technology,
removal of the hinge is effected by
pulling the pin in the frame part
and lifting off the door; the pin
stays captive, attached to the
frame. For door reinstallation the
pin is pushed and latched back
into place.
In addition to the zinc die material
which allows the hinge to by used
for heavy-duty applications the
advantages of the product are list-
ed by Dirak as:● High dependability because of
no loosening or loss of screws.● Blind assembly without access
from the back.● Vibration-proof, firm installa-
tion.● Low cost and processing time.● Tool-less assembly without
nuts and screws.
DIRAK 01252 333864
Concealed hinge with tool-less assembly
Hinges, handles, latches and hardwareHinges, handles, latches, and related hardware have increased in importance in recent years arenow are considered as an essential part of many manufactured items rather than just asmundane products that are specified at the last minute. As the market has grown so has thenumber of companies serving it. FAST trawls the most recent announcements
37
FAST JULY 2009
FASTSPECIAL: HINGES, HANDLES, LATCHES AND HARDWARE
A new line of standard Southco
ST-12C counterbalanced hinges
provides consistent, high-torque
performance in a compact pack-
age, enabling equipment opera-
tors to lift and position hinged
components with less effort.
Ease-of-movement and no-slip
positioning allow intuitive opera-
tion of display screens, doors,
access panels and other movable
components in consumer, medi-
cal equipment, transportation and
industrial machinery applica-
tions.
Multiple options for counter-
balancing torque, plus the ability
to imbed the hinges within prod-
uct housings, offer product
designers desirable options in
terms of both aesthetics and
physical performance relative to
other existing hardware.
Southco's counterbalance design
requires less effort to move heav-
ier objects as compared to fric-
tion-only hinges. And unlike gas
struts that can also infringe on
sleek exterior designs or partially
obstruct access to enclosures,
performance is not compromised
by temperature or extended use
over time. The ST-12C constant-
torque design-specified to stay
within +/-20% of rated torque for
20,000 cycles of operation-pro-
vides consistent long-term per-
formance, without the need for
maintenance or adjustment.
An integral counterbalancing
spring provides for lifting assis-
tance in one direction to mini-
mize the weight felt by the user.
Four torque values are available
to accommodate objects of vary-
ing size and weight. Each hinge
also includes in house constant
torque technology to hold the
hinged component steady in any
desired resting position through-
out the complete range of hinge
motion. By combining both lift-
ing and positioning properties in
the same unit, these hinges elim-
inate the need for a
secondary mechan-
ical device to hold
an object in place.
Hinges are in-
stalled in mirror-
image pairs, and
can be designat-
ed to ship with
the mounting
housing and the adapter in one of
four possible starting positions.
Each hinge provides +/- 90% of
rotation in each direction for a
full 180 degrees range of motion.
These options enable designers to
satisfy a variety of mounting and
positioning angles.
The company has published a
500-page product handbook,
which features over 40,000 prod-
ucts in 15 categories. It highlights
the company’s 2009 products
including position control hinges
and electronic access solutions.
In addition, swing handles, com-
pression latches, rotary latches,
and
quarter-
turn fasten-
ers receive special coverage.
“This comprehensive portfo-
lio of access hardware allows
users to find and specify the
product needed for their applica-
tion or to search the handbook
for new ideas”, says Southco’s
Dan McCourt. “The catalogue
also features a product index
designed to ease the search of
customers trying to meet a spe-
cific need or solve a specific
problem.”
SOUTHCO 0845 117 9222
Access hardware solutions
Want to know more?Then don’t hesitate to contact us on the number below or see page 53
For permanent or temporary fixing the evolution from nails, screws and glue is complete – tesa tape!
Whatever the surfaces you need to bond to and whatever the load requirement, we have a specialist product that will offer youoptimum performance. We can even supply some of our tapes in rolls up to 10,000 metres.
And, as Europe’s largest manufacturer of specialist adhesive tapes, no one is better qualified to offer help and advice on howadhesive tapes can solve a manufacturing problem.
Evolution… Solution.
38
FAST JULY 2009
FASTSPECIAL: HINGES, HANDLES, LATCHES AND HARDWARE
Redditch-based Protex Fasteners has introduced its
highest performance latch to date, the 490-9000 MSZN.
Codenamed Big Bertha, the fastener and dedicated
catchplate have been developed to meet the types of
super heavy duty application found in earthmoving, min-
ing equipment, aggregate conveyors, agricultural plant,
freight and off-highway vehicles.
The zinc plated, mild steel latch assembly achieves
an ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of 7500 kgf and pro-
vides up to 30 mm grip range adjustment. At maximum
capacity, it measures 85 mm wide, 40 mm high and 392
mm long, including catchplate. A sealing facility is also
incorporated in the catchplate as standard, to provide
additional security.
According to Protex’s systems and development
manager, Adrian Symons: “Big Bertha has been devel-
oped to meet customer requirements for reliable fasten-
ing under the most demanding operating conditions,
including extremely high dynamic and vibrational
loads. It perfectly complements our existing fasteners
for light, medium and heavy duty applications. But
with around three times the ultimate tensile strength of
our largest catches, the new model extends our prod-
ucts’ capabilities into a completely new area of high
strength fastening requirements.”
PROTEX FASTENERS LTD 01527 63231
Over-centre catches
FAST JULY 2009
FASTSPECIAL
EMKA continues to expand its
offering of compression technol-
ogy latches with the new
Program 1000 'Compression Lift-
and-Turn' swinghandle style
latches. These are expected to be
particularly helpful for vibration
prone situations for closure of
cabinets/enclosures, especially in
air-conditioning or vehicle equip-
ment access situations, as well as
other similar applications which
require substantial opportunity
for adjustment.
The flush fitting compression
latches feature extensive adjust-
ment of cam position as well as
variety of matching shaft lengths
and cam bends to adjust both
overall depth and tightness of
pull onto the gasket. This enables
great fit flexibility, while stan-
dard security options include
locking, non-locking and tool
operation. A single screw saddle
clamp version accommodates up
to 6mm panel thickness with a
grip range from 6mm to 56mm
dependant upon cam selected and
provides 6mm of gasket pull
down.
Material is die cast, finished
in black powder coat, polished
chrome or satin chrome. Further
information on EMKA products
and services may be found at:
www.emka.co.uk, where it is also
possible to download any part or
the entire EMKA product cata-
logue.
EMKA is promoting its range
of specialist handles and locks
designed for electrical cabinets,
19-inch racks, roadside cabinets,
wall-boxes, cabinet suites, motor
control centres, and related appli-
cations. The 1225 series offers
'extremely simple fitment with
screw-in assembly, IP65 protec-
tion, or hook-in fixing to meet
IP54 standards', says EMKA’s
Andy Billingham.
Units can be locking or non-
locking with various key combi-
nations including EMKA keys
and other generic key-lock types.
The range covers swing-handle
options with a variety of locking
solutions, some with fixed bar-
rels, profile cylinders, padlock
variants, or special security
options.
“An important feature is the
flexibility of the 1225 configura-
tion,” says Billingham. “Single,
double, three-point, and five-
point closure is possible.” Flat
rod systems can also be fitted
inside or outside the gasketed
sealing area, which maximises
useable door area.
EMKA 02476 616505
Compression latches
39
40
FAST JULY 2009
FASTSPECIAL: HINGES, HANDLES, LATCHES AND HARDWARE
The LIN-X hinge from Sugatsune is an innovative
parallel opening door mechanism which opens
smoothly out and to the side and has many advantages
over conventional swing doors and sliding doors. The
space saving design is ideal for hanging cabinets
where there is always a danger of banging your head
or floor cabinets where the gangway can get blocked
by normal swing doors.
Thanks to this motion, flush doors can have a gap
as little as 2mm even with double door installations
where the doors can be opened independently. On top
of this the design allows for the installation of doors
on inside blind corners as would be found in an L-
shaped kitchen or on the outside corners of a cabinet
such as on a kitchen island.
The doors are damped but move freely and can be
stopped at any point in their travel except for the last
few degrees where soft-closing takes place.
Some similar systems require ugly and inconve-
nient external fixings to the cabinet whilst the LIN-X
system is internally mounted in the cabinet using the
same mounting plate as a conventional concealed
hinge. The similarity with concealed hinges continues
with the clip mountable/clip demountable installation
which is now familiar to all cabinet makers and makes
it very easy to install.
SUGATSUNE 01491 680737
Concealed hinge
FAST JULY 2009
41
FASTSPECIAL
Advanced process developments
in steel production driven by com-
petition from lighter materials,
specifically aluminium, means
that modern manufacturing has its
widest ever choice of metal to
metal combinations to work with.
Engineers almost have a ‘pick and
mix’ pallet in front of them hence
the logical combination of differ-
ent metal types in the assembly
process, providing that conse-
quential fixing issues don’t out-
weigh the benefits to the finished
assembly.
It was this development that
drove EJOT to design a flow-
drilling fastener specifically for
high strength assembly of differ-
ent metal types; the self-piercing
FDS. It is the FDS fastener’s abil-
ity to increase thread engagement
in the through draught that makes
it such a unique solution. The
metric female thread forms with-
out creating chips during the
insertion process creating a back-
lash-free thread engagement that
is waterproof, gas-tight and able
to withstand both high pullout and
shear forces.
The technology is used to
good effect in the assembly of the
high performance Lotus Elise.
When engineers at Lotus devel-
oped the chassis for this highly
acclaimed performance car, engi-
neers needed a fastener that was
capable of creating a one-sided
assembly process, which would
effectively eliminate drilling,
punching, and tolerance issues.
The FDS fastener ticked all the
right boxes by providing a proven
capability for high quality assem-
bly of thin steel or aluminium
sheets, without the need for pre-
drilling or punching or the time-
heavy process of lining up holes.
The design team developed a vari-
ation of the FDS fastener capable
of joining different metal types,
whilst maintaining shear resistant
joints.
It was the depth of the EJOT
solution that drove a second UK
high performance
vehicle manufactur-
er to choose the
FDS in a very simi-
lar way, except that
total robotic assem-
bly was achieved.
Fifty fasteners per
aluminium chassis
were programmed
to be inserted into
the structure, many into blind
areas of fixing where insertion is
only possible from one face. The
manufacturers only other option
was to revert to a
welding pro-
cess, which
created
the obvious time heavy issues
along with a need for fume extrac-
tion.
Several types of the FDS fas-
tener have been developed to pro-
vide a solution for a wide range of
assembly propositions; from fully
automatic assembly through to
manual assembly options, with
and without the need for pilot
holes. In manual fixing applica-
tions there are endless examples
where part reduction has been a
significant enough reason to
choose FDS and the fastener has
been adapted for cover
fixings over
electri-
cal contact areas on microwave
ovens, refrigerator door handle
assemblies, electric oven interiors
and drum assemblies in washing
machines; the latter because of the
fasteners strength and resistance
to vibration. Besides providing
one-sided access and extreme
high strength, the fastener is
designed to remove easily, espe-
cially if application recycling is
key.
EJOT UK 01977 687090
Self-piercing fastener creates one sided assembly and parts reduction
Self-pierce fasteningThe increase in the use of self-pierce fastening in recent years has meant that specifiers,particularly in the automotive and construction sectors, have needed to keep abreast of a widerange of products and installation equipment. FAST provides some help with a review of recentintroductions
FAST JULY 2009
42
FASTSPECIAL: SELF-PIERCE FASTENING
A complete range of riveting
machines, which are fully com-
patible with self piercing rivets,
has been launched by
Northwick.. The Adtech machine
range consists of 12 pedestal and
bench mounted riveting
machines which are suitable for
self piercing rivets from 2mm
diameter to 12mm shank diame-
ter. Setting forces of 25 tonnes
can be achieved with the largest
machine in the range.
The machines are designed
for a wide variety of applications
including automotive assemblies,
air conditioning ducts, stainless
steel fabrications and construc-
tion frameworks. The main bene-
fits of using Adtech machines is
that they include an automatic
rivet feed system and a very fast
cycle time of less than 0.5 sec.
They are industrial quality
machines which are an ideal
upgrade from conventional C-
frame portable riveters which are
often seen as being slow and
inconsistent by comparison. It is
also not necessary to use propri-
etary rivets as the Adtech
machines all use a standard rivet
feed hopper system which means
that the rivets do not require any
special carrier or tape mechanism
which can be expensive.
Rivet setting forces are
derived from an electric motor
with a flywheel – of up to 5HP –
and toggle lever powertrain. A
jaw carrier and spindle block
assembly ensures that the setting
force is accurately and consis-
tently delivered to the rivet head
to provide consistent rivet setting
time and time again.
Northwick also offer a design
and development service and
maintain an industrial riveting
Laboratory at their UK premises
in Worcestershire. They are able
to assist their customers in the
design and testing of products
and help develop fully working
solutions including custom built
tooling and fixtures.
Jon Isaacs, Chartered
Engineer and Director of
Northwick commented: “The
Adtech riveting machines com-
pliment our existing range of riv-
eting machines with their capa-
bility for self piercing rivets. This
allows us to offer our customers
a complete choice of solutions
which also includes hot riveting,
roller forming and spiral form-
ing.”
NORTHWICK 01386 555630
As the name suggests SPAC nuts
are designed to self pierce and
clinch and in the majority of
applications, the system pro-
duces a significant cost saving.
SPAC Nuts are available in
sizes from M6 through to M16,
and are suitable to self pierce
through mild steel and up to 1300
MPa UHSLA material. Work is
well underway to achieve self
piercing in 1500 MPa hot
stamped material increasingly
used within the A and B pillars
and door beams within the auto-
motive sector.
Currently the hot stamped
process has the attraction of
reduced weight and increased
strength, however attachments
with fasteners is challenging and
hole position accuracy very diffi-
cult.
The new development – the
NuSPAC Nut – has the ability to
self pierce in this material has the
major advantage of positional
accuracy of 0.2mm at maximum
material conditions.
SPAC Nuts are also suitable
for self pierce applications in alu-
minium and magnesium castings.
This is a big advantage as materi-
al flow is not interrupted by the
pins required to generating holes
in castings.
There are many advantages of
the self pierce system. The prod-
uct can be installed within pro-
gression or transfer dies, reduced
in-place cost without reducing
press speed. They can be auto-
matically fed to the machine
from top, bottom and also from
the side via camming in.
The systems are economical
to purchase and maintain and can
run at speeds in excess of 60
strokes per minute whilst self
piercing. The feed heads run on
nitrogen gas springs so it is pres-
sure rather than distance that
controls nut emplacement
absorbing any tolerance build up
in material or product. This
method ensures more consis-
tences in product performance.
RB&W 01483 822350
Self pierce and clinch nuts reduce process costs
Self piercing riveting technique
FAST JULY 2009
43
FASTSPECIAL: SELF-PIERCE FASTENING
The Aston Martin DB9 has a
body structure fabricated from
high-strength aluminium alloys
and exotic aerospace composites.
When specifying a trim and earth
attachment stud, the designers at
Aston Martin were faced with the
problem of finding a product that
fulfilled all of their stringent
design criteria.
The studs had to be fixed to
anodised aluminium panels, so
welding was not an option as the
anodic film would prevent the
studs from attaching properly to
the panel. The head generated
during welding would have local-
ly damaged the anodic film, thus
compromising the anti-corrosion
performance of the body struc-
ture. They also required a high
degree of electrical continuity, so
they could be used to earth the
many electrical components
attached to the body structure.
Adhesively bonded studs
could not be used, as little current
would pass through the adhesive
layer between the stud and the car
body. And as heavy items of in-
car equipment would be attached
to the body using the studs, the
studs required a high degree of
mechanical strength, torque and
vibration resistance.
Aston Martin's designers
teamed up with Henrob to devel-
op a self-piercing version of the
threaded stud, in both M5 and
M6 variants, that would cope
with the extreme demands placed
on this type of fastener in auto
body applications. The result is
Henrob SPS (Self-Piercing Stud)
technology, comprising the studs
themselves and a new range of
StudTrans fastening systems for
delivering and installing the
studs.
Over 200 Henrob self-pierc-
ing studs are inserted in each
DB9 body in a simple one-shot
process that doesn't need any pre-
drilled hole, is quiet, clean and
repeatable.
HENROB 0121 382 7338
Self piercing stud meets DB9 design criteria
FAST JULY 2009
44
FASTSPECIAL
A range of hand tools that makes
the installation of self tapping fas-
teners for plastics and metal alloys
much easier and quicker, as well as
ensuring a more reliable joint, has
been developed by Tappex
Thread Inserts.
The tools feature a metric
hexagon drive that is more univer-
sal than the previous square drive,
making insertion quicker and easi-
er. The drive is centred to aid align-
ment with pillar drill or mill and an
O-ring prevents the alignment bush
from falling off during use.
The tool's nose is designed to
install the insert to the correct
depth and the spigot on the nose of
the mandrel exactly positions the
fastener sub-flush with the host
material to provide a more reliable
joint.
An extended nose enables the
tools to be used where access is
restricted and the tools can also be
used with a tap wrench.
TAPPEX THREAD INSERTS 01789 206600
Hand tool simplifies fastener installation
MEMFast has announced that it
is offering a lifetime guarantee on
its rivet nut installation tools. “We
can do this because we have total
confidence in the robust design
and construction of the tools,”
says MEMFast’s Ken Hastings.
“This is due to the fact that we
control all aspects of design and
manufacture.
“Since its launch over a year
ago annual sales have exceeded
2000 units and the figure is grow-
ing by the day. Only a handful of
the tools sold have required
replacement parts - mainly man-
drels that have been broken by the
users themselves. We have
replaced these free of charge.”
Ken Hastings explains that the
company is planning to create a
family of hand tools for lighter
and for heavier use. “All of these
will be easy to use and will pro-
vide good access into even the
tightest of applications.
“MEMFast was formed so that
it could offer competitively priced
and high-quality solutions to fas-
tening problems in sheet metal
and other materials with standard
and special fasteners. We soon
recognised that existing hand
installation tools had drawbacks.
We believe that we have over-
come these problems.”
Blind rivet nuts, rubber nuts,
screw anchors, plastic rivets,
threaded inserts (made from bar),
and special fasteners manufac-
tured to meet the requirements of
customers’ drawings are among
other products available from
MEMFast.
MEMFAST 01386 556868
Lifetime guarantee for rivet nut tools
Damar International has
announced that it is to distribute
in the United Kingdom tools
manufactured by Wright Tool in
the United States.
“Wright Tool’s products are
engineered for use in demanding
industries that need maximum
uptime from their plant and
equipment,” explains Damar’s
managing director Brian Martin.
“Its tools are engineered to max-
imise surface contact and min-
imise slippage - features that
help to protect fixings from dam-
age and provide productive ser-
vicing.”
Highlighted within the ranges
of more than 3000 tools are units
that are engineered to handle
high torque, provide a better grip,
and have extended service life.
Damar will provide 'full tech-
nical support' for the tools.
DAMAR INTERNATIONAL 0116 276 4144
US tools available in the UK
Fastener installation toolsProducts and equipment that fall under the installation tools’ banner range fromunsophisticated hand-tools to all-singing, all-dancing machines that can do anything exceptbath the baby. FAST attempts to cover the market by reviewing a variety of new productannouncements.
45
FAST JULY 2009
FASTSPECIAL: FASTENER INSTALLATION TOOLS
A new range of POP Nut threaded
insert pc power tools has been
launched by Emhart Teknologies.
The company’s product specialist
Darren Hull explains that these
tools have been designed “with a
unique pressure control feature
which automatically adjusts the
stroke needed to install the inserts
in applications of varying thick-
nesses. This therefore requires
only an initial set-up for the tool to
set the product in various thick-
nesses within a grip range.”
The new tools also feature a
‘Push-to-start’ thread on
mandrels, single-torque
operation, and quick-
release mandrel systems.
“With an installation cycle
time of two seconds the
tools reduce installation
costs and improve pro-
ductivity.”
Two tools have been
introduced: the
PNT800L-PC
which can install open and closed
inserts in aluminium (M6 to M8)
and steel and stainless steel (M4 to
M8), and the PNT1000L-PC
which can install open and closed
inserts in aluminium, steel, and
stainless steel (M6 to M12).
EMHART TEKNOLOGIES0121 356 4811
Threaded insert power tools
A bench-top power tool test fixture
has been launched by Norbar
Torque Tools. It is designed for
testing pneumatic torque wrench-
es, such as the company’s
Pneutorque range, “allowing users
to bring torque testing in-house
and significantly reduce costs”,
says Norbar’s sales and marketing
director Philip Brodey,
“Users no longer will have to
send their tools away for testing.
Heavy users of pneumatic wrench-
es, such as production lines, will
be able to implement regular tests
with no external cost. Any suspect-
ed issues with a tool can be identi-
fied immediately and corrective
action taken if necessary.
The new testing fixture can be
used in conjunction with the
TruCheck Plus 1000 to simulate
the conditions of a bolted joint on
wrenches with outputs up to
1000Nm. It consists of a joint sim-
ulation ‘rundown’ assembly, ?in
and 1in sockets, and base plate
and fittings.
NORBAR TORQUE TOOLS 01295 270333
Bench-top tester reduces costs
FAST JULY 2009
46
FASTSPECIAL: FASTENER INSTALLATION TOOLS
Cooper Tools has launched a
series of wireless intelligent tools
with communications technology
for tightening safety-critical fas-
teners. Cleco LiveWire with Xbee
communications is a system that
allows up to four tools per line
controller, resulting in a claimed
22% cost savings over traditional
corded tool systems.
Wireless intelligent tools are
ideal for applications requiring
process monitoring and documen-
tation of safety-critical fastening
operations. They offer numerous
advantages over traditional corded
systems, including improved
mobility and ergonomics,
increased productivity, improved
process control, and cost savings.
Dwayne Dupuis, Senior Product
Line Manager at Cooper Tools
explains: “Increased productivity
is a major advantage with wireless
intelligent tools. With the new
LiveWire XBee wireless technolo-
gy, freedom and flexibility com-
bined with real-time wireless
error-proofing has resulted in a
highly versatile and cost-effective
safety-critical solution.”
XBee is a wireless personal
area network (WPAN) based on
the IEEE 802.15.4 hardware stan-
dard,which utilises the unlicensed
2.4 GHz band. It offers users an
alternative to traditional corded
systems as well as earlier wireless
systems.XBee tools consume less
power, resulting in longer battery
life, and have an operating range
of up to 30m.
LiveWire with XBee tools
offer 128-bit Advanced
Encryption Security (AES) and are
best for users who have concerns
about network conflicts with exist-
ing wireless infrastructure or have
relatively basic wireless communi-
cation requirements.
COOPER TOOLS 02476 308961
Models EF and K electric
torque screwdrivers have
been added to its ranges by
Torqueleader.
“These screwdrivers are
designed with precision
control in mind for innova-
tive assembly solutions”,
states Torqueleader’s man-
aging director David
Parsley. “They are suited to
electronic and production
requirements and cover a
range from 5cN.m to
440cN.m.”
The products require an
external controller/power
supply. A driver arm and
other accessories are avail-
able.
TORQUELEADER 01483 892772
Electric torque screwdrivers
Wireless tools offerincreased productivity
47
FAST JULY 2009
FASTSPECIAL
The Thinky ARE and ARV series
of mixing equipment can handle
materials such as adhesives, solder
pastes, alumina and epoxy or silver
paste, and fluorescent materials.
Introduced by Intertronics the
mixers 'have turned mixing from
an art into a science', says manag-
ing director Peter Swanson.
ARE-250 was launched by the
company in 2006 and greatly sim-
plified mixing processes because,
unlike other systems, its planetary
action mixes quickly without
enfolding air which then needs
vacuum removal. This is excellent
for many materials.
“However, there are some
materials in which even the pres-
ence of ‘micro bubbles’ cannot be
accepted. Two new machines now
developed by the company have an
integral vacuum environment
applied while the mixing is in
progress - not afterwards,” claims
Swanson.
”The ARV-310 and the ARV-
5000 offer a much less effervescent
gas removal throughout the mixing
process leaving a completely
homogenous bubble-free mix
without the mess associated with
rapid post-mix degassing.”
INTERTRONICS 01865 842842
Accurate dispensing of small quantities
Adhesive application equipmentWith the use of adhesives continuing to grow the need for specifying the correct preparation,dispensing, and application equipment has never been greater. FAST presents a run-down ofnew products that have been introduced in recent months
Avery Dennison has developed a
new adhesive for durable labels on
electrical and electronic goods
which offers performance similar
to that of solvent acrylics — with-
out the solvent, and at a lower cost.
Based on advanced emulsion
acrylic adhesive technology,
Fasson S8001 can be viewed as a
general purpose adhesive for
labelling electrical and electronic
goods, and can thus reduce a label
converter's inventory complexity
— saving time as well as cost.
The product is available with a
broad choice of well-established
UL-approved Fasson Durables
facestocks, including white and sil-
ver 50µm PET. It is optimised to
meet the needs of the medium- and
low-surface energy plastics (such
as HDPE and polycarbonates) used
in the electronics and electrical
goods industries.
The Fasson Durables Exact no
waste service programme offers
narrow-width rolls, with no
unwanted offcuts for automated
lines although minimum order
quantities can be as low as
100sqm.
AVERY DENNISON 01670 714361
Durables adhesive offers high performance at lower cost
Meter Mix Systems has intro-
duced two machines which have
bought a smile to the faces of those
for whom small shots are a big
problem . The pneumatically oper-
ated PAR2P and the electronic
PAR2E mixing and dispensing
machines are both capable of dis-
pensing shot sizes down to a
minute 0.01cc at a mix ratio of 1:1.
Tony Pell, technical manager
said: “Accurately dispensing tiny
quantities of mixed adhesive is one
of the most difficult challenges
faced by a mixing machine manu-
facturer, when processing materials
at these levels there are many fac-
tors which must be taken into con-
sideration such as material com-
pressibility, matching the mixer to
process times and ensuring shot
repeatability.”
The PAR2E with electric drive
is especially suited to laying micro
beads when used in conjunction
with one of the company’s XY
System coordinate tables.
The units both utilise well
proven technology and have found
many uses particularly in the elec-
tronics and medical industries.
METER MIX SYSTEMS01933 354500
Mixers produce bubble-free materials
48
FAST JULY 2009
FASTSPECIAL: ADHESIVE APPLICATION
Glass sealing machinesIn today’s difficult economic cli-
mate businesses will be forced to
reduce costs wherever possible to
help maintain their competitive
advantage. The use of large vol-
ume two-component materials
such as polyurethane, polysulphide
and silicones can often have extra
hidden costs caused by material
wastage and hazardous waste dis-
posal costs.
The Ecostar range of 2-compo-
nent meter, mix and dispensing
machines from Reinhardt Technik
have been specifically designed for
low maintenance, energy efficient
and reduce material wastage oper-
ations. Eurobond Adhesives is the
exclusive UK distributor for
German machine manufacturer
Reinhardt-Technik, which manu-
factures the Variostar range of
environmentally friendly two com-
ponent material processing
machines.
The Ecostar 250 standard
hydraulic direct-gunning sealing
machine is purpose-built for con-
tinuous edge sealing. It can operate
as either a front-line production
tool or as a back-up for a large
plant's automatic set-up. The
machine has a maximum output of
eight linear metres per minute on
12mm bead and can meter, mix
and dispense two-pack polysul-
phide, polyurethane or silicone
materials.
The machine has robust state of
the art technology and is designed
for use in the most confined spaces
and aggressive of environments.
The hydraulic drive guarantees
constant output at low noise levels
and new design features include an
improved drum operation which is
now simpler than ever and elimi-
nates the risk of trapped fingers on
drum change-over.
Adjustable mixing ratios and a
dosage control unit ensure material
consistency and quality.
EUROBOND ADHESIVES01795 427888
49
FAST JULY 2009
FASTSPECIAL
Flush-head pins
Self-clinching fastenersThe use of self-clinching fasteners can provide reliable solutions in design, assembly, andmanufacturing. FAST takes a look at recent developments
PEM type TP4 self-clinching
flush-head pins can be installed
permanently in stainless steel
sheets down to 1.00mm 'thus help-
ing to contribute to the achieve-
ment of thinner, lighter stainless
designs,' says Michael Rossi,
PennEngineering. “These fasten-
ers satisfy a wide range of posi-
tioning, pivot, and alignment
applications.”
Promoted by the company as 'a
practical alternative to welding' the
pins are manufactured from 400
series stainless steel. They resist
corrosion and are heat-treated for
use in sheet hardness of HRB
92/HB 192 or less, states the
company.
“As far as installation is con-
cerned the pins are placed in pre-
pared mounting holes, then
squeezed using a PEMserter tool
or standard press. The chamfered
end of the pin makes alignment of
the mating hole easy”, says
Michael Rossi. “Once installed,
the pins create a flush-head assem-
bly and lock securely with high
push-out resistance. They become
a permanent part of the stainless
assembly.”
Lengths of the products range
from 0.375in to 1.00in and 8mm to
20mm depending upon the diame-
ter - 0.125in, 0.187in, and 0.25in;
3mm, 4mm, 5mm, and 6mm.
The company also offers PEM
CAPS access hardware, which
incorporates a captive screw
design with a plastic coloured cap
in a spring-loaded assembly to pro-
mote secure attachment and allow
subsequent access. The captive
screw design reduces parts count,
minimises handling issues, and
prevents screws from falling out
or damagingany of the internal
components.
Fasteners are offered in self-
clinching, flaring and floating
mounting styles, to install perma-
nently in panel materials of vary-
ing hardness.
Available in eight standard
colours, the panel fasteners are
installed simply by pressing them
into properly prepared mounting
holes. Their integrated anti-cross-
threading screw technology cor-
rects off-angle installations and
ensures proper alignment.
They conform to the EC
Machinery Directive, which
requires that systems are engi-
neered to remain attached to
guards or machinery when the
guards are removed and are avail-
able in multiple screw lengths,
with thread sizes from 4-40 to 10-
32 and M3 to M5, and feature stan-
dard Size 2 Phillips drive for tool
access and a robust knurled plastic
cap for hand operation.
PENN ENGINEERING 01302 765700
Self clinch nuts join standard rangeHeadland Engineering Developments is pro-
moting its self-clinch fastener series by includ-
ing the products into its standard range.
Manufactured in steel/zinc, stainless steel or
grade 400 stainless steel, self clinching nuts suit
thinner and harder sheet metals. They can be
installed by hand or automatically and are suit-
able for use in punched or drilled holes.
They can be used for sheet thickness up to
3.0mm and installed closed to edge of sheet
with an almost flush finish. A completely flush
self clinch nut is also available. This can be used
in sheets where lack of space prevents the use of
conventional fasteners. It is easy to assemble
into round holes and offers a high pull out
torque and high torque resistance. A flush finish
can thus be provided to both side of the sheet.
Studs to match the above are again easy to
assemble with any squeeze press without dam-
aging decorative finishes on sheets. They offer
high torque resistance and always sit perpendic-
ular to sheet, offering a visual proof of security
but with their heads installed flush with surface
of sheet.
As managing director Allan Nielsen says:
“We have supplied self-clinch fasteners to a
number of our customers for some years and
have now included the products in our standard
range.
HEADLAND 0121 553 7537
FAST JULY 2009
51
FASTPRODUCTS
Three new polyurethane adhesives
have been added to the Araldite
2000 Plus range available from
Huntsman Advanced Materials.
The 2028 product is transparent
and ultra-violet stable as well as
being flexible and fast-curing. It
can bond a variety of plastics,
including polymethyl methacry-
late and polycarbonate, and is suit-
ed to sign bonding, seismic cable,
and general industrial applications.
Excellent gap-filling properties
and high flexibility are cited as the
major attributes of the 2029
polyurethane adhesive. It bonds
copper and brass to composites
and metals and is suitable for use
with larger components that have
a requirement for longer open
time. It is designed for use in the
transport market as well as for
multi-purpose systems for ther-
moplastics and composite bond-
ing and the general industrial
market.
The 2045 is designed for use
in making smaller sub-assembly
plastic components at speed
and with cost-efficiency. Specially
formulated for bonding plastics,
including polycarbonate, acryloni-
trile butadiene styrene (abs),
and polyamides, the adhesive is
stated to offer good gap-filling
properties. Minimal surface prepa-
ration is required and with a 'with-
in the hour' curing time small com-
ponent parts can be produced
quickly.
Huntsman also has introduced
the Araldite 2048 methacrylate
adhesive, described as a multi-pur-
pose adhesive for thermoplastic
and composite bonding developed
to minimise the amount of surface
pre-treatment required on imper-
fect surfaces. It is stated to have a
good ratio between pot life and
time to manipulate the bonded
parts. It forms tough and flexible
bonds with a high peel strength
making is suitable for use in
dynamic environments such as on
boats and in the road and rail trans-
port sectors.
HUNTSMAN ADVANCED MATERIALS 01223 832121
Polyurethaneadhesives
"Mechanical fastening, welding,
and other thermal joining meth-
ods are consigned to the shadows
of history" is the rather dramatic
opening of the notification from
Master Bond that promotes its
metal bonding adhesive which,
according to the company's
Rachel Ruchama, "can be applied
effectively to dissimilar metal
substrates with different melting
points.
The adhesive distributes stress
loads evenly over a broad bond-
ing line rather than a concentrat-
ed area, thereby reducing the
stress on joints."
The company highlights
Supreme 10HT, a one-part, heat-
resistant adhesive formulated to
cure at elevated temperatures. "It
offers excellent bonding perfor-
mance and easy, fast assemblies."
Serviceable over a wide tem-
perature range, the adhesive
exhibits "superior resistance to
impact, thermal shock, vibration,
and fatigue cracking -
important factors that affect
metal bond strength. In addition,
the product withstands severe
thermal recycling and resists
water, oil, fuels, and most organ-
ic solvents", says Rachel
Ruchama.
Supreme 10HT is stated to
achieve strong bonds featuring
high shear and peel strength
between aluminium, brass, titani-
um, steel, etc., as well as between
rubbers and plastics to metal.
MASTER BOND0207 039 0034
METAL BONDING ADHESIVE 'CONSIGNS OTHERMETHODS TO HISTORY'!
FAST JULY 2009
52
FASTPRODUCTS
New foam tapes for the building
and construction sectors have
been introduced by ISO-Chemie.
They are stated to be capable of
filling joints of up to 42mm in
prefabricated concrete, brick-
work, curtain walling, and
cladding panels.
The Bloco range of pre-com-
pressed 600 PUR (polyurethane)
impregnated foam tapes incorpo-
rate fire-resistant qualities, says
ISO-Chemie's Andy Bruce, and
can be used to accommodate
expansion and movement as well
as providing gap seals for weath-
er and air tightness, and remain-
ing permeable to trapped water
and water vapour.
"Quick and easy to apply the
tapes can handle temperatures
between -30ºC and +90ºC and
driving rain. They ensure that a
building is protected against
wind, dust, and moisture ingress
by accommodating changes in
structural movement caused by
environmental, cyclical, and set-
tlement factors." Bloco tapes,
which can be painted over, are
supplied in a number of sizes.
ISO-CHEMIE 01207 566867
Foam tapes fill 42mm gaps
A hand-held flaw detector, with
application-specific software that
allows it to be used for spot weld
testing, has been launched by GE
Sensing & Inspection
Technologies. The 'Spotchecker'
has a wide range of uses, espe-
cially in the automotive sector,
states the company.
"This new instrument does not
require extensive training in
order to learn how to use it", says
product manager Stefan Frank.
"It offers the advantage of an
'expert' weld inspection system
for less qualified people.
"Inspection can be carried out at
the place of welding rather than
having to move welded parts to
dedicated inspection points. This
provides a potential for gains in
productivity."
The Spotchecker has an 8in
liquid crystal display touch
screen, six programmable func-
tion keys, and twin track balls to
improve ease of use.
"With inspections being done
on the production line there is no
need to transport components to
inspection stations", says Stefan
Frank. "In addition, test results
can be transmitted immediately
and 'wirelessly' to a suitable data
base so it is possible to achieve
accurate and reliable feedback to
adjust welding parameters and
eliminate weld defects."
GE SENSING & INSPECTION TECHNOLOGIES 01925 604095
Mobile solution for spot weld testing
Ruland Manufacturing has
announced the introduction of a
series of one-piece and two-piece
clamp-style shaft collars that fea-
ture inch or metric bores, DIN
12.9 socket-headed cap screws,
and high-grade materials and fin-
ishes.
"The use of metric screws
with inch bores is especially use-
ful when either retrofitting or
designing equipment with inch
shafts for worldwide use", says
Ruland's vice-president of sales
Robert Watkins.
The 'International' series is
available from Ruland - a US-
based company represented in
the United Kingdom by Lenze -
in high-grade aluminium with an
anodised finish and stainless steel
screws, lead-free carbon steel,
stainless steel, and engineered
plastic. Bores sizes range from
3mm to 150mm.
"The collars are manufactured
with close attention to the face-
to-bore relationship, ensuring
good alignment and a functional
interface for some bearings",
says Robert Watkins.
LENZE 01234 321321
Shaft collars
Snap-in clips that resist vibration,
corrosion and abrasion, are high-
lighted by Bulte Plastics as
offering "fast and easy assem-
bly". The action of the product's
interlocking gripper teeth "cre-
ates an outstanding bond that is
difficult to remove without dam-
aging the clip".
Standard materials of manu-
facture are nylon (polyamide 6.6)
and POM (polyoxymethylene) -
they resist hot water, greases, and
oils.
Prong diameter of the clips is
7.8mm or 9.7mm - hole diameter
is recommended to be 8.0mm and
10.0mm. Head diameter varies
from 12.0mm to 20.0mm - the
larger size "makes the binding of
soft materials a simple applica-
tion". Standard lengths are
8.5mm and 16.0mm (in the POM
material 13.5mm and 21.0mm
clip lengths are available).
Several head styles are
offered: binder slotted, flat slot-
ted, mushroom, and knurled
thumb.
BULTE PLASTICS 01789 263753
Snap-in plastic clips
Sap-Seal, available from
Thomas Smith Fasteners, is a
re-usable threaded plastic cap
that, when used in combination
with a barrier lubricant, resists
corrosion and physical damage to
a wide range of fasteners.
"The product is effective
under extreme temperature con-
ditions and can be used in off-
shore and onshore applications",
reports the company's Alex
Fielding. "It protects nuts, bolts,
and threads from damage thus
helping to reduce downtime and
maintenance costs."
Available in a range of metric
and imperial sizes from M18 to
M90 (5/8in to 4in) Sap-Seal has
been used in the North Sea oil
exploration and production
industry for some years.
THOMAS SMITH FASTENERS 01942 520260
PLASTIC PROTECTION CAPS
53
FAST JULY 2009
54
FASTPRODUCTS
The TorqSense RWT330/340
series of non-contact torque mea-
surement products is available
from Sensor Technology. They
were developed use in applica-
tions in which space is limited.
As with other units in the
TorqSense family products in the
new series can measure torque,
speed, power, and the position of
rotating shafts such as machine
drives, drive shafts for pumps,
fans, mixers, etc., and in the crit-
ical areas of test rigs.
"Following many requests to
fit TorqSense into very small
spaces the company's designers
have come up with a solution by
separating the sensing head from
the control electronics to form a
two-part unit", explains Tony
Ingham, Sensor Technology.
"Tiny piezo-ceramic combs fixed
to the transducer's shaft distort in
proportion to the instantaneous
torque level.
These create data signals that
are transmitted via a non-contact
radio frequency coupling rather
than by conventional but clumsy
slip rings or high-inertia rotary
transformers. As piezo technolo-
gy requires little power this also
is supplied by the radio frequen-
cy coupling.
"The data signal is transmitted
to the control unit from which it
can be read on an alpha-numeric
display or transferred to a pc for
storage and analysis using the
TorqView software programme."
SENSOR TECHNOLOGY 01295 730746
NON-CONTACT TORQUE MEASUREMENT IN SMALL SPACES The welding of frames for motor-
cycles and bicycles are among
the applications listed by Murex
Welding Products for the TIG
(tungsten inert gas) welding pro-
cess.
TIG is described by Simon
Marks, Murex, as “an extremely
versatile process that can be used
with virtually any weldable met-
als, including dissimilar metals.
It not only possesses high integri-
ty but offers a very high aesthetic
finish. Consequently, welds often
can be left ‘as is’ with no need for
grinding. This is beneficial in
terms of time saved and, of
course, it eliminates any prob-
lems associated with on-site
grinding, such as noise and dust.”
MUREX WELDING PRODUCTS 0800 389 3152
TIG welding
A range of twelve-point bolts, in a
variety of materials and finishes,
is available from SPS
Technologies. Tensile bolts with
this head configuration are
offered in strength levels to
260ksi ultimate tensile strength;
shear bolts are offered in strength
levels to 160ksi shear strength
depending on the choice of mate-
rial. Locking features also are
available.
SPS TECHNOLOGIES 02476 585050
Twelve-point bolts
The HS (High Strength) line of
POP brand blind rivets from
Emhart Teknologies "is targeted
at applications that require
exceptional tensile and shear
strength", says the company's
product manager Ryan Carter.
"In particular, they offer
excellent resistance to rattle and
vibration - critical to the trans-
portation industry."
Available in a range of 6mm-
diameter domed head steel and
aluminium materials the rivets
are designed "to provide positive
mandrel head retention".
Additional performance bene-
fits listed by Emhart include:● Increased blind side expan-
sion.● Consistent clamp force.● Acceptance of oversized
holes.
EMHART TEKNOLOGIES 0121 356 4811
Rivets with resistance to vibration
FAST JULY 2009
55
FASTPRODUCTS
The TB2217H low-temperature
cure chip bonder from
ThreeBond "offers curing at
80ºC and addresses an array of
chip bonding issues for manufac-
turers and rework facilities", says
technical services manager Jim
Punt. "This single-component
epoxy provides ease of handling
by syringe and compatibility with
automated dispensing systems to
enable chip retention on printed
circuit boards going through
multi-station lines and wave sol-
dering equipment."
A further benefit cited by Jim
Punt is that with a 220-second
cure time the adhesive can elimi-
nate damage to heat-sensitive
components while, at the same
time, offering a high-speed snap
cure of 60 seconds at 150ºC
where needed.
Whether applied by syringe or
print system the product is stated
to offer component retention that
is free from air bubbles, can dis-
pense at speeds in excess of 30K
dph, gives good dot shape, and do
so without stringing or tailing.
"Prior to curing it provides excel-
lent tack strength that ensures
that there is no component move-
ment or loss during population
and handling."
THREEBOND 01908 285000
Adhesive bonds micro-chips at 80ºC
Micro Plastics has launched a
range of post and pin fasteners
for binding applications. Pins are
moulded in white polycarbonate
material and different length
posts are moulded in white
polyethylene. The combination
fasteners are intended for a one
time assembly and provide a cost
effective method for binding dis-
plays, swatch books for fabrics
and leather and scrap booking.
One size pin fits all lengths of
posts and posts are available in
1/2, 5/8, 3/4, 1 and 1 1/4 inch
lengths. Additional lengths are
available on negotiation when pur-
chased in reasonable quantities.
The posts and pins can be sold
separately but free samples are
available on request.
MICRO PLASTICS INTERNATIONAL02476 614320
Binding fastener for one time assembly
Norbar Torque Tools has
announced that it has introduced
two new Trutorque models to its
range of torque wrenches. "This
increases the range from 1Nm to
300Nm", reports sales and mar-
keting director Philip Brodey.
"The Trutorque is accurate to
±3% which exceeds all interna-
tional standards and, as every
wrench is supplied with a coded
calibration certificate, it makes
compliance and traceability an
exact science."
The objective for Norbar's
designers was the produce a
wrench that is durable and will
stay in calibration even when
used regularly in tough workshop
conditions.
Adjustment is described by
Philip Brodey as "simplicity
itself" with a coarse scale and a
micrometer for fine setting.
"Some torque wrenches require an
arm wrestler to carry out adjust-
ments; the new Norbar models
move with fingertip control." A
further design change is a new
type of handle that incorporates a
lock in order to prevent accidental
adjustment of the set torque.
NORBAR TORQUE TOOLS 01295 270333
TORQUE WRENCHES FOR TOUGH ENVIRONMENTS
FAST JULY 2009
56
FASTPRODUCTS
The Tiger Fixings range of wall ties and com-
mon fixings "provides an effective and labour-
saving method of fastening a variety of fixings
to almost any building material, including
metal, brick, plaster, and glass, without the
need for wall plugs or additional tools, other
than a drill", reports Malcolm Hall, managing
director of Hall-Fast Industrial Supplies.
Fastening is achieved by drilling and twist-
ing "to provide a quick and easy alternative to
wall plugs and clips".
A range of sizes which, says Malcolm Hall,
is being continually extended, is offered to
meet "all situations". Available from stock for
next-day delivery, small pre-pack quantities
can be purchased on-line; bulk quantities can
be obtained direct from the company.
HALL-FAST INDUSTRIAL SUPPLIES 01623 551791
Wall ties and fixings
Millions of blind rivet nuts are
being used to place a strong
female thread into sheet metals,
profiles and hollow sections.
Now using automatic force-con-
trol to ‘pull-up’ the fastener from
one side of the work piece, the
new tool design employs a pres-
sure sensitivity on the setting
stoke, in order to ensure a totally
consistent installation, even when
faced with a variable material
thickness.
A rivet nut setting tool from
Bollhoff Fasteners is fitted with
a twist-to-set, colour coded pres-
sure regulator to accommodate a
variety of blind rivet nuts with
different diameters. To set a dif-
ferent diameter blind rivet nut,
simply wind the adjuster to the
designated colour band.
The new P2007 hand-held
tool is operated by a single trig-
ger movement and engineered for
speed, reliability and ergonomic
use. Once set-up for a given
thread diameter, within an M3 to
M10 overall capacity, the
installer can set as many as fif-
teen blind rivet nuts in a minute.
The performance is demon-
strated by an
ability to set up to M10 stainless
steel with 17Kn of force.
An auto-mount feature, senses
contact with the end of the man-
drel and quickly spins the rivet
nut up against the anvil. On set-
ting, the operator simply main-
tains pressure on the trigger
throughout the cycle, to achieve
totally consistent results. All
that’s required is a pneumatic
supply of 5 to 7bar pressure, with
each cycle using 8 litres of air.
Well balanced, with a soft-feel
grip, the P2007 weighs only 2.0
kg without the nose piece assem-
bly, operates at a noise level of
less than 65dB and a large oil
reservoir minimises tool mainte-
nance. A rubber boot, on the base
of the aluminium body, elimi-
nates metal to metal contact
when resting the tool and the
360° air input connector can be
connected to either side of tool,
depending on operator prefer-
ence. The robust P2007 is pur-
posed designed to withstand the
rigours of use, whether hand
held, suspended from a spring
balance or within an optional ver-
tical-mount kit.
BOLLHOFF 01902 637161
Colour coding regulates nut setting pressure
Kistler Instruments has simpli-
fied the setting-up and operation
of its range of electromechanical
joining modules introduced last
year. The NC Compact System is
a closed system with integrated
controller and firmware that cuts
capital expenditure and installa-
tion costs, reduces susceptibility
to faults and facilitates integration
into existing on-site control envi-
ronments.
Set-up is by a TFT touch
screen operating panel that can be
used for configuring the parame-
ters of a standard joining process,
visualising the process and back-
ing up data. As the operating
panel is not needed for ongoing
operation, a single panel can be
used to configure the parameters
of several joining modules.
The NC Compact firmware,
pre-installed in the servo con-
troller, includes up to 16 force-
displacement monitoring and
integral sequence control pro-
grams. Each program contains up
to three windows; two of which
are for the joining process and
one for the end point. The pro-
gram monitors the joining forces
in the press direction live at a
sampling rate of up to 1 kHz.
The servo controller Profibus
interface can transfer event values
from window evaluation to the
system PLC. The joining process
may be terminated by a config-
urable force threshold (YTE),
force control, force-triggered
positioning and positioning with
or without deformation compen-
sation.
The NC Compact firmware
also includes integral sequence
control with three modes;
Automatic, Stepping and Inching.
Each program has available a
configurable home position, a
return stroke, a joining stroke and
an intermediate position, which
can be traversed or accessed at
different speeds to suit the appli-
cation. The user receives a simple
command or status word for con-
trol purposes over a Profibus
interface.
KISTLER INSTRUMENTS 01256 741550
Joining module gets new set-up system
FAST JULY 2009
57
FASTPRODUCTS
Natural rubber suspension
mounts from Advanced
Antivibration Components
(AAC) are designed to isolate
suspended products that weigh
from 56 up to 112 lb. A popular
use for these vibration isolators
involves their use in suspending
piping in heating, ventilating and
air conditioning – HVAC appli-
cations.
Four mounts, which are iden-
tified as the V10Z72MTG Series,
are constructed with a carbon
steel housing and natural rubber
for the isolator.
The maximum deflection of
these units is 6 mm and their nat-
ural frequency ranges from 7 to
12 Hz. Other AAC rubber sus-
pension mounts are designed to
support weights up to 220 lbs.
They are best suited for hanging
small machines such as fans, dis-
tribution pipes and ducts from
ceilings.
ADVANCED ANTIVIBRATION COMPONENTS 001 516 328 3662
ThreeBond has released a flame
retardant version of its estab-
lished TB1530 series 1-compo-
nent moisture curing elastic
adhesives. The TB1537 is certi-
fied to UL94 V-0 and is both
phosphorous and halogen free.
This makes it especially of inter-
est in electronics and electrical
applications such as bonding of
inverters and converters onto
substrate, motor coils, sensor pot-
ting, sealing of battery packs for
laptops etc.
The main composition of the
TB1537 is a silyl-radical-based
special polymer which cures
rapidly with moisture in the air to
achieve a fast skinning time and
very low shrinkage. The cured
adhesive is a tough elastomer
providing good adhesion to many
substrates. In addition TB1537
can be used for applications such
as sealing or potting where RTV
silicones may otherwise be used.
Since TB1537 does not contain
low-molecular cyclic siloxanes it
does not cause electrical contact
failure. TB1537 is available in
white, black or grey.
THREEBOND 01908 285000
Electro adhesive is flame retardant
Natural rubber suspension mounts
FAST JULY 2009
58
FASTPRODUCTS
Master Bond MB514
polypropylene adhesive etches
away at the bonding challenges
presented by non-polar and low
energy polyolefin surfaces.
Typically, a pretreatment stage,
which may include flame treat-
ment, etching or roughening, is
required before being able to
bond polyolefin substrates.
Specially formulated to eliminate
this time consuming stage, the
MB514 polyolefin based hot melt
is particularly suited for use on
untreated surfaces of polyethy-
lene, polypropylene and combi-
nations of these substrates.
The only required processing
steps are melting these composi-
tions and then applying the
molten hot melt to the surfaces to
be bonded. Excellent bond per-
formance is retained over a tem-
perature range of -29 to 88°C.
MB514 adhesive is VOC free as
it is comprised of 100% solids
and contains no solvents. Bond
strengths develop rapidly with no
need for clamps or post cure dur-
ing assembly. One of the main
advantages of this polypropylene
adhesive is the rapid speed of
cure, which makes it ideal for
high-speed assembly operations
as the bonds are formed immedi-
ately upon cooling.
MASTER BOND 0207 100 7251
VOC FREE ADHESIVE FOR POLYOLEFIN SURFACES
SPS Technologies is now offer-
ing fasteners manufactured from
a superalloy designated SPS
MP98T. The company says that
this material exhibits a combina-
tion of strength, toughness and
corrosion resistance not previ-
ously available in a fastener
material.
The new MP98T fasteners
offer users a minimum tensile
strength of 180 ksi. Typical frac-
ture toughness values on MP98T
specimens tested per ASTM
E1820 exceed 200 KSI .
MP98T fasteners' strength
level and unprecedented fracture
toughness make them suitable for
critical aerospace engine and air-
frame applications. The alloy
also resists embrittlement in
high-pressure hydrogen environ-
ments, such as rocket motors
using liquid hydrogen for fuel.
Nuts and bolts are available in a
wide variety of configurations
and sizes.
SPS Technologies supplies
high-strength fasteners for com-
mercial and military aircraft, jet
engines, high performance piston
engines and other applications
requiring reliability and consis-
tent quality.
SPS TECHNOLOGIES 001 215 572 3305
Fasteners range available in superalloy
Foam tapes manufacturer ISO-
Chemie has introduced its new
sealing tape specifically for the
timber frame housing market.
Named ISO-BLOCO T-Max, the
tapes are designed for multi-
storey timber frame structures
where it compensates for the
large amount of differential
movement (up to 36 mm) which
can occur between the internal
timber wall and roofs and the
external brick or block work.
Incorporating fire resistant
qualities and slow expansion, the
tapes are easy to apply and can be
used to provide a ‘fit and forget’
perimeter seal for windows, par-
ticularly at heads, sills and under
the roof eaves for both weather
and air tightness. They remaining
permeable to trapped water and
water vapour – similar to a flexi-
ble breathable style material for
the building facade – and can be
used in conjunction with the ever
reliable ISO-BLOCO 600 or
ISO-BLOCO 300 tape on the
jambs depending upon joint size
and economy, providing a com-
patible and continuous weather
seal.
Once installed, timber framed
buildings are better protected
from elemental factors like wind,
dust and moisture ingress by
accommodating the changes in
structural movement caused by
environmental, cyclical and set-
tlement factors. The product
remains permanently flexible
throughout its life expectancy of
25 years plus.
Product can be over painted
with emulsion, and some acrylic,
paints and is compatible with all
standard building materials. It
complies with the relevant UK
Building Regulations, as well as
DIN EN standards, covering ther-
mal conductivity, dimension tol-
erance, impermeamability to
driving rain.
ISO CHEMIE 01207 566874
Sealant tape is in the framefor timber housing gap
Six additions to the popular Pine
Tree Clip range have been
announced by Tech-Fast. The
company claims that its Pine Tree
Clip range has been designed as a
simple, safe, secure yet non con-
ductive panel fastening system.
The clips, which are also known
as Fir Tree Buttons, have long
been a popular method of secur-
ing two or more panels securely
with a decorative finish.
The new products offer hole
sizes between 5.0mm and
8.0mm, with panels ranges from
1.7mm to 19.0mm & head diam-
eters between 11.0mm and
21.0mm. Sales drawings are
available on line and samples can
be requested through the sales
desk. Tech-Fast is happy to dis-
cuss engineered solutions with
new and existing customers. A
premium range of 26 part refer-
ences is available on the compa-
ny's web-site while additional
parts with specific requirements
are available from the sales desk.
TECH-FAST 0844 357 3502
Pine Tree Clip range extended
GET A PRE-REGISTERED VIPVISITOR BADGE TO SECURE A COMPLIMENTARY £5LUNCHEON VOUCHER AND A FREE MUSEUM PASS WORTH £6.95!
BBee qquuiicckk –– aavvaaiillaabbiilliittyy iiss lliimmiitteedd!!
WHY YOU SHOULD VISIT!
PLUS
● Free Exhibition entry
● Free parking
● Free showguide
● Find new, better ways of fasteningand assembling
● Discover all the latest new fastenersand adhesives
● Meet new, better suppliers
● Capture free advice on your application
● Solve fastening-related problems with the experts
● See how to speed up assembly
● Get inspired – learn about new opportunities
fasteningassembly&s o l u t i o n sEXHIBITION
PRE-REGISTER NOW! VIP pre-registered visitor places are STRICTLY LIMITED.Apply online at www.fastening-solutions-exhibition.co.uk
or by email using [email protected] or by fax on 01844 202267
NationalMotorcycleMuseumADJACENT TO THE NEC, BIRMINGHAM
Thursday 29th October 200910am – 3pmwww.nationalmotorcyclemuseum.co.uk