Licensing Program Review

TORX® Drive System

TORX PLUS® Drive System

TORX® PARALOBE® Drive System

STRUX® Studs & Nuts

Mag-Form® Fasteners

TTAP® Feature

Rivtex® Studs & Nuts

ClearDrive® Recess

Department OverviewSince 1964, the Acument® Licensing Program has been

active in licensing many patented products to third parties. Based out of Belvidere, Illinois, USA, we license our proprietary products world-wide becoming one of the largest and most successful technology programs in the fastening industry. Our most popular license, still today, is the TORX® drive

system, followed closely by the TORX PLUS® drive system.

Our product licenses are purchased by fastener, drive tool, and heading tool manufacturers. We are always looking for additional companies that want to join our program and meet our requirements to join. The requirements include:

• Are currently, or soon to become, certified to ISO and/or QS9000 quality standards • Arefinanciallystrong • Have an outstanding reputation in their respective markets

As a world-wide leader in the fastener industry, Acument Global Technologies is constantly seeking new technologies to bring to the marketplace. Once the new technology is available, we will add new products to our licensing program to give even more variety for current, and future, licensees to choose from.

Acument Global Technologies, Inc. is owned by Fontana Gruppo of Italy and headquartered in Sterling Heights, Michigan, USA, and is among the world’s leading providers of mechanical fastening systems and value-based fastening solutions, including engineered fastening systems, state-of-the-art fastening installation technology, and inventory management and application engineering services. Acument supplies fastening products, systems, and services to customers in more than 150 countries. Our brands include Camcar® and Ring Screw®.

Table of ContentsDepartment Overview ..............................................2Department Contacts .................................................3Licensing Strategy ....................................................4Licensing Services ....................................................4Product Audits ...........................................................5TORX® Drive System Quality Award ......................5Trademark Usage & Counterfeits ............................6Gage Policy ...............................................................6Licensing Marketing Materials .................................7Transfer of License ...................................................7Technical Seminars ...................................................7Licensed Products: TORX® Drive System ................8Licensed Products: TORX PLUS® Drive System ....8TORX PLUS® Exclusive Products ............................9Licensed Products: STRUX® Stud & Nuts .............10Licensed Products: Mag-Form® Fasteners ..............10Licensed Products: TORX® Paralobe® Drive System ...........................10Licensed Products: ttap® Feature ............................11Licensed Products: ClearDrive® Recess .................11Licensed Products: Rivtex® studs and nuts .............11

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Department ContactsDirector of Intellectual Property and Licensing Steve J. Dixonsjdixon@acument.com

Licensing Marketing & Regional Manager of the AmericasJim Waymanjwayman@acument.com

Licensing Technical ManagerH. Wayne Lincolnwlincoln@acument.com

Gage Sales Cheri Johnscjohns@acument.com

Principal EngineerDavid C. Gossdcgoss@acument.com

AGT Calibration Lab TechJudy Clinejcline@acument.com

Senior MCAD DesignerMelanie Troymtroy@acument.com

Calibration Lab TechPaula Gatespgates@acument.com

Intellectual Property ManagerTanya Garretttgarrett@acument.com

Principal EngineerSteve Donovansdonovan@acument.com

Licensing Services Quality TechnicianMelvin McCurleymmccurley@acument.com

Licensing Regional Manager EuropeRobert KupczykAcument Global Technologies B.V.Vogt 216422 RK, HeerlenThe Netherlands31 45 544 5902 (fax)rkupczyk@acument.com

Licensing Administration & Royalties Linda van de KleutAcument Global Technologies B.V.Vogt 216422 RK, HeerlenThe Netherlands31 45 544 5902 (fax)lvandekleut@acument.com

Asia Licensing Regional Manager (Japan, South Korea, and Thailand)Shigekazu TakahashiAcument Global Technologies, Inc2-405-1 Kounosu, Tenpaku-Ku,Nagoya, Aichi, Japan, 468-000381 52 806 9388 (tel & fax) stakahashi@acument.com

Asia Licensing Regional Manager (China, Taiwan, India, Southeast Asia)Greg ChoiAcument Global Technologies21 Rambai Road,Cantiz @Rambai, #05-03Singapore 424340gchoi@acument.com

Acument Global Technologies830 East Menomonie Street Belvidere, IL 61008U.S.A.815-544-7563 (Fax)www.acument.com/licensing

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Licensing ServicesOnce the agreement is executed and licensing fees are paid,

the new licensee receives access to our NetSpecs® Library which containsalltheconfidentialmaterialon the making of the licensed product. It is at this time that the new licensee becomes part of a world-wide network of partners, and the licensing department becomes the source for a number of services available to that licensee. No matter where the licensee is located in the world, a Licensing Department representative is nearby to provide assistance. Regional representatives are stationed in Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Singapore, and the United States.Thelicensingdepartmentoffersanarrayoffreeservices

to our licensees which include:

• Access to licensed product technology • Access to product design technology • Access to tech training seminars • Use of the product name in ads and promos • Receipt of technology updates • Availability of manufacturing trouble shooting•Accesstoconfidentialproductspecs•Freere-certificationofgages

• Product samples• Tooling assistance• Use of design software • Design assistance• Templates, progressions, and punch designs• Marketing graphics• Fastcalc 3 design program

Licensing StrategyThe licensing of our technology has always been pur-

poseful and thorough. Potential licensees are evaluated on information provided in an evaluation formfilled out bythe inquiring company. Location visits and meeting with companies’ representatives are also arranged as part of the decision-making process on the prospect.

Guidelines for choosing a licensee are non-wavering:

• No license is granted to end-users or dealers; only to OEM’s • The prospect must have adequate engineering and technical marketing capabilities. • Occasionally, a license request is made for one special product or to satisfy orders received from one particular customer. Requests for a license by a company for this situation will not be approved. • The applicant must have adequate production capacity and able to reach a minimum volume in sales. •Theprospectmustbefinanciallystable.

After theconditionsabovearemet, licensesareofferedfor purchase only when one of the following situations exist:

• Our customer requests a second source besides Acument for one of our patented products • Our customer requests our patented product in a part of the world not practical for Acument to service directly. • When we believe that other licensed sources are needed to help develop the market.

Should all conditions be met and the license if purchased, the licensee becomes part of an elite group of manufactur-ers within our program making world-known products. Our Licensing Group provides world-wide continuous support to all regions.

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Each year, licensees who meet our strict product require-ments are awarded our TORX® Drive System World Class Quality Award. To receive this recognition, a licensee must complete six requirements:

• 100% acceptance on audits submitted within year • Atleastthreedifferent parts submitted within year which were manufactured by the submitting licensee • Submit samples within 60 days of request • Submit TORX® drive system gages for re-certificationwithintheprevioustwoyears • Must be a licensee for 24 months and be in good standing •Mustbecertifiedtonationalorinternational standards comparable to ISO 16949, ISO 9000, or QS 9000.

Should all requirements be achieved, the licensee will be recognized in a number of ways:

• Ifafirst-timewinner,awoodplaque(shownabove) will be presented. • For multiple time winners, an engraved plate will be sent to the company to add on to the wood plaque • A press release will be sent to publications around the world. • The press release will be posted on our licensing website. • Winners are announced in licensee newsletter, distributed world-wide.

TORX® Drive System Quality Award

Product AuditsAcument is required by worldwide trademark laws to pro-

vide for a means of controlling the quality of our trade-marked and patented products made by licensees. We do this by auditing samples of our licensed products. Sample fasteners, drive tools, and heading tools are inspected to ensure theymeet the specifications forqualityandwork-manshipascalledoutinourconfidentialstandards.

Product audits take place once a year, or more frequently if determined a need is warranted to do so.

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Audit results are returned with explanations in a form similar to above.

Trademark Usage and Counterfeits

Our licensed product trademarks are registered world-wide and registered with United States Customs and we vigorously protect our trademarks.

It is imperative that any product infringement is imme-diately stopped. By not doing so, end users not only receive an inferior product, but the product could become unrecog-nizable in the mar-ketplace and take

on a generic connotation. We then run the risk of losing our reputation in the marketplace.

We are very active in the pursuit of counterfeit activity. We attend trade shows, review trade journals, and do key-word searches on the internet. We also rely heavily on our licensees to report violations. We are committed to pursu-ing all trademark infringements and counterfeits brought to our attention and will use any resources, including legal action, to protect these trademarks and patents. We are protecting not only our interests, but the interests of our licensees.As a licensee, training on how to spot illegal prod-uct is an important part of the license. The NetSpecs® Library goes into detail explaining the proper usage of the trademarks so there is no mistaking a genuine product versus a generic imitation.

Gage PolicyTo ensure quality control throughout the world for the licensed products, we enforce a strict gage policy for all licensees.All confidential TORX®, TORX

PLUS®, and TORX® Paralobe® drive systems gage manufacturing, re-certification, and sales are pro-cessed solely through the Acument Intellectual Properties, LLC group in Belvidere, IL, USA. Useage of a lab outside of this program for recalibrat-ing purchasing from a gage vendor other than us is prohibited.All sales of confidential gages

are made only to TORX®, TORX PLUS®, and TORX® Paralobe® licensees as these gages are considered proprietary technology belonging to Acument Intellectual Properties, LLC.

End users of TORX®, TORX PLUS®, and TORX® Paralobe® drive systems products requiring receiving inspections gaging may purchase the proper non-confi-dential user gages from the TORX®, TORX PLUS®, and TORX® Paralobe® licensee that manufactured the licensed product for them.

Another way we keep the integrity of the gages and ensure uniform consistency world-wide is by re-certifying all TORX®, TORX PLUS®, and TORX® Paralobe® gages free of charge. The licensee only pays the shipping cost of getting the gages to us. Once the gages are received,

we re-certify them in our A2LA accredited lab and ship them back to the licensee, both at our cost.

We suggest re-certifying all gages at least once per year, depending on usage. More than once per year may be needed if heavily used. Turnaround time at our lab depends on the cur-rent workload.

Licensees are urged to place their own company tracking number on each gage. We will record that number to keep track of the

history of that particular gage.

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Authentic TORX® Drive shown on left, counterfeit “6-lobe” on the right.

Authentic TORX® trademark shown on the lobes of the product.

A certificate showing official re-certification is returned with the gage.

Transfer of LicenseIn this day of mergers and buyouts, there may be concern

about what happens to your license. While it is possible the license could terminate, there are other existing scenarios where the license is not lost.

In case of change of ownership, license rights are only transferred to the new owner upon the approval of Acu-ment.

If a licensee is aquired by a non-licensed manufacturer, the agreement is not extended automatically to the new owner. In such a case, the protection of Trademark and “Know-How” is at risk as the new owner assumes it has acuired the license but in reality, it may not. A new license may be in order.Alicenseemayonlyextenditslicenserightstoanaffil-

iated company if it holds a majority interest (more than 50%) in such company, and the other company is within the licensee’s territory.

Other forms of joint ventures, co-ops or investments in other companies, are notsufficienttoextendlicenserightstosuchaffiliatedcompanies.

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Licensing Marketing MaterialsAs a licensee, resources for promoting the product are

readily available to you. We also promote our licensees in a number of ways.

Our dedicated licensing web page, www.acument.com/licensing, lists licensee benefits, patents, trade-marks, FAQs, and all licensed products and licensees around the world.

Graphics CD’s, containing photos and drawings are available to licensees for creating their own promotional material. Approval of this material is required before distribution.

Product letters with success stories in different markets are available

for licensees to use.Samples of products are avail-

able by contacting your regional licensing rep.

Technical SeminarsOne of the many free services offered to allAcument

licensees is technical seminars. The Licensing Group, at the licensee’s request, will come to your facility, or invite you

to Belvidere, IL, to speak to your group. Your group could be engineers, shop workers, executives, or a mixture of all. We have numerous topics for your seminar interest. Depend-

ing on your need and interest, the seminar could last a coupleofhours,differentshifts,orafullday.A list of topics include (but not limited to):

• Overview of Licensing Department, services and Acument • Manufacturing workmanship • TORX® fasteners variations • Gaging techniques/quality control • TORX PLUS® fasteners variations • New design web tool (FASTCALC 3.0) • Laboratory services • Torx® Paralobe® fasteners • STRUX® studs manufacturing • Product trademarking • Master licensing • Manuals review (NetSpecs® Library) • Mag-Form® fasteners manufacturing

As a licensee, ifyou have a specific topic interest, youwould contact the Regional Manager to create a that pre-sentation.

Licensed Products: TORX® drive system

Our first “technologytransfer” in the late 1950’s was the RAYCARL® pro-cess which was invented by Camcar® tri-founder, Ray Carlson.Soon afterward, Camcar® engineer, Bernard Reiland,

invented a new drive system that became world known over time: the TORX® Drive System.

The TORX® drive system was designed to provide a better option to conventional slotted, hex, and cruciform systems andthedifficultieswithinthesesystems.Withahex-lobulardesign, far less strain on the fastener or tool is recognized. This results in longer life and cost savings in high-perfor-mance and assembly-line applications.BenefitsoftheTORX® drive system include:

• 15° drive angle providing higher torque transfer, little or no end load, and drastically reduced radial forces. • Broad contact surface providing deep lobe engagement. • Straight, vertical sidewalls which increases tool engagement and virtually eliminates camout. • Same-sized drive tool seats both inch- and metric-sized fasteners

Variations of the TORX® drive system are external drive, tamper-resistant drive, dual drive systems, AUDITORX® drive, and tamper-resistant AUDITORX® drivesMany companies will try to pass off a “6-lobe” or

“star” product as an authentic TORX® drive fastener, but the true colors of this look-alike will present itself during install-ment. Unlike TORX® fasteners, there is no consistent qual-ity control program to make all 6-lobe fasteners the same so the probability of poor performance is increased. And Acu-ment will not hesitate to take legal action against any non-licensed company illegally using the TORX® trademark.

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Licensed Products: TORX PLUS® drive system

As the TORX® drive system was an improve-ment on prior drive sys-tems, the TORX PLUS® drive system is an improvement on our own product. Since its introduction, the TORX

PLUS® drive has consistently outperformed every other drive system. Its longer tool life and optimal torque trans-fer have enhanced product reliability, increased productiv-ity, and reduced total assembly costs on assembly line in a multitude of industries around the world. Without question, it is the premier drive system on the market.

What makes TORX PLUS® drive special is the ellipti-cally-based geometry which broadens contact surface to maximize engagement of driver and recess. The 0° drive angle allows use of thinner-walled recesses, and reduces worker fatigue and muscular stress during manual assembly of fas-teners.

Same-sized drive tool seats both inch- and metric-sized fasteners.

TORX® drive tools can be used to remove and re-install TORX PLUS® drive recess fasteners for emergencyfieldservice situations.

Other TORX PLUS® drive variations include tamper-resistant, dual drive systems, external TORX PLUS® drive, TORX PLUS® stem fasteners, TORX PLUS® MAXX, TORX PLUS® stick-fitbit,AUTOSERT® drive feature, and externallow-profilehead.

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TORX PLUS® drive systemexclusives

When a TORX PLUS® drive system license is purchased, the rights to exclusive products and features, found only with this drive system, are obtained.

AUTOSERT® drive featureAUTOSERT® drive feature

is the high productivity answer for high rpm engagement. The compound angle ramps

of the AUTOSERT® drive feature guide

the driver bit into the recess, creating a self-centering and engaging action. It’s the perfect solu- tion for automated, robotic and other assembly situations where the driver bit is continuously rotating (100% engagement at 700 rpm). Benefitsinclude:

• The need to slow down driver bit is eliminated • Increased tool life and assembly time reduced • Camout debris eliminated

External low-profile heads

External TORX PLUS® low-profile head fasteners areengineered to provide optimal torque transfer and extended tool life. The head volume is

lower than hex or pan head fasteners thus saving weight. A special socket is required with this product.Benefitsofusinglow-profileheadfastenersare:

• Provides high strength and torque capability in a low-profilehead • Ensures optimal torque transmission and clamp load • Minimizes space required to accommodate head height • Lower head volume (weight) than hex and pan head fasteners

TORX PLUS® drive systemexclusives TORX PLUS® MAXX

TORX PLUS® MAXX drive system is an enhanced, high strength stem drive version of the TORX PLUS® Drive System that addresses assembly speed, downtime, worker comfort, scrapped and reworked component issues. TORX PLUS® MAXX allows the highest level of torque deliv-ery that can be placed on the end of a fastener or ball stud versus previous design methods. It can bring any prop-ertyclassstudtofullseatingtorquewithoutbreakingoff.TORX PLUS® MAXX is designed to fail in the thread area, not in the drive system.

Licensed Products: STRUX® studs and nuts

Introduced in 1976, STRUX® fasteners offera strong and more reli-able assembly alterna-tive to traditional clinch studs and nuts. The need for expensive and some-

times hazardous welding operations are eliminated.The STRUX® fastener design has been outstanding in

the demanding world of automotive applications. It also has been successfully applied in power tools, appliance industries, and lawn and garden markets. STRUX® fas-tening products are at their best when matched to critical applications requiring high level of assembly strength and joint integrity.

STRUX® fasteners provide optimal performance in steel and aluminum sheet applications that are 2.0mm and over, but too thin to provide adequate thread engagement from screws or bolts.

Once seated, the displacement lobes and retaining groove of the STRUX® stud combine to form a solid, rotation-re-sistant assembly. Torsional and push-out strength are lim-ited by the shear strength of the engagement material.Designvariationsincludesingle-end,double-end,flush-

head, double-grooved, studs and nuts. STRUX® fastener can also be combined with another of our patented prod-ucts, the Acupoint® anti-cross threading feature.

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Licensed Products: Mag-Form® fasteners

Mag-Form® fasteners are designed to eliminate tapping operations while forming strong threads in conventional magnesium die-castings and similar material, with minimal

debris generation.Withwide-spacedthreadsandabroadflankangle,Mag-

Form® fasteners compress, rather than roll-form, threads into the mating material.

Because they produce minimal debris during installation, Mag-Form® fasteners are the optimum solution for critical application such as electronics and air bag modules.

Any external or internal head design and drive system will work with the Mag-Form® fastener design.

Licensed Products: TORX® Paralobe® Drive System

Our newest product, the Torx® Paralobe® drive system, was developed by Acument Global Technologies and born as a result of listening to our customers’ needs and

concerns with other drive systems. It also improves upon thebenefitsofTORX® and TORX PLUS® drive systems by increasing drive bit strength, improving drive bit life, and increasing torque 20% over Torx Plus® drive system: 50% over Torx® drive system!

With “full surface drive contact” reducing drive bit/recess contact stresses, ideal applications for Torx® Paralobe® drive system are ultra high strength fasteners, aerospace fasteners, torque-to-yield applications, cutter screws, miniature screws, and heavy coated fasteners.

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Master Licensed Products: TTAP® feature

Acument Global Technolo-gies has an agreement with TTAPDrive AS to be the Master Licensee of the TTAP® feature. The TTAP® feature, used with TORX®

and TORX PLUS® drive systems, offers another drivesystem alternative to customers.

The advantages of this new dual-system are:• Stick-fit:screwdriver“sticks-fit”intherecess• No wobbling: driver does not wobble and camout

of the recess

• One-handed operation: possible because it is stable, you don’t need one hand on the screw and the other on the driver

• No magnetic bit holder needed: thus there are no steel splinters to clog the bit

• Guiding: screwdriver enters the screw recess more easily (also advantage on collated screws).

Master Licensed Products: ClearDrive® recess

Acument Global Technologies has an agreement with Illinois Tool Works, Inc., to be the Master Licensee of the ClearDrive® Recess. The ClearDrive® Recess will combine with Acument’s TORX®DriveSystemtoofferasolution

forrecessfill.TheClearDrive®Recessflutes,addeedtotheTORX® Drive System, aid in drainage of typical dip-spin finishes,virtuallyeliminatingrecess-fill.

The advantages of this new system are:

• Virtually eliminates filled recess quality problems associated with dip spin (organic coatings)

• Can reduce sorting, thus saving sorting costs

• Reduces assembly damage with improved bit engagement

• Uses industry standard drivers

• Replaces more expensive electroplated coatings with less expensive dip spin coatings

Master Licensed Products: Rivtex® studs and nuts

Acument Global Technologies has an agreement with Nedschroef Schrozberg, to be the Master Licensee of the Rivtex® studs and nuts. The Rivtex® line of clinch and pierce nuts, and studs, are designed to speed installation of

external or internal threads in thinner metal sheet applica-tions. They are an excellent solution for high strength steel sheets and aluminum sheets, where welding is impossible or impractical.

The advantages of Rivtex® studs are:

• Provides high resistance to rotation and pushout

• Can replace welding operations and be used with materials that can not be welded

• Can speed the assembly process

830 East Menomonie StreetBelvidere, IL 61008

USA815-544-7563 (Fax)

www.acument.com/licensing

Acument®, TORX®, TORX PLUS®, Mag-Form®, STRUX®, Camcar®, AUDITORX®, AUTOSERT®, Paralobe® and RAYCARL® are trademarks of Acument Intellectual Properties, LLC, an Acument Global Technologies, Inc. Company. TTAP® is a registered trademark of TTAPdrive AS.ClearDrive® is a registered trademark of Illinois Tool Works, Inc.Rivtex® is a registered trademark of Nedschroef Schrozberg

©2020 Acument Intellectual Properties, LLC 12-10-20