FastenersASIA July 2024

Interwire Industry news

Bumax solves urgent problem

Adaptive secondary mirror

for NASA telescope

Swedish premium fastener manufacturer Bumax was selected to solve a potential galling issue in an adaptive secondary mirror for a NASA telescope in Hawaii. A DX 129 model variant was delivered to TNO to solve a manufacturing error in the adaptive secondary mirror structure. The Dutch organisation TNO had developed an adaptive secondary mirror for NASA’s Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) in Hawaii. Following a manufacturing error that was discovered during the integration phase in the Netherlands, TNO required an immediate fastener solution, in order to be able to proceed with the integration. TNO turned to specialist fastener manufacturer Bumax, which delivered critical fasteners to overcome the galling (wear) issues discovered in the assembly. Within 24 hours, Bumax had supplied TNO with a special variant of its high-performance DX 129 model, designed for strength, ductility and corrosion resistance, which solved the problem.

“Bumax really saved the day at a point in our project when it was critical that we had no delays,” said Matias Kidron, project manager space systems engineering at TNO. “The next day delivery of the screws was quite a feat and was greatly appreciated by our entire project team and enabled us to stick to our schedule.” The Bumax DX 129 EPK fasteners used for this application were a special variant of the standard high-performance DX 129 product grade. DX 129 EPK fasteners have even higher surface hardness, making them almost impervious to galling. They also have the advantage of lower surface roughness and a cleaner finish, which eliminates the need for additional lubrication in applications where contamination or outgassing may be of concern. NASA’s IRTF is a 3m infrared telescope located at an altitude of around 4,200m, at the summit of Mauna Kea on the island of Hawaii. It is operated by the University of Hawaii under a cooperative agreement with NASA. Designed for maximum performance in the infrared portion of the spectrum, it takes advantage of the excellent visibility, minimal water vapour and low thermal background that characterise the atmosphere above Mauna Kea. Bumax fasteners have been chosen for high-profile scientific projects and products including CERN, ISS, Opus Aerospace and the Einstein Telescope project. They have also been used on the European Southern Observatory Extremely Large Telescope (ESO ELT) in Chile, which required a high-strength corrosion resistant solution. Bumax AB www.bumax-fasteners.com

The NASA Infrared Telescope Facility near the summit of Mauna Kea in Hawaii

New headquarters for Fastener SuperStore Fastener SuperStore, a company with 20 years’ experience of online selling and distribution of hardware solutions, has announced the opening of its new headquarters and primary distribution centre in Downers Grove, Illinois, USA. The company’s business model focuses on on-demand shipping of bulk industrial fasteners. demand. Greg Fields, president, said, “As we continue to add products and people, this larger and more modern space will allow us to maintain our pace and expedite our growth curve.” The company has recently added services such as kitting, painting and plating, to expand its product offerings.

offers opportunities for availability and productivity. With an increased inventory capacity, the new headquarters will allow Fastener SuperStore to better meet evolving customer needs. Fastener SuperStore ships more than 95 per cent of online orders the same day, and has recently increased its catalogue by 1,000+ products. Fastener SuperStore, Inc www.fastenersuperstore.com

While the relocation will not change its main operations, the expansion into a larger and better-equipped warehouse

With sales doubling between 2020 and 2022, Fastener SuperStore has faced challenges brought by this increased

Graphics bigstockphoto.com/Artist tereh

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July 2024