FastenersAsia July 2023

Industry news

Innovating performance suspension springs In collaboration with electric car company Polestar, Lesjöfors has designed and developed the suspension springs on a limited edition performance vehicle. The Polestar 2 BST edition 270 has been created to push the boundaries of electric performance. It is an expertly tuned, handling-focused performance EV (electric vehicle), hand finished to exact specifications, using zero-tolerance performance parts. Lesjöfors was asked to develop bespoke suspension springs to secure the performance levels required by the advancement in EVs. In a workshop in the Lesjöfors factory in Sweden, equipped with a Polestar test car, suspension spring designs were manufactured and mounted, then tested around the roads of the factory. The suspension spring performance was evaluated and fine-tuned between the Polestar and Lesjöfors engineers. Joakim Rydholm, head of chassis development at Polestar, said, “It was so cool to build and test the suspension spring function on-site, in the factory. Lesjöfors’ service is unique. They have a deep understanding of spring precision. They developed springs that were made just for this car – you could almost say hand crafted with generations of spring specialist knowledge that therefore uniquely delivers the level of quality and performance we require.” Lesjöfors sales manager Olof Jonsson commented, “When Joakim called us and revealed that his CEO wanted to take the DNA of the hugely successful Polestar 2 and reimagine it into a limited Zago recognised by NIST MEP Zago Manufacturing Co, a USA-based manufacturer of sustainable sealing fasteners and components, has been recognised by NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) and MEP

The Polestar 2 BST edition 270 performance EV

edition performance car, which had to be in production in 12 months and needed some very special springs, we knew we had an exceptional project to deliver. “We have a perfect partnership with Polestar. With them, we work as one team. Everyone from the design departments to the material scientists to the operators on the coilers to the paint shop – all worked and learned together to deliver the results Polestar were looking for.” The success of the project has led to a new development that allows regular Polestar 2 owners to order a new lowering kit from Polestar, complete with two front and two rear Lesjöfors suspension springs. Lesjöfors AB www.lesjoforsab.com

that makes other companies more sustainable.” Zago invests within its community and workforce through education and pro fessional development to recruit, nurture and retain talent. It practises continuous improvement, incorporating automated production on the factory floor. Prioritising diversity and education, Zago created “Sustainability 360°”, which offers scholarships, internships, apprenticeships and professional development. The com pany pays 100 per cent tuition for employ ees wishing to pursue advanced degrees. Zago vice president Jackie Luciano said, “It’s not just making the fasteners – that’s one part of what we do here. The bigger part of that is the people, nurturing the people, educating the people, and making sure that they have a future.” Zago Manufacturing Co Inc www.zago.com

(Manufacturing Extension Partnership) as one of its Heroes of American Manufacturing. “We are honoured to be recognised by NIST MEP as an example of American manufacturing at its best,” said Harvey Rottenstrich, co-founder, president and lead engineer at Zago. The company’s sealing fasteners are reusable and pollutant free, and are engineered with a 360° rubber O-ring that prevents contaminants from leaking into or out of equipment and potentially damaging the environment. Zago implements lean manufacturing processes in a 100-year-old refurbished factory with a 50 kW solar panel array on its roof. Gail Friedberg Rottenstrich, co-founder and CEO of Zago, commented, “What makes our company unique is that we are a sustainable company creating a product

NIST MEP has recognised Zago as a “Hero of American Manufacturing”

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July 2023