Fasteners Asia

Industry and technology news from the world of fasteners

September2020

Industry news

Bumax screws hold world’s largest telescope together ❍ The ELT uses a 39m-wide curved mirror

The high strength Bumax 109 fasteners prevent costly damage to the mirror segments. Their corrosion resistance is also essential, as the fasteners are sometimes open to the elements. The bolts are a customised product that required special tools to manufacture. At the customer’s request, the bolts were coated with a special surface treatment commonly used for fasteners used in telescopes. Bumax managing director Patrik Lundström Törnquist said, “This order is yet another testament to Bumax being able to provide the very best fasteners for the most demanding applications. We have also been trusted with supplying fasteners for the CERN accelerator in Switzerland, satellites, submarines, etc.” Bumax AB www.bumax-fasteners.com European Southern Observatory www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/elt

The segments will work together as a single huge mirror to collect 100 million times more light than the human eye. The Bumax fasteners will be used to fix the nearly 800 telescope mirrors to the segment supports. Twelve 10mm-long Bumax 109 M6 bolts per segment will be used for more than 900 segments in total (798 support segments plus an additional 133 segments for a continuous swapping process to allow the mirrors to be cleaned and coated while the ELT stays operational). The ELT is presently under con- struction by the Dutch company VDL ETG Projects in the Netherlands. That company’s project manager, Michael Evers, commented, “Standard stain- less steel bolts lack the strength required for the ELT. We required a 10.9 strength bolt, and with the corrosion resistance of stainless steel. Bumax offered us the perfect solution.”

SPECIALIST stainless steel fasteners manufacturer Bumax has been chosen to supply thousands of high-strength and corrosion-resistant fasteners for the ELT – the Extremely Large Telescope – presently under construction. The Swedish company received the order for 11,000+ Bumax 109 fasteners for the construction of the ELT by the European Southern Observatory (ESO). The €1bn ELT will be the world’s largest telescope when it becomes operational in the dry Atacama Desert in northern Chile in 2024. The ELT is a reflector telescope, collecting universal light using a massive curved mirror that is 39m across – three times the area of the next largest telescope. Such a large mirror cannot be made from a single piece of glass, so it will consist of 798 individual hexagonal segments, each measuring 1.4m across and driven by electrical motors for fine tuning.

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Industry news

Nord-Lock expands and future-proofs production

A new high-tech Nord-Lock facility is taking shape in Mattmar, Sweden, just a stone’s throw from an old barn where the company’s story began, manufacturing wedge-locking washers, over 35 years ago. By expanding its current building from 5,300m 2 of production facility and offices to 8,700m 2 , the company is making a leap forward in its improvement and development work. With the expansion, Nord-Lock will create new and more efficient production lines, introduce new machines with more automation, and offer better premises for optimised workflows.

❍ Nord-Lock is expanding its production facility

“The expansion will also allow us to utilise the heat we produce to heat the building,” said Daniel Eriksson, product manager at Nord-Lock. “There will be 100 per cent heat recovery from production, and all incoming energy is from renewable local sources, such as wind and hydropower.” The water of the nearby Indal River is put to use in Nord-Lock’s cooling system. Even in summer, the water temperature in the river does not exceed 15°C. Other than its products, the only things to leave Nord-Lock are clean water and carbon dioxide. Its wedge-locking washers are used to secure bolted joints in exposed applications all over the world. With applications in mines, bridges, trains, heavy machinery and wind turbines, from 1,000m below the ocean surface all the way up into space, the washers ensure that screws, bolts or wheel nuts do not come loose. The company claims that its engineering team has perfected the coating process, and promises 1,000 hours’ corrosion resistance on all steel wedge-locking washers. The results of salt spray tests performed every week show that the washers, on average, endure over twice as long in the salt spray chamber before any signs of corrosion occur. Customer demand for controlled environments, documentation, environmental considerations, reports and follow-ups is growing. Certifications and standards are important, and an integral part of day-to-day life at Nord-Lock. Customers from all over the world choose to visit the company to discuss solutions with engineers, carry out tests in the development lab and see production on-site.

“Concentrating all our specialist expertise on wedge-locking washers here in Mattmar means we get great depth to our competence,” said Mr Eriksson. “Spreading production across several locations would have diluted that specialist competence. The concentration of expertise under one roof is the whole reason we’ve become what we are today – a world leader in wedge-locking washers.” Erika Olsson, engineer and production support manager, pointed out that laser marking makes every washer traceable down to the steel quality. “Whilst a washer may seem an insignificant product at first glance, it is produced in an

❍ Wedge-locking washers secure bolts in critical applications

extremely high-tech way. Control and accuracy are the hallmarks of the company and evident in everything it does.” Guarantees are important in key construction, such as bridges, industrial machines, and wind and hydroelectric power plants. Nord-Lock has carried out several thousand “Junker tests” and has acquired experience in how to secure bolted joints and bolts. When an international customer was unable to find either a lab or an institute capable of helping them carry out tests on very large dimensions, they turned to Nord-Lock. The engineers accepted the challenge and created the world’s largest Junker machine – “Super Junker” – capable of testing dimensions of up to M48. “Our Super Junker is a testament to our experience and quality assurance in terms of engineering expertise,” said division director Anders Manfred. “It makes us unique in the world. We want to be at the forefront – and even one step ahead of that.” Nord-Lock International AB www.nord-lock.com

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Industry news

Greater demand for wire forms in medical equipment

One of the sub suppliers to the medical technology industry is John While Solutions, a Lesjöfors company based in Singapore. For many years, the company has supplied a wire form – in small quantities – for one of the firms that manufactures medical equipment. Because of the COVID-19 outbreak, John While Solutions has already this year produced many thousands of pieces over and above the shipping in the first quarter of 2020. With a new US government requirement, the number of demanded wire forms is expected to exceed ten times the already-delivered items. Roy Loh, vice president of Lesjöfors Spring Technology in Asia, commented on the extended demand, “We are very happy that we can contribute to fight this pandemic. Our products meet the high standards of the very restricted area of medical equipment and we do our utmost to speed up the production of this particular component and deliver in the requested time frame.” The Lesjöfors Group provides a wide range of springs and pressings to customers in diverse industries around the world. With expertise in high technological, custom-made solutions and a flexible manufacturing capacity, Lesjöfors is a partner for all spring requirements. The group is owned by Beijer Alma – a listed company on the Swedish stock exchange Nasdaq Stockholm AB – and comprises almost 40 manufacturing and sales companies in many countries. Lesjöfors AB www.lesjoforsab.com John While Solutions www.jwsprings.com

The spread of COVID-19 has led to a situation where the worldwide demand for medical equipment is very high. The Lesjöfors company John While Solutions in Singapore has received a large order for a wire form with an important function in life-saving equipment.

The US health care system is under pressure because of the rising number of COVID-19 patients. The USA is, at the time of writing, the worst affected in the world with more than 2,000,000 confirmed cases. To treat the severely ill patients, emergency departments and intensive care units need more advanced medical equipment, and the US government has granted funds for purchasing the required kit. ❍ John While Solutions produces wire forms that meet high medical standards

International showcase of fastener and fixing technologies

Key personnel, including cleaning, medical, food and beverage workers and contractors, will be offered PPE. The communication standards include event signage to display the common signs and symptoms of COVID-19, and actions to take if necessary, as communicated by the appropriate medical and health authorities, as well as public addresses during the show. The Fastener Expo provides a platform for the latest products and innovations shaping the future of the fastener and fixing industry. It also acts as a trading forum and networking environment, offering insights into future technologies and market trends. The Fastener Expo www.thefastenexpo.co.uk

practice, risk-assessed guide and outline measures to consider, or are mandated as a minimum standard, some of which are detailed below. Physical distancing measures include staggered admission; control of crowd density; and the use of technology to minimise queuing and contact during registration, and to facilitate seamless and contactless entry and exit. In the area of cleaning and hygiene, exhibitors will disinfect their stands and exhibits regularly throughout the event, and hand sanitiser stations will be positioned at key locations throughout the venue. Face masks/coverings may be required to be worn by each person entering the event space to prevent the spread of all germs, as part of the “protect and detect” measures, along with separation screens and temperature screenings.

The Fastener Expo, to be held at the NEC, Birmingham, UK, has been rescheduled to 3 and 4 November 2020. The show organisers came to the decision after a long period of time working with the NEC venue staff and other associations and bodies to ensure that an environment can be developed that is both safe and conducive to doing business. The organisers have been working closely with event industry stake- holders to develop the industry-wide ‘All Secure Standards’ alongside the UK government that will allow organised gatherings take place again. The All Secure Standards are made up of four key areas to protect visitors, exhibitors and colleagues, while making events high-quality, productive experiences. Each area provides organisers with a best-

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Products

Tangless and tanged CoilThread inserts ❍ (From left) Thin wall insert, CoilThread insert and solid insert. All three samples have the same internal thread, but CoilThread inserts require the smallest boss diameter

their mil-spec qualifications. The inserts have been thoroughly tested by an independent testing laboratory and are certified to conform to NASM8846. When installed into STI tapped holes (per NASM33537 for unified and MA1567 for metric), CoilThread inserts provide a finish thread meeting the requirement of FED-STD-H28. Assembled CoilThread inserts will also accommodate UNJ (MIL-S-7742 and AS8879) male threaded fasteners. The tangless CoilThread inserts are identical, in form, fit and function, to the conventional tanged inserts (CoilThread, Helicoil and Recoil). The only way they differ is in their method of installation and removal. Kato CoilThread inserts are used in aircraft applications such as engines, gearboxes, fuel systems, radar, avionics, flight controls, lighting and HVAC systems. They are also used by the military and in other electronic, mechanical and commercial applications. The tangless, FOD-free design is the preferred standard for optimum thread assemblies in new fastening system designs. Kato Fastening Systems, Inc www.katofastening.com

to support the internal and external threads. For the same nominal thread size, the parent material thickness requirement is less when compared with thin wall or solid inserts. The resilient design characteristics of CoilThread inserts allow each coil to adjust independently for maximum surface contact with the parent material. As a result, loads are distributed more evenly, and stress and fatigue concentrations are reduced to maximise thread strength, increasing the reliability and life of the fastening system. CoilThread inserts are designed to be installed in reduced-sized bosses or flanges, saving space and weight while providing high strength. A boss radius equal to the nominal bolt diameter is usually sufficient. Precision engineering, exacting manu- facturing standards and stringent quality control procedures during the manufacturing process ensure quality that meets or exceeds applicable military and aerospace requirements. Kato CoilThread inserts have undergone rigorous torque, tension and vibration tests as well as comprehensive dimensional inspections and metallurgical analysis in attaining

Kato tangless and tanged CoilThread inserts are helically coiled fastening devices that provide permanent, wear-resistant threads, exceeding the strength of most parent materials. CoilThread inserts are made of cold-rolled 304 stainless steel wire (AS7245), work-hardened to a tensile strength above 200,000 psi and a hardness of Rc 43-50. The finished surface (32 microinches) is very smooth, virtually eliminating friction-induced thread erosion. Tangless and tanged CoilThread inserts are available in Unified Coarse (UNC), Unified Fine (UNF) and metric thread sizes. In addition to 304 stainless steel, the inserts can be manufactured using Nitronic 60 ® , Nimonic 90 ® , phosphor bronze and other materials. The tangless and tanged CoilThread inserts provide design and manu- facturing flexibility, and are based on a continuous helically coiled open pitch design using a diamond-shaped wire. The diamond-shaped wire design allows the inserts to engage the threads in the parent material and at the same time accept a male fastener, so they do not need a thick wall structure

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Products

Screws, fasteners, technical items and logistics services

North American fasteners Leland Industries Inc was founded in 1984 in a rented facility in Markham, Ontario, Canada, with five employees and two cold heading machines making agricultural bolts that would become the industry standard for grain storage construction. Today, Leland produces domestic fasteners for OEMs and industry, and has expanded to include eight sales branches and warehousing facilities in Canada and the USA, with the recent opening of an office and warehouse in Tulsa, Oklahoma. A 50,000ft 2 expansion of the company’s headquarters has allowed all phases of production and management to be encompassed in one facility, located in suburban Toronto. In company with Canadian Threadall Ltd (CTL), Canada’s largest custom-job manufacturer, Leland offers roll threading, forgings, specials, thread cutting and bent bolts. Leland’s offering includes domestic fasteners from small diameter tapping and wood screws up to A325 structural bolt assemblies in diameters up to ¾". Accreditations include A2LA (testing laboratory) and ISO/IEC-17025. Leland also serves customers in Europe and parts of the Near East. Using only North American steel and labour, the company’s primary focus is on producing bolts, nuts and screws for the agricultural storage and metal building segments of North America’s construction industry. Years of research and experience in the manufacture of long-life fasteners have produced an innovation in the Leland JS1000 ® extreme life plating, which has been shown to remain rust-free in over 1,000 hours of salt spray testing – 20-25 times the corrosion resistance of regular electro-zinc products, and more than the best known coatings. The features of Leland’s JS1000 include reduced tapping torque and less stress on small diameter fasteners; and compatibility with aluminium and other metals used in construction. Leland Industries Inc www.lelandindustries.com

❍ Berardi can supply dowels and anchors

❍ The company has an exclusive partnership with Lee Spring

With more than 45,000 standard products available for prompt delivery, Berardi Bullonerie supplies bolts, screws, springs, anchors, metal and plastic items – both custom and standard. The company selects the most qualified manufacturer for each item, and expert staff perform inspections with cutting-edge machinery. A network of 16 warehouses in strategic locations throughout Italy ensures immediate solutions to urgent requests and prevents downtime. The headquarters, with technical, quality, Kanban and purchasing departments, are combined with a multi-warehouse system that ensures efficiency, flexibility, and customer care with thorough and customised service. Standard products include nuts, brass fasteners, washers, rivets, inserts, eyebolts, round Phillips-head screws, hexagon socket head cap screws, and stainless steel and brass fasteners. For customers who need to purchase fasteners with a high degree of security, the company offers anti-loosening applications, captive screws, Nord-Lock washers and nuts, and vandal-proof screws. The range of over 23,000 types of springs covers any merchandise sector, thanks to a partnership with supplier Lee Spring. The advantages for customers from this exclusive partnership include a minimum order quantity of five pieces, and quick and guaranteed delivery times, with each order that arrives by 12:00 being fulfilled the same day. Berardi Bullonerie also provides light and extended fasteners, from universal nylon dowels to those specifically for plasterboard, concrete, and door and window frames in general. A wide variety of heavy anchors and scaffolding anchors is available, as well as chemical anchors including clamps, insulating materials and professional tips. The company’s branches in Italy are all equipped with warehouses containing thousands of items in stock, and connected in real-time to the semi-automated stocking centre. This 10,000m 2 stocking centre is located at the main office and is supported by a dedicated computer system that can ensure availability and quick shipping. The company also has business offices in Casablanca, Morocco, and Kastav, Croatia. Its foreign business office can help customers in various languages. Berardi Bullonerie www.berardi-screws-bolts.com

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Manufacturing Technology

❍ Mini feeder bowl

Custom feeder solutions LinearGS creates inspection and sorting equipment for a variety of industries. Designed with a handling system that prevents part cubic feet;

lift-up conveyors; custom-tooled centrifugal feeders; and complete escapement and blow systems. The proper servicing of feed and inspection systems requires hands-on experience. If employees at a facility are not specialised in those specific fields, it is likely that the equipment will not be optimised for the best rates. In recognition of this issue, LinearGS assembled a dedicated team of technicians and assigned them the single task of returning clients’ equipment to like-new performance. LinearGS www.lineargs.com

and build equipment to meet a company’s needs, whether it is looking for vibratory feeder bowls, hoppers, visual inspection machines, noise reduction containment units or custom automation equipment. With a focus on quality, the products are built by tradesmen utilising premium materials and manufacturing techniques. During the build process, the team works closely with the customer to ensure they are building precisely the right machine. Custom feeder solutions include standard hang from the head screw feeders; standard invert type screw feeders; custom feeders for sizes from 10" to 43"; custom tooled inline feeder track length, range 8" to 36"; bulk part hopper feed systems from ½ to 19

contamination, the LV, LVD, LM and XLT series are claimed to achieve some of the fastest fastener sorting rates in the industry. The company designs and builds feed systems for a variety of part sizes and configurations. Each unit is custom- designed to meet the specific needs of the customer. The range includes turn- key bulk hoppers, feeder bowls, inline tracks, dead nests, escapements, control packages, machine plates and custom-fabricated machine bases. LinearGS states that it has the knowledge and expertise to design

Graphics bigstockphoto.com Artist Koloj

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Manufacturing Technology

Straighten, cut and chamfer Videx offers straightening and cut machines for both short and long cut lengths. The short cut models cut from 10mm long and up to one or two metres at speeds up to 1,000 cuts per minute. The new long cut models can cut both short and long parts with an unlimited length. The company has added an integral high-speed chamfer cutting station to its line of straightening and cut machines. The chamfers are cut dry and the chips are automatically removed from the cutting area into a waste bin, leaving the work area clean and dry.

A positive grip of the parts during cutting ensures a smooth cut face with no vibrations, as well as longer life of the chamfer carbide tips. The gripping system also allows chamfering on one side only, if required. The Videx chamfer system allows short parts to be chamfered down to 90mm long, and the chamfer length is accurate due to a positioning device that locates the bars prior to chamfering. Videx Machine Engineering Ltd www.videx-machine.com ❍ Videx’s VC-25-MS model

❍ Pointed parts

Two-zone gas-heated belt conveyor oven Grieve Corp has produced a gas-heated, two-zone belt conveyor oven that is currently being used to stress relieve heavy-duty steel springs. The unit has a maximum operating temperature of 850°F and workspace dimensions of 48" W x 360" L x 15" H.

The conveyor includes a 4ft-long open belt loading zone, a 2ft-long insulated unheated entrance vestibule, two 15ft-long insulated heating zones with independent recirculated airflow and temperature controls, a 2ft-long insulated unheated exit vestibule and a 3.5ft-long open unloading zone. Heat is provided by two modulating natural gas burners that supply 1,600,000 BTU/hr. Two 10,000 CFM, 7.5 hp recirculating blowers provide vertical downward airflow over the workload. All safety devices required by IRI, FM and NFPA Standard 86 for gas-heated equipment are included on this Grieve oven, which also features a two-pen, 10" diameter circular chart recorder. Other construction

features include a 42" wide, 1" x ½" flatwire conveyor belt with 1 / 3 hp motor drive; variable speed from 5.8" to 16.1" per minute; 7" insulated walls throughout; a Type 304, 2B finish stainless steel interior; and an exhaust hood over each end of the oven, equipped with a 12" tubeaxial fan driven by a ½ hp motor. The Grieve Corporation www.grievecorp.com ❍ Two-zone belt conveyor oven from Grieve

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Manufacturing Technology

Methods Machine Tools, Inc, a supplier of precision machine tools and automation, has introduced the new MB 450U simultaneous five-axis bridge-type machining centre, for manufacturing complex parts with quality, reliability and accuracy. New five-axis bridge-type machining centre

With its FANUC 31i-MB5 control, the machine is able to perform full five-axis precision machining of challenging parts, reducing the need for multiple setups. Because the control is available exclusively to Methods due to its partnership with FANUC, Methods machining centres are the only machines from Taiwan that can offer the five-axis simultaneous feature. “In addition to having a unique, powerful FANUC control, the MB 450U machining centre is packaged with comprehensive, high-end functionality for exceptional performance,” said Nicholas St Cyr, Methods machining centres product manager. The FANUC 31i-MB5 simultaneous five-axis control has a 15" colour display and offers a range of standard features that include a 2 GB data server, Manual Guide I, AICC II 600 block look ahead, 1 MB of NC memory and 0.4 ms block processing time. The FANUC control offers collision detection with a 3D interference check and Fast Package III with tool centre point control.

❍ MB 450U machining centre

The MB 450U features a 15,000 rpm Big-Plus 40-taper spindle with air-oil lubrication and a spindle chiller for longevity. A 15 hp hollow shaft spindle motor with 1,000 psi (70 bar) coolant-through spindle prep and couple is also standard. The new MB 450U machining centre includes a large-capacity, dual swing-arm-type 48-tool automatic tool changer. Travel is 400mm (15.7") on the X-axis and 350mm (13.8") on the Y and Z axes. The B-axis has -50° ~ +110° tilting capability and the rotary C-axis has a 360° rotation angle.

Offering high machining stability, the MB 450U has a robust bridge-type construction with thermal compensation including 45mm (1.771") linear roller guide ways in the X/Y axes and 35mm (1.377") in the Z axis, and weighs 6,000 kg (13,250 lb). Heidenhain linear scales in the X/Y/Z axes and Heidenhain rotary scales in the B and C axes offer high-precision part production. Kinematic calibration features a spindle probe with a table centre point calibration ball and kinematic software. A laser tool measurement system detects tool wear, damage and breakage, reducing non-productive time and enabling automated operation. Methods’ machining centres were developed by combining years of engineering and service, long-term partnerships with machine tool builders, and the capabilities of Litz Hitech Corp. Each machine is made to Methods’ design and engineering standards, and is backed by the company’s service and support. All machining centres are fully inspected to meet quality and design specifications, and also to be in compliance with ISO/ASME standards. Laser and ball bar testing ensure the performance and accuracy of each machine. Methods Machine Tools, Inc www.methodsmachine.com

❍ Side view of the frame

Automatic snap and loop tie machine

A new design has been introduced to produce snap ties and loop ties of all different styles and lengths.

final products. With the new design, only one machine is required. The machine is fed from a single wire coil and the forming machine requires minimal floor space. Changeover time from one model to another is short, and depending on the model to be produced, pro- duction is in the range of 1,200 to 1,500 parts per hour. Straus-Artys Corporation www.straus-artys.com

❍ Loop tie

Previously, in order to manufacture these parts two machines were required: a wire straightening and cutting machine to produce the lengths, and a long magazine-loaded assembly line with multiple stations for the different steps to produce the

❍ Only a single machine is required

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