EJOT to showcase single sided fastening at Advanced Engineering Show

Much of EJOT's focus for the show will examine how process developments in steel production - driven by competition from lighter materials, specifically aluminium - means that manufacturing has its widest ever range of metal to metal combinations to work with. Engineers virtually have a 'pick and mix' pallet in front of them hence the logical combination of different metal types in the assembly process, providing that consequential fixing issues don't outweigh the benefits to the finished assembly. It was this criteria that drove EJOT to design a flow-drilling fastener specifically for high strength assembly of different metal types; the self-piercing FDS. It is the FDS fastener's ability to increase thread engagement in the through draught that makes it such a unique solution. The metric female thread forms without creating chips during the insertion process creating a backlash-free thread engagement that is waterproof, gastight and able to withstand both high pullout and shear forces. Heat generated by the piercing action of the FDS falls well within all safety limits but still gives exactly the right expansion of the joint to create high dynamic safety as shrinkage takes place. EJOT's single sided fastening technology has already been deployed in some of the world's most highly acclaimed performance vehicles where engineers needed a fastener capable of creating a single sided assembly process which would effectively eliminate drilling, punching, and tolerance issues. The FDS fastener ticked all the boxes with proven capability for high quality assembly of thin steel or aluminium sheets, without the need for pre-drilling or punching or the time-heavy process of lining up holes. The EJOT® Applitec design team worked to perfect a variation of the FDS fastener capable of joining different metal types, whilst maintaining shear resistant joints. A second UK high performance vehicle manufacturer has also opted for the FDS in a very similar way, except that this time, total robotic assembly has been 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 manufacturer's only other option was to revert to a welding process which created the obvious time heavy issues along with a need for fume extraction. Several variants of the FDS fastener have now been developed to provide 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. As well as providing one-sided access and extreme high strength, the fastener is designed to remove easily, especially if application recycling is key. EJOT's engineers are manning stand 413 at the show. An 18 page FDS brochure plus further information about the complete range of EJOT's engineering fasteners can be found at www.ejot.co.uk