7 minute read
FOCUS
POSITIONED IN PLASTIC
Torque Magazine rounds up the latest innovations in the nylon and plastic fixings sector with help from SD products, JCP and Mechfast…
SD PRODUCTS
SD Products Ltd is a third‐generation family‐owned business with over 40 years of experience as a stockist distributor of specialist fasteners. The company currently offer over 13,000 unique fasteners and components on its website and frequently update its catalogue with new ranges. SD Products is proud to hold the largest stocked assort‐ment of fir tree buttons, button rivets, scrivets, expansion rivets, removable push type rivets, panel type rivets and trim clips in the UK, according to the group. Low profile and a neat appearance make these fasteners perfect for applications where the fastening cannot be concealed. In some cases, even the fastener itself can be a part of the design. The company offer hundreds of sizes and styles in a variety colours with next day delivery on stocked ranges. Plastic cable, hose and pipe management solutions is one of its largest and most popular categories. These fasteners are very common in the motor vehicle manufacture and numerous industrial applications. SD Products’ stocked selection of plastic captive nuts includes a number of different types ‐ standard, inverted, sealed, bathtub, snap‐in and stand‐off. These fasteners can be installed by hand without the need for additional tools. Captive nuts work best on thin materials, especially in blind locations and when the finish of the surface must be preserved. The applications may include electrical equipment and appliances, automotive industry and machinery. SD Products recently introduced several new lines of moulded fasteners for printed circuit board hard‐ware. This includes PCB supports, male and female spacers, posts and card guides. Products in this cate‐gory are designed to provide a secure hold and spac‐ing between circuit boards and chassis. They can often be found in IT, automotive and telecom applications. Plastic fasteners from SD Products Ltd are produced from high quality RoHS compliant engineering polymers like nylon, polycarbonate and acetal for optimal durability and resilience. Nylon’s non‐corrosive and non‐conductive prop‐erties make them ideal for use in a wide variety of applica‐tions, even in extreme conditions. SD Products offers tooling for new products within four to six weeks. Special materials like heat stabilised and flame retardant nylon are available on request on select ranges. Visit the website for pricing and availability or contact our sales team on...
www.sdproducts.co.uk
JCP CONSTRUCTION PRODUCTS
JCP Construction Products supplies a variety of nylon and plastic fixings including its nylon frame anchor. This fixing provides a matched screw and extended plug for anchoring timber to a wide variety of materials. A strong grip in weaker materials is achieved by the use of a high expansion ratio, and heavy ribbing on the expander which digs into materials such as aerated concrete or lightweight aggregate blocks. To support users of the product, the specialist fixings brand has invested in a detailed animation video showing clearly how these fixings should be installed correctly. Its nylon range also includes the recently launched premium nylon wall plug. Since its introduction to the line‐up, it has grown significantly in popularity across multiple market sectors. Offering superior pull‐out performance, its improved bespoke design offers additional features to its standard nylon wall plugs. A high‐quality PA6 nylon plug, it provides excellent results in many solid base materials including dense concrete blocks, brick, and stone. Its innovative design features a castellated split which guides the screw and keeps it within the plug, whilst anti‐rotation lugs prevent the plug from spinning in the drilled hole. The rimless design provides a clean and tidy flush fit. Available in longer lengths than the standard range, the plug enables deeper embedment. Suitable for use with wood and chipboard screws they provide improved pull‐out performance over the standard range. For more information, please visit or contact your local Owlett‐Jaton sales office.
www.jcpfixings.co.uk
MECHFAST
Nottinghamshire‐based Mechfast has over 40 years’ experi‐ence in supplying quality fasteners at highly competitive prices and specialise in sourcing and distributing industrial fasteners and fixings to a wide range of industries. Mechfast’s supplier partnerships enable the company to react quickly to its customer requirements ensuring quality and continuity is achieved on all new projects and re‐source. Additionally, the group is constantly identifying opportuni‐ties for its customers to maximise value, by developing and maintaining operational efficiency. Mechfast produce a variety of plastic fasteners such as Fir Trees, Scrivets, W Buttons and Drive Rivets. These plastic fasteners offer advantages to using fastenings and fixings manufactured from tougher materials, like steel alloys. Plas‐tic fasteners are produced from high quality engineering polymers: nylon, polycarbonate and polyoxymethylene, more commonly known as acetal. Scrivets or “Screw Rivets” are a fastening system that is quick and simple to use and has the added benefit of being removable. They are perfect for applications where servic‐ing or maintenance is required. Fitting is quick and easy simply by driving the integral screw into the body of the rivet. Removal is performed by unscrewing the centre pin with a screwdriver. Typical applications include automo‐tive, white goods, furniture, audio equipment and marine. Mechfast is able to offer a range of colours including specific RAL numbers where required, however standard colours are Natural and Black. Please check the website for the full range of sizing. Fir Tree Buttons, also known as Pine Tree Buttons, are designed to secure board or sheet materials to a secondary panel or for holding components to panels. The Barbs flex when pushed into the panel hole then spring back to lock securely into place, available in a large range of sizes and styles for different hole diameters and panel thicknesses. Check the website for the full range. Standard colours are natural and black but Mechfast is able to offer different colours on request.
www.mechfast.co.uk
INTRODUCING KARAT AND KARAT TOOLS
KARAT may be an unfamiliar name to some, but the firm works with renowned brands in the US and Europe and is earning a reputation of “German quality, yet Taiwan price”...
KARAT is a professional manufacturer of rivet tools and rivet nut tools based in New Taipei, Taiwan. KARAT offers a wide range of hand rivet tools and rivet nut tools with a one year warranty, while the air‐hydraulic rivet tools and rivet nut tools all have CE Certification, tested and certified by the renowned Germany’s TUV Rheinland. KARAT has a strong R&D Team developing new ranges, while advanced lab equipment, a strict QA system and efficient logistics satisfy the strictest requirements from worldwide customers, most of which are renowned brands in the US and European industrial and professional markets, says KARAT, adding that it enjoys a reputation of “German quality, yet Taiwan price”.
There are more than 50 models within the wide‐ranging product line‐up, including KARAT’s new Air‐Grip Series of Heavy‐Duty Air‐hydraulic Rivet Tools for setting maximum 6.4 mm or 1/4” High Strength Structural (HSS) Rivets. The new Air‐Grip 4H Lock Bolt Air Installation Tool is installed with various Nose Assemblies for setting maximum 1/4” or 6.4 mm Lock Bolts and maximum 1/4” or 6.4 mm High Strength Structural (HSS) Rivets. The robust designs utilise a forged aluminum alloy hydraulic cylinder for strength and durability, while the ergonomic handle design with soft plastic hand grip minimises hand fatigue. The powerful traction force can reach a maximum 23.5 kN or 5,280 Lbf and the extra‐long stroke can reach maxi‐mum 26 mm or 1.024”, depending on different models. Crucially, the KARAT 4H Air Tool can be installed with the original manufacturer’s various nose assemblies and KARAT KUNA‐64 Nose Assembly for wide fastening applications of lock bolts and structural blind rivets as well. The KARAT KUNA‐64 Nose Assembly can benefit users by using a single nose assembly to fasten a wide range of structural blind rivets and standard/commercial blind rivets. The unique design was developed by KARAT’s experienced R&D team, which already has further iterations of the range already in development. The firm concludes: “Honest, trusted and long‐term cooperation are the policies of KARAT. Quality, innovation, performance, warranty and service are the features of KARAT Tools. Try KARAT Tools once, you will trust KARAT forever!”