TRAINING: Courses

Why is fastener training important?

The Fastener Training Institute is once again offering in-person classes throughout the U.S. and has live, monthly online webinars. Review their 2022 classes at fastenertraining.org.

The significance of choosing the right assembly method might not become obvious until an application fails, and the fasteners are to blame. Granted, it’s one thing if a few books fall off of loose shelving. But when it’s a vehicle with loose tire lug nuts or a pressurized bolted flange joint assembly that begins to leak, the outcome might result in a major safety hazard.

Fasteners and bolted joints are critical to the safe operation of many types of equipment in applications including power generation, manufacturing, mining, and transportation. However, fasteners are typically one of the lowest cost items in any structure and are often the most neglected or last considered.

This is, perhaps, one reason fastener training is of low priority in most design and engineering programs. In some ways, this makes sense. Fastener manufacturing is a mature industry, and the majority of producers supply high-volume parts with single-digit defects. Only rarely are the fasteners at fault for failures.

“The vast majority of fastener-related problems arise from improper selection, specification, misuse, or installation,” shares John Wachman, managing director of the Fastener Training Institute (FTI), a non-profit launched by experienced industry professionals to provide fastener product training and continuing education. “But regardless of the cause, a fastener or joint failure can cost lives at worst or simply be a costly inconvenience.”

When designing, manufacturing, or installing the larger assembly, it’s important to avoid overlooking the smaller, critical components that hold it together.

“Fasteners can be simple components,” says Wachman. “Their complexity relates to the vast options that design engineers have when choosing the ideal components for an assembly.”

The wrong choice can lead to shorter product lifespan, poorer performance or failures, and increased labor costs for repairs or replacements.

To ensure fastener reliability and integrity, there are several factors to consider, including the: • Material properties • Temperature (minimums and maximums) • Environmental conditions (humidity, moisture, gas, debris, etc.) • Application stressors (vibration, dynamic loads, shock, etc.).

It’s advisable to choose fasteners that are made of higher quality than the parts that they will hold together. However, there are more questions to ask.

For example: How many fasteners are required for a given application — and to ensure the expected product life? What size, style, and equipment or tools are needed for proper assembly? Will the application need to be serviced and how often?

“There are many fastener options, such as the size, as well as the diameter and length, head style, drive, material, coatings, plus any quality requirements,” Wachman points out. “The fastener industry is also innovative and without current knowledge or training, a superior fastener solution might be missed.”

This means that to ensure the safest, most productive, and cost-e ective products and applications, updated and ongoing fastener education is essential.

Training options Training that enhances the level of technical understanding and expertise of individuals in the industry is critical for a successful industry.

Look for a program that:

• Fully covers fastener products, standards, and specifi cations • Teaches proper fastener selection and installation methods to prevent unnecessary faults and failures • Is hosted by recognized industry experts with years of experience • O ers hands-on training, when possible

Many fastener manufacturers will o er online or in-person training sessions for customers, as do most standards’ organizations — such as the Industrial Fasteners Institute (IFI), the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), etc. Here are a few other options...

Fastener Training Institute (FTI). FTI provides beginner and advanced training on fastener products, standards, and specifi cations, with full-day and weeklong classes (FTI’s Fastener Training Week is an industry mainstay).

“FTI’s core purpose is to enhance fastener use, reliability, and safety by providing fastener product and technical training at all levels,” says Wachman. They also o er live webinars and have an extensive On-Line Training Library. FTI often partners with IFI for its training events. fastenertraining.org

FastenerClass. A global manufacturer of mechanically attached fasteners,

Würth Knowing YouTube Series was inspired by the company’s Fastener Academy training. The online series dives into topics related to fastener engineering, bolted joint design, and proper assembly — covering basic to complex concepts, including a funny story or two. Check it out at youtube.com/wurthindustrynorthamerica. PennEngineering is o ering an opportunity to learn from the leading experts in fastening technology via FastenerClass — and at no charge.

The customized training sessions are designed to give attendees actionable insights from industry experts who cover theory, best practices for fastener selection, application examples, and more.

Participants will also learn how to test and confi rm fastening designs with support from PennEngineering’s PEMedge services, which supports exploring and testing alternative fastening solutions available to design engineers. The aim is to fi nd innovative ways to improve cost, assembly time, strength, weight, and aesthetics. info.pemnet.com/fastener-class

The HYTORC Bolting Institute (HBI). HBI has the goal of educating all of those engaged in industrial bolting to signifi cantly improve the safety, quality, and e ciency of bolting operations. HBI regularly delivers technical certifi cate training classes for a variety of job functions — from operators and technicians to managers and engineers.

HBI also o ers regularly scheduled online public short classes, which are brief, non-certifi cate classes. HYTORC partners with ASME and OSHA to provide standardized technical training that maximizes the educational value. hytorc.com/training

The Würth Fastener Academy. This Academy is tailored specifi cally for its audience. Würth provides in-person training at a company’s facility, with an engineering team that o ers real-world experience and insights. Attendees will learn answers to the complex questions that often come up when dealing with the broad spectrum of fasteners, as well as cost-savings methods and options.

Course objectives include torquetension, corrosion and fastener fi nishes, manufacturing processes, fastener materials and mechanical properties, thread inspection, standards, and more. tinyurl.com/WurthTraining