A supplement of Design WorldSeptember 2022 Engineering TheInside:mostcommon mechanical tests for fasteners.............................. 86 Profiles: The nuts & bolts behind the business .............................. 90-103 How to fastener problemsloosening best solve Page 82
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When the International Fastener Expo (IFE) launched more than 40 years ago, the aim was to bring manufacturers and distributors of industrial fasteners, precision-formed parts, and machinery tooling together. That goal is still the same.
Impressively, IFE was and still is the largest fastener event in North America. What started as a bi-annual show in Columbus, Ohio, has turned into an annual exposition in Las Vegas, typically attracting more than 650 exhibiting companies and 5,000 attendees from more than 30 countries. Of course, the only exception was in 2020, when the event o ered a unique online “Meet & Match” alternative, given the pandemic.
EDITORIAL Mark your calendars
“We’re also excited to unveil a new AI-powered match-making solution, allowing the audience to schedule meetings before or during the event, view attendees and exhibitors, and send messages — ultimately, making the most of their time at IFE,” share the show organizers. Everything you need to know, including registration, is available at fastenershows.com. We hope to see you at IFE! FE AdobeStock.com |
The Hall of Fame and Young Fastener Professional Awards Ceremony takes place in the afternoon of day two. These awards recognize professionals who’ve made significant contributions to the fastener industry on a national or global scale. Additionally, you can expect a reception party, conference sessions, and the traditional IFE golf tourney.
The Fastener Training Institute is also o ering a full-day, in-person class on day one of the event, entitled: “How Fasteners are Made and What Drives the Cost of a Fastener.” Register to attend, and you’ll be taken into the fastener manufacturing world to explore why these under-appreciated components are complex engineering marvels. (Early bird pricing is available until October 3rd.)
For the first time in IFE history, there will be a keynote speaker.
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Dirk Beveridge is the founder of UnleahWD, which is redefining wholesale distribution. Beveridge is considered one of the top speakers for forwardthinking businesses and associations committed to creating new value in this changing marketplace. His discussion topic: “Innovate! How to Create Relevancy in the Age of Disruption.”
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Two years later, IFE is expected to regain many of its participants and attendees, so mark your calendars for October 17th to 19th at Mandalay Bay on the Vegas Strip. Nearly 80% of attendees have agreed that the International Fastener Expo is a “must-attend” event, according to the show organizers, because it’s so comprehensive — and an excellent excuse to network and connect with those in the industry.
How to best solve fastener loosening problems
Michael Eusanio Application Engineer Optimas Solutions
The goal should be to increase and maintain the proper clamping. A torque versus tension evaluation should be conducted to verify how a specialty product measures up to this goal. This test determines how well a fastener achieves a 82
Specialty locknuts or washers are often used to solve fastened joint loosening problems. Before deciding on a solution, however, it’s important to understand why fastener loosening occurs in the first place. In general, selecting and correctly installing the ideal fastener for an application is the joint design method of choice to alleviate loosening — but there can be more to fastener loosening problems than this simple fix.
When loosening occurs, designers often use specialty products as a remedial solution. Although they sometimes work in specific applications, such components are typically costly and can cover up the root cause of fastener failure. They can also cause new issues if not used properly.
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DESIGN WORLD www.fastenerengineering.com September 2022 83 consistent clamping force to best ensure reliability during subsequent service loads. Understanding joint loosening A properly designed joint with su cient clamping load must be maintained to overcome external transverse and axial loading (service loads) by resisting relative movement through friction. To maintain this load over time, all joint components must withstand the clamping load from the fastener without letting the clamping force relax over time.If the proper clamping load is not maintained, the joint components “slip” relative to each other, and the fastener loosens. Since most specialty products depend on mating components, it’s di cult to compare how well they’ll workStandarduniversally.fasteners are typically marked with a Strength Grade or Property Class, which indicates the yield and tensile strength of the fastener. The nut and bolt should be matched to Fastener parts going down a rail after the washer has been put on for the roll-threading process at Optimas Solutions’ manufacturing facility in Wood Dale, IL.
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The results reflected that almost all tested specialty locking fasteners resulted in more than twice the variation in torque required to achieve the desired clamp load relative to a standard bolt and non-locking nut. The only exception was the AERO-TRALOK.
A cold-header operator reviews the technical data required for the production of fasteners.
Fastening + Joining the same strength as the fastener. For example, if a Grade 5 bolt strength is used, a mating Grade 5 nut should also be used. If there’s only a mating taped hole instead of the nut, the strength of those mating threads should be at least as strong as the bolt. Generally, it’s recommended to use Bolt Strength Grades or Property Classes at 75% of their rated Yield Strength to avoid potential overloading of the bolt during installation and subsequent service loads. These values are published by industry standards. Inch series bolts are usually made according to SAE J429. Grades 1, 2, 5, and 8 are most common, with a few others for specialty uses. The SAE J429 provides the information needed to determine the clamp load associated with 75% of the Yield Strength. The metric fastener strength is specified as a Property Class. The more torque variation a locking fastener has relative to a non-locking fastener, the more chance of achieving too much or little clamp load. This is the recommended manner to ensure the joint is Althoughtight. locking fasteners offer benefits, one potential negative feature is too little clamp load, which increases the chance of loosening. Too much clamp load can also occur, which A comparison of fastener loosening. increases the chance of overstressing the bolt. Since there are many products on the market, the results of an evaluation of a cross-section of the most common types — including specialty washer systems, nut thread modifications, and products that lock because of clamping force — are shown in the diagram, A comparison of fastener loosening A case study M16-2 Property Class 10.9 fasteners were used for this evaluation of torque (washers were not used unless the locking product was a washer or included one). The bolt was tightened to 75% of the bolt’s Proof Load, which was 21,900 lb. (97.5 kN). Thirty tests of each product were conducted in an RS Technologies testing machine with an electronic torque transducer and electronic load cell. The torque required to reach the 21,900 lb. clamp load was measured and recorded. The standard deviation was calculated for each product type.
This specialty locking nut showed a lower variation. Conclusion Although there are many specialty locking fasteners on the market with unique abilities to prevent some form of loosening, many are limited in this respect. For example, a twopiece washer with wedge ramps is effective when the mating components are significantly lower in hardness compared to the washers. But when used against high hardness mating components, they lose their ability to preventWhileloosening.standardprevailing torque locknuts help prevent loosening through vibration — which could have significant consequences — they Connect and discuss this and other engineering design issues with thousands of professionals online WHAT DO THINK?YOU provide little resistance to the loss of a bolt’s clamp load. Care should be taken when solving a fastener loosening problem with specialty products that might add cost and production time, only masking the root cause of the loosening. Using suitable fasteners to do the job in the first place is the preferred method of joint design to avoid unnecessary loosening problems. FE
630.800.6377 / Sales@SetkoFas teners.com DESIGN WORLD www.fastenerengineering.com September 2022 85
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Rob LaPointe | President & CEO AIM Testing Laboratory
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commonmostThe mechanical tests for fasteners
Laboratory analysis for fasteners includes a variety of tests that can be grouped into four broad areas: mechanical, metallographic, chemical, and nondestructive. Nearly all fastener testing required by drawings and manufacturing specifications can be categorized into one of these four major areas. Unless dealing directly with procurement or quality at your company, you might not clearly understand the common fastener tests that qualify your products to be sold in the marketplace. Of these four areas, mechanical is the most fundamental and will be the focus of this article. Mechanical properties of a fastener include hardness, ultimate tensile strength, yield strength, torsional strength, and structural performance. The most fundamental property of a fastener is hardness. The hardness of the metal used to make a fastener influences nearly all the mechanical performance characteristics of that fastener.
Material hardness
The most common scale used to measure hardness in metals is the Rockwell C scale. Typical HRC (Hardness Rockwell C) values range from 20 HRC for soft metal, such as lowcarbon steel, to 60 HRC for high-carbon or tool steel.
Hardness is a material’s ability to resist being scratched by another object. It’s a measure of the sti ness of the structures (molecules, crystals, and grains) that make up the metal used to manufacture screws and bolts. Generally, smaller grain means harder metal. Hardness is measured by pushing a very hard object, typically a diamond, into the metal under controlled conditions and seeing how much the metal being tested deforms.
Rockwell C hardness test with a diamond indenter.
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More deformation means the metal has less resistance to changing shape and lowerLesshardness.deformation means the metal has more resistance to changing shape and higher hardness.
The force at which this happens is known as ultimate tensile strength.
Tensile strength and yield strength are intimately related. They’re both measured when a fastener is pulled along its length, reproducing what happens to it when tightened into an assembly. The fastener is gripped by its head and thread and pulled in a tensile frameThemachine.tensileframe measures the amount of force applied to the fastener and the amount of stretch the metal experiences as a result of the tensile (pulling) force. As the metal is pulled, it stretches like a rubber band. If the tensile force is released, the metal relaxes and returns to its original shape. This is known as elastic or nonpermanent stretch.
If the load on the fastener is allowed to increase continually, the bonds between the molecules will continue to break and rearrange as the material gets thinner. Eventually, it will reach its ultimate thinness and new bonds will not be able to form, resulting in complete separation of the material.
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At a certain load, depending on the type and hardness of the metal, the material deforms permanently. In other words, if the tensile force is released after this critical load, the metal will no longer return to its original shape.
The load value that causes the metal to stretch permanently is known as the yield strength. Yield is achieved because at the yield strength, molecular bonds in the metal begin to rip apart and relocate, forming new bonds to other adjacent molecules.
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Think of stretching a piece of taffy. The taffy will become thinner and thinner as the pulling force is applied until it has reached its thinnest possible state, then it will separate into two pieces for you to share with a friend — it’s much the same as a bolt, but tastier.
Measuring strength
Torsional strength is the fastener’s ability to withstand being twisted. Most fasteners are tightened by twisting them. The thread on a fastener is like an inclined plane or ramp, wrapped around a solid bar. By twisting a threaded fastener into a corresponding threaded hole, the fastener becomes tensioned by running the ramp of one thread up the ramp of the other thread.
A fastener’s ability to gain increased tension is related, in part, to its torsional strength and tensile strength. Torsional strength is measured by holding the fastener firmly, preventing it from rotating and applying a torque (force to rotate an object) until the fastener eventually yields and breaks by twisting it inThetwo.torsional strength of a fastener is most critical at the head-body junction and in the portion of the fastener between the head and the A tensile frame. An illustration of torque when applied to a bolt.
first engaged thread. These are the two areas that fasteners would typically fail due to insufficient torsional strength. Torsional strength is measured in units of torque such as the pound-inch (lb-in) or Newton-meter (Nm). Testing performance Structural performance is the least common mechanical test for fasteners. It could include head ductility and recess torque. Head ductility tests the ability of the head-body junction to withstand bending without failure. Typically, a fastener should be able to withstand a 10-degree bend between the body and the under-head surface without cracking or failure.Recess torque is the limiting torque that can be applied to the drive recess of a screw. Common drive recesses are sockets (hex), six-lobe (Torx), and cruciform (Philips). In this test, the screw is prevented from turning and a measured torque is applied with an end-load pushing the drive bit into the drive recess. The drive recess must handle a minimum torque value without stripping or deforming to satisfy the requirement of the standard. The mechanical tests outlined here are the most common tests for fasteners. There are many more tests that analyze other mechanical performance features, but most fastener drawings or manufacturing standards require, at least, hardness and tensile verification.
FE
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DESIGN WORLD September 2022 89 Connect and discuss this and other engineering design issues with thousands of professionals online WHAT DO THINK?YOU
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six generations of The history behind ARaymond fastening innovations
“Albert-Pierre was my great-great-grandfather, and he was the founder of ARaymond, which today — five, going on six generations later — is still a 100% family-owned business,” shares Antoine Raymond, the company’s CEO. “He was a mechanic and quite innovative, developing a hook fastener for shoes. His initial inventions began in 1865.”
Albert-Pierre Raymond grew up in Grenoble, France, when horses were the modern form of transportation and the world of textiles was big business.
Long before the invention of the automobile, assembly lines, and modern manufacturing, a young man with an entrepreneurial mind decided to start a company.
Albert-Pierre Raymond was indeed innovative and wise, immediately seeking a patent for his concept — which he got seven years later. His shoe hook design used a “helix” fastening concept that was riveted in a single component (typically, in a leather shoe), ensuring that the hook or eye was watertight. This proved useful and popular at the time because it meant lacing boots was possible without the need for additional sewn-on buttons or buttonholes.
Michelle Froese • Editor
Even before this, he had invented a spring based on the mechanical push-button principle. With the right amount of pressure, the spring would release. These early closures led to clip fasteners, thousands of patents, and a global, multi-generational family company. And it all began with easyto-use fasteners for the textile industry 156-plus years ago.
Antoine Raymond, CEO of ARaymond and the great-great-grandson of the company’s founder, Albert-Pierre Raymond.
“Another popular invention followed in 1886. It was the first snap closure, originally for the glove industry,” says Antoine Raymond. “Back then, women wore long gloves that reached almost up to their shoulders and the snap concept let them easily fasten the gloves at the top, replacing more cumbersome buttons.”Atthe time, France was well-known for textile manufacturing and the capital of the glove industry. AlbertPierre supplied the snaps (also known as press-studs, which he patented in several countries, including in the U.S. and Japan), as well as hooks and eyelets that he developed for them. He slowly added to his inventions, which he shipped worldwide. Then, he expanded into Germany. WORLD www.fastenerengineering.com
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“What’s interesting is that since 1865, ARaymond has essentially been doing the same job of designing, developing, and successfully selling some form of the clip fastener — whether it is hooks, snaps, or —clips.”
Antoine Raymond
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In 1955, the company also began a plastic-molding process, o ering the automotive sector options for the widely used clip. Plastic was not subject to rust, like metal, and provided a lighter choice with greater flexibility. Plastic materials can be more easily molded into di erent shapes.“What’s interesting is that since 1865, ARaymond has essentially been doing the same job of designing, developing, and successfully selling some form of the clip fastener — whether it is hooks, snaps, or clips,” he says. “With the growing auto industry, the company continued to expand worldwide. Over time, we established manufacturing hubs in France, Germany, Spain, Italy, the UK, and the Czech Republic. Then, in 1987, we launched the first American subsidiary in Rochester Hills, Michigan.” At first, this was a joint venture with a company named, Mernick Raymond, which lasted about five years before ARaymond became the sole owner and investor.In1989, the company designed its first generation of quick connectors for automotive fuel systems, becoming a world leader in production for the sector — which it maintains to this day.
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“Granted, Europe as we know it today did not exist at the time. Germany was not yet known as ‘Germany,’ and there was still a Duke…the Duke of Baden in the Southwest of the country. But my greatgreat-grandfather became very much a part of this early industrial period of the late 19th century, opening his first subsidiary in 1898,” he says. “It was only 400 kilometers away in Lörrach, but this took him nearly four days to travel there. Today, it takes me fourEventually,hours.” the patent for AlbertPierre’s snap fastener expired and others developed similar concepts. But not before he built up international connections throughout the world, including in the United States. This also meant that he lived through two world wars. “It was enough for him to get through the first war,” says Raymond. “But the business was heavily a ected by the Second World War. At the time, it fell under the Nazi regime who overtook enemy enterprises and, afterward, my great-greatgrandfather had to majorly rebuild — which he did with determination.”
“As these vehicles became increasingly made out of steel, the ARaymond metallic clip continued to serve as fasteners for these parts.”
“Of course, today, we are challenged by the advancing developments of the electric vehicle. But initially, this creation accelerated the global reach of Workers at ARaymond’s original Grenoble, France factory in 1910.
One favorable development after the war was the advancement of the automotive industry. Just before WWII, ARaymond had created the first spring steel clip for the emerging auto industry. After the war, the fastener grew in demand.“Thetextile market was still predominant, and the first automobiles had a lot of it, including leather for their roofs and seats. It made a lot of sense to supply to this sector,” he explains.
“We are currently working hard to support and find success within the new mobility sector, including for electric and autonomous-driving vehicles, car sharing, and so on,” says Raymond. “Mobility is a necessity of human beings. It started with horses, then automobiles, and now it’s gradually changing to become much more respectful of the environment. We want to be part of this change and even a champion of this change.”Inlate 2020, ARaymond launched advanced VDA quick connectors, as one example, which are ideal for the thermal regulation of battery packs in electric and hybrid vehicles.
“My great-grandfather, grandfather, and father were all very involved in the business. In fact, my father worked for more than 40 years, retiring in 1998,” shares Raymond. “I have since been primarily in charge of this enterprise, but I am far from alone. Its accomplishments and success would be impossible without my colleagues and family, of course.”
These are advancements Raymond’s great-great-grandfather would undoubtedly be proud of, along with the long lineage of his family who’ve been part of the company. Every generation has worked at the company since AlbertPierre founded it.
Just one latestARaymond’sofinventions: a forfasteningbiodegradablesolutionagriculture.
Additionally, the company recently developed solar-panel clips that simplify photovoltaic-module assembly, resulting in a significant labor cost reduction compared to the typical use of nuts and bolts. ARaymond also created a range of biodegradable and compostable greenhouse clips designed to support and protect delicate plant stems and heavy
with options for recyclability. This is so important for the environment and the climate challenges we are now facing.”
The next generation and Raymond’s daughter, Audrey Raymond, is already working at ARaymond as an initiative change management coordinator.
“She represents the sixth generation at the moment although many of her cousins are also interested in a future role, so we’ll see how it all comes together.”So,what has Raymond learned throughout his 35 years with the company?
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A few of ARaymond’s first metallic clips, which served the early automotive industry. Today, the company still serves as an expert in fastening and assembly solutions for the automotive market — including for electric vehicles.
The company has also begun supplying to the healthcare sector, manufacturing vaccine caps made of plastic rather than aluminum, and other types of snap caps for medication vials.
“It’scrops.important to us to support innovations that fit within advancing industries and lifestyles,” he says.
the business, and we became a major player for the quick connectors and the clips,” he says. In the ’90s, ARaymond set up manufacturing hubs in Japan and eventually in India, China, Brazil. Then, it slowly moved into Russia and Turkey, offering employment opportunities and furthering its growth. Today, the company is present in 25 countries with 27 production plants, employing about 7,500 people worldwide. Despite an ongoing global pandemic and push toward sustainability, ARaymond shows zero signs of slowing down. Rather, the company is evolving with the times.
“We have several ongoing projects. This includes solutions for not just the development and assembly of fasteners but also methods for their disassembly,
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“I’ve learned that the life of an enterprise is not the machines, processes, or buildings that keep it together. It is always the people that, together, build success. It is their ideas, engagement, commitment, collaboration, and level of trust that make the difference.” Given five, going on six, generations of family success, this statement from the CEO of ARaymond makes sense. FE DESIGN WORLD 95 Learn more about the five generations of ARaymond entrepreneurs at ARaymondLineage.tinyurl.com/
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“When I first started working, I thought my most important personal challenge was to motivate people. After some experience, my understanding grew and I realized that it’s far more important to provide security, safety, and trust to our employees,” he says.
It also helps that the business runs as a connected yet autonomous structure, rather than as one centralized authority. This allows each subsidiary to maintain its own integrity and self-sufficiency — important given the various travel restrictions and supply-chain challenges related to the pandemic — while still provided with a support system.
“It is a bit of a paradox, finding collaboration within autonomy. But the two are a fantastic engine,” says Raymond. “We provide trust and support at the same time.” He adds that there has been usefulness in viewing the business as an adventure. “You have to be willing to take risks while finding acceptance in the outcomes — some will be better than others. But you cannot run a successful business without some risks and a good sense of “Ultimately,”adventure.”headds,
After the uncertainty of the last couple of years, Raymond’s lesson has proved particularly useful. “During times of challenge or turmoil, the solidity of strong values, especially trust, are extremely significant,” he says.
“To be honest, I could write a New York Times’ best-seller on how not to run a company,” he laughs. “Because if it was possible to get wrong, we’ve probably done so at some point.”
Michelle Froese • Editor
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If there’s one thing Craig Penland has learned as a business owner with more than a couple of decades of experience in the fastener industry, it’s how to persevere.
What he fails to mention, however, is everything he has done successfully as the co-founder and current president and CEO of Eurolink, a premier U.S. distributor of metric fasteners.
The rock stars of those hard-to-find metric fasteners Meet Eurolink: 96 September 2022 www.fastenerengineering.com DESIGN WORLD
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“The good news is that we’ve learned a lot along the way. Eurolink turned 21 last summer and had one of its best years in 2021, which tells me that the idea behind the company — its uniqueness — was something the industry needed and still does today,” he shares.
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The idea was to develop a company with a special focus on those rare and hard-to-find metric fasteners manufactured to DIN and ISO standards. This idea was a good one in America because the majority of master importers stock the conventional, standard parts with limited access to the less common metric fasteners. This makes sense from a demand perspective — stock what’s popular and leave the less-accessible parts alone.
“Todd and I both worked for another metric fastener importer, Lindstrom Metric, when we eventually decided to leave and start our own company,” says Penland. “We opened the doors to what we called, Supply Line Fasteners, in the summer of 2000…and from the basement of my house in South Carolina.”
In fact, this was the business model Penland and his brother, Todd, initially followed when they first opened the company in 2000.
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Craig Penland, the co-founder, president, and CEO of Eurolink.
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Although metric fasteners are not considered an “A,” “B,” or high-demand product in the U.S., they are far more commonly used and readily available in Europe. Penland and his brother decided to do something about this and began making trips overseas to build vendor relationships. But re-focusing the company’s direction and purpose also came with challenges. Finding reliable vendors was simple enough (even if most European distributors were shocked to learn of an American company looking for items absolutely no one else was quoting), but figuring out how to ship the items to the U.S. in a cost-e ective and timely manner was another.
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Eventually, the brothers lucked out and found a freight forwarder from Atlanta that was willing to work and grow with them. “There was no guaranteed or immediate success,” admits Penland. “Some weeks, we lost money on the shipment. Other weeks, we’d earn money on the shipment. But Hard at work! Eurolink is headquartered in South Carolina and has plans to break ground and build a new, larger facility in the near future.
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“We realized how important it was to focus on the service aspect of what we were o ering rather than the stocking part. We no longer wanted to be known as a stocking fastener house,” he explains. “Instead, we wanted to be known as the go-to company for those hard-to-find metric fasteners that o ers quality service and e cient delivery.”
The brothers decided to go after OEM sales much like every other local distributor and it proved tough. Trying to stock enough inventory in a basement to ensure quick and e cient delivery was a “Unfortunately,challenge. neither one of us had $10 million or so sitting around to properly build and house inventory, but we persevered for a number of years and did relocate to a small warehouse,” he says. “But we finally decided that serving as another fastener stocking house was not going to cut it. There were too many hiccups.” Before closing shop, however, Penland noticed a pattern. Often enough, a request for quote (RFQ) for certain items would come back as “no stock, no quote” from the master importers.“Atone point, we lost an OEM account because we couldn’t find anybody in the United States to supply a specific type of metric fasteners, even though we knew we could easily get them from Europe. They’re just sitting on the shelves there,” he shares. “But, at the time, no one here was o ering a weekly or routine overseas freight program, so that request — and quite a few others — went unfilled.”
we never gave up because we knew we were fulfilling a need and gap in the market.”InApril 2007, the brothers o cially changed their company name and logo to Eurolink Fastener Supply Service.
“We’ve grown and developed so much over the years, thanks to our partnerships and memberships at various fastener associations in the country. We’ve been able to build our name and reputation to truly be the go-to company for hard-to-find metric fasteners,” says Penland. 98 2022
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It paid o . Those weekly air-freight shipments slowly turned into multiple air freights per week, which turned into monthly consolidated sea-freight shipments, and then multiple monthly consolidated sea freight shipments.
Penland credits a lot of success to his faith, determination, and patience.
Currently, it’s just Penland who continues to work as president and CEO. Unfortunately, his brother passed away in 2013. Penland didn’t let that stop him from persevering, however.
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In S Of?STAY @ H O M E TO U R EURO LINK ISO ISO ISO ISO ISO ISO #eurolinkis20in20 STAY @ H
“We have such a dedicated, hardworking team here. I feel so fortunate. Even when the pandemic hit, no one wanted to work remotely. We purchased laptops and made that possible, but everyone kept coming in. I’m not sure if we’re all old-school or what,” he laughs.
Ever since a client complimented the Eurolink team, referring to them as “rock stars,” the company developed its own rock-star logo, which it includes on a newly designed concert t-shirt every year. This is the 2020 tee, celebrating 20 years in business. Eurolink turned 22 this past July.
“No matter how much education you have in business or marketing, or what have you, you’re simply not going to find every answer on how to run a company from a textbook. There are too many variables,” he says. “So, you have to follow your instincts and be willing to make mistakes, admit to them, and then learn from them. You simply cannot grow without mistakes. It’s not possible.”
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“It’s been interesting because we’ve seen an increase in new item requests. Typically, we wouldn’t see RFQs for those A or B-type of fasteners because they’re commonly sitting on the shelves of master importers here,” explains Penland. “But due to inventory shortages and shipment delays, we’re being asked to quickly fill these orders.”
It certainly has to be a nice change of pace from Penland’s early years running the business. O M E TO U R EURO
“When we originally started a company, I don’t think my brother or I took a salary for the first year-and-a-half or so, and then it was just our mortgage payments for about three years,” he says. “I actually worked as a bartender at night and delivered newspapers in the morning just to make ends meet. I barely slept as my time in-between was spent working at the business. So, it’s great to see what we’ve built up today.”
In terms of growth, Penland’s in the process of closing on land to build the future home of Eurolink in upstate South Carolina. He hopes to begin construction this year. He’s also contemplating expansion out west and, potentially, into Canada.
This is impressive considering Eurolink only has a sta of 10 employees, along with eight manufacturer reps, and ships throughout the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. In 2012, it moved from the small warehouse and quadrupled in size to a facility of roughly 12,500 square feet.
“But we do range in age from 20 to 60-something.”Eurolinkwas deemed an essential business as an importer that supplies parts through distributors to the medical industry, so it remained open. Although its sales were down by about 20% in 2020, as could be expected, it hit a milestone midway through 2021. The company achieved record sales last year, with similar expectations for 2022.
“For today, I’m blessed,” he says. “I get routine compliments about my sales reps…things like, ‘No one takes care of us like they do.’ It’s so nice to hear. And my employees are some of the best people I’ve ever worked with. I have little to worry about because my team has things down. They’re rock stars.” FE
Penland and his wife, Kim, at a fastener event. Eurolink is unique, o ering U.S. distribution of rare and hard-to-find metric fasteners manufactured to DIN and ISO standards.
Not every day, a young Latina working mother is approached by two financiers and asked if she’d like to start her own business — particularly in the early ’90s. But that’s exactly what happened to Louise McKinnis when she worked at a bearings company in Fullerton, California.“Mymom was a bit of an adventurer and knew a good opportunity when she saw one,” shares Suzanne Burks about her late mother.
Michelle Froese • Editor
The legacy of ESP Aerospace Fasteners
Sadly, McKinnis passed about five years ago. Burks had the opportunity to work alongside her mom as she built the company — ESP Aerospace Fasteners, a distributor of fastening hardware for commercial and military aerospace applications — and has since continued the family legacy as company president. “It’s an interesting story,” Burks explains. “Two gentlemen, nearing retirement and about to shut down their sta ng company, essentially headhunted my mom to see if she wanted to start her own company of choice. They o ered to back her financially.”
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Suzanne Burks, president of ESP Aerospace Fasteners, with her sons (from left to right): Cristofer, Daniel, and Matthew. All three have experience working in the family business.
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It’s of little surprise that ESP Aerospace Fasteners has earned and maintained its top-tier supplier status with industry leaders, such as L-3 Communications, L3 Harris, Honeywell FM&T, Lockheed Martin, and Kaman Aerospace.“I’mreally proud of what we’ve built and how we do business,” says Burks. “Take our Honeywell account, for example, one of our largest ones. We went from an approved supplier 30 years ago to an approved ‘dock-to-stock’ supplier — which means we’re also receiving inspection and parts because of the quality we o er. And there’s L3 Harris, which has needed parts no one else can find. But I will. I’ll find the needle in theBurkshaystack.”attributes this dedication and success to the fact that ESP was built on her family’s values. “My grandfather used to share stories about starting a union for workers as a mining engineer in Mexico. We come from entrepreneurs who truly cared about those they worked with,” she says. “It might be old school, but in some ways, I feel like we’ve lost a lot of the eye contact and face-to-face relationships in business. Now, so much is done through a quick email. But we truly value customer connections here, and I love that part of the job.”
At 23 years of age, Burks joined her mom at ESP and has worked there ever since, earning her role as its current president. Last November, the company celebrated 30 years in business.
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And that’s how ESP Aerospace Fasteners was founded. McKinnis was a smart, feisty woman, according to her daughter. She had worked in upper management, had fastener industry knowledge, as well as plenty of contacts on the manufacturing and customer side of the industry, so this decision made sense.
“The company was a start-up with my mom serving as president and maintaining 51% ownership,” she adds. “Within five years, she bought out the two gentlemen and became the owner.”
Burks remembers traveling long distances to pick up parts, inspecting them in her vehicle, and driving them out to an airport base some 160 miles away ESP Aerospace Fasteners relocated to Montclair, CA, in April 2021.
“Initially, it was pretty much just the two of us in a small o ce with two desks, a couple of computers, and a fax machine,” she says. And not everyone at the time believed the business was female-owned. “I remember customers asking to speak to my mom’s husband, assuming she couldn’t possibly be the owner. It infuriated me then, but my mom took it in stride and would simply share that she was divorced and the company president.” Burks used to call her mom “the General” as a joke. “She was all of fivefoot-three, always wore heels, and knew how to make an entrance. Everyone would sti en up when she walked into a room. She was also a lot of fun and extremely kind and giving. But when she meant business, she meant it.”
Fastening + Joining
“The company was a start-up with my mom serving as president and maintaining 51% ownership. Within five years, she bought out the two gentlemen and became the owner.”
— Suzanne Burks
“I want to share what’s possible with high-school students…some of the kids don’t even know what the aerospace industry is or entails, even though it’s Louise McKinnis, the late founder of ESP Aerospace Fasteners. A peek inside the warehouse at ESP Aerospace Fasteners. big in Southern California,” she says. “We have contacts with NASA and JLP, which have programs that could o er scholarships, and I would love to partner or match some of those opportunities and provide for the future.” Like mother, like daughter, in so many ways. Burks’ mother also paved the way for future generations. “I feel like my mom led as an example. ESP Aerospace qualified as a minority, female-owned business back in the ’90s, which opened the door for other women and women minorities… showcasing what was possible 30 years ago,” says Burks. “I’m proud of that and of her. I hope to continue to do the same for minorities today.”
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The result: Burks is continuing the legacy her mom started. Two of her three sons are now also working at the company. One is in accounting and one in sales. The eldest initially worked in shipping and receiving but is currently in college out of state. Burks is also continuing her education. She has an associate degree from Fullerton College and is pursuing her bachelor’s degree in business.“When she was first diagnosed with an illness, my mom told me I could sell the company,” she shares. “I think she wanted to give me permission to move on or do something else I might enjoy. But I love this. And I love working with my sons now. It’s the right fit for me.”
In fact, Burks has plans to give back, primarily to the Hispanic community in her region, via ROP, a regional occupation program. ROP students typically gain a better understanding of how academics relate to careers and can acquire practical experience in a field of interest.
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104 September 2022 www.fastenerengineering.com DESIGN WORLD Flat: Generally used for load disbursement Tab/Lock: Designed to e ectively lock an assembly into place Finishing: Often found on consumer products Wave: For obtaining loads when the load is static or the working range is small Belleville: Delivers the highest load capacity of all the spring washers Fender: Distributes a load evenly across a large surface area Shim Stacks: Ideal for simple AND complex applications
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NBK Acquired Solid Spot’s Plastic Fastener Business and Expanded Lineup
NBK is a manufacturer of Specialty Screws including Plastic Fasteners. In this April, NBK acquired Solid Spot LLC’s plastic fastener business and then, more various product lineup are available such as PEEK, RENY, PC, PVDF, PTFE, POM, etc.
NBK America LLC 307 East Church Road, Suite 7 King of Prussia, PA 19406 Phone: https://www.nbk1560.com/en-US/484-685-7500
A family-owned business since 1955, ND Industries specializes in the development of innovative materials and processes which increase the safety and reliability of fastener assemblies. Headquartered outside Detroit, Michigan, ND serves a global market with divisions across the continental US, facilities in Taiwan, and licensees around the world. ND’s core business revolves around the application of a wide variety of custom formulated materials onto fasteners and assemblies to aid in functions such as locking, sealing, masking, lubricating, and noise and vibration damping. ND also manufactures a line of bottled adhesive and sealant products under the Vibra-Tite brand name for MRO and retail use.
ND Industries, Inc. info@ndindustries.comwww.ndindustries.com
NBK manufactures not only plastic screws but also low profile (low head), miniature size(less than M3), vacuum application, anti-galling, chemical resistance, non-magnetic, and more. Flexible customization is available.
106 September 2022 www.fastenerengineering.com DESIGN WORLD Fastener Engineering A supplement of Design WorldSeptember 2019 covering nuts, bolts, rivets, screws, u-clips, eye bolts, washers and more. EngineeringThis area has long been one of the most read and sought after by our engineering audience! From screws to bolts and adhesives to springs, these critical but often overlooked components are the key to every successful design. FastenerEngineering.com will serve readers in the mechanical design engineering space, providing news, product developments, application stories, technical how-to articles, and analysis of engineering trends. This site will focus on key issues facing the engineering markets around fastener technology, along with technical background on selected components. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: • Special print section in select issues of Design World • Fastener Engineering monthly newsletter LEARN MORE AT: FASTENERENGINEERING.COM Setko Fasteners & Distribution 300 N. Klick St. Unit A • Hampshire, IL 60140 (630)setkofasteners.comSales@SetkoFasteners.com800-6377 SET SCREWS • HEX KEYS • SHOULDER BOLTS • NYLON TIP • SOCKET CAP SCREWS • STAINLESS • METRIC / INCH • ZINC PLATED SOCKETS • SHORT ARM HEX KEYS • 6-LOBE SOCKETS • BUTTON HEAD CAP SCREW • DOWEL PINS • IMPORT / USA • BRASS TIP • STANDARDS / SEMI-STANDARDS • SQUARE HEAD SET SCREWS • HEX JAM SCREWS • LONG ARM HEX KEYS • NYLON PATCH • LOW HEADS 6-LOBE (TORX) KEYS • BUTTON FLANGE CAP SCREWS Please visit us at www.SetkoFasteners.com
