Self-clinching standoffs for ultra-thin stainless steel assemblies

1 min read

PennEngineering has recently introduced a series of self-clinching stainless steel standoffs to provide a fastener solutions for stacking or spacing components on ultra-thin stainless steel panels.

PEM Type TSO4 standoffs are hardened stainless fasteners install reliably and permanently into stainless steel sheets as thin as 0.63mm with only a single mating screw required for final component attachment. They ultimately enable lighter designs by minimising hardware count and offer the added benefit of excellent corrosion resistance for an assembly. The standoffs are manufactured from heat-treated 400 Series stainless steel for use in stainless sheets with maximum hardness of HRB 88 on the Rockwell B scale or HB 183 on the Brinell scale. With the fasteners harder than the host stainless sheet, successful clinching results in their becoming integral parts of an assembly without risk of loosening hardware. These fasteners are available in several styles, including through-threaded or blind threaded versions, and in various lengths with thread sizes from M2.5 to M3.5. The fastener's thread design at the barrel end minimizes the length of the required mating screw and thread-type variations can be specified creating oversized fastener bodies to achieve increased bearing surface, wall thickness, and performance. The standoffs mount simply and quickly by pressing the fastener into a round hole in the host sheet and applying sufficient squeezing force using a standard press to embed the standoff's head flush in the sheet and complete the process. Detailed specifications, installation animation, CAD models, and performance data for these RoHS-compliant fasteners can be accessed at the company's website.