Direct fix fastening – an open and shut case

By adopting the SHEETracs fastener, supplied by EJOT, the need for locking washers and self-clinching nuts has been eliminated from the production process resulting in savings on component costs and reductions in assembly time. Rob Aldred, Brown's senior production engineer, reports that the company "was aware that EJOT's fastening technology holds some of the world's fastest cars together but before we moved aware from traditional assembly we wanted to subject the fastener to our own testing techniques". The company had to be convinced that the greater torque and stability created through the reduced flank of the fastener would be enough to withstand the continual punishment that the ergonomics of any working environment can generate."This testing simulates a lifetime of use in the most stressful of office situations", explains Rob Aldred."This means that the joints have to withstand repetitive forceful slamming. The simulation used weights of up to 16kg loaded on to the join and the drawers were opened and closed 80,000 times." The fastener, which now has been phased into the production process, is being used for sheetto- sheet fixing in the composition of the pedestal drawers. Meet EJOT at the Fastening & Assembly Solutions Exhibition, RAF Museum Cosford, 29th April 2009 .