Thursday 7th Jul 2016
As you know, we manufacture Clinch Studs, CD Studs, Weld bolts, Bolt Loks™ etc. at our Great Barr plant in Birmingham UK. Like any manufacturer we take care to ensure the quality of our products, ensuring that every product is fully traceable from the base material through forging, thread rolling, heat treatment, plating, and dispatch. At Clevtec we try to go the extra mile. Our testing facilities enable us to ensure the performance of our products meets and in many cases exceeds industry norms.
Not working, could be your fault! What many of our customers don’t know is that the performance of the product is often compromised by the way it is set. Many products are set to a torque requirement, particularly in automotive applications.
Many products are set to a torque requirement, particularly in automotive applications.
Did you know the torque performance could be reduced by 25% if the threads have any oil on them?
Don’t compromise on heat treatment
Many products are specified by customers to property class 8.8.
For those of you who are technically inclined, (ref. ISO898 Pt-1).
However, We heat treat our products to 10.9 property class unless specifically requested by the customer.
The reason for this is that 8.8 is on the cusp of needing to be de-embrittled. 320 VPN is the cut off point for products to be de-embrittled (250/320VPN below 16mm diameter).
To avoid any compromise regarding the quality of our products, we choose to heat-treat our products to property class 10.9 because at this level, hydrogen de-embrittlement is mandatory.
10.9 out performs 8.8 mechanically so the influence of lubricated nuts etc. is less significant. More importantly, in the unlikely event of a failure, hydrogen embrittlement cannot be to blame.
In other News.........
The zinc and yellow passivation to be outlawed next year!
We are still asked to produce parts which are Zinc and yellow passivated. Some customers insist on this and will not take the zinc and clear passivation option. Yellow passivation will be outlawed in September 2017, there is some discussion around the certainty of this date but if a chemical supplier can develop a viable economic alternative with the same apparent colour (first across the line wins!) Then the date will hold
Brake lining rivets and the American Clean Water Act
We produce copper brake lining rivets. These may be outlawed in 2021 as a result of the American Clean Water Act. An element of this act was specifically included in order to reduce urban runoff into San Francisco Bay. It has been estimated that 35/60% of urban runoff comes from brake shoes. The obvious answer is to change to steel brake lining rivets that are plated. The problem is that brake linings from countries that do not have rivet setting technology set the rivets by hand (not to be recommended, but it happens). The time line varies from state to state but manufactures are going for 2021. So what? I hear you say. Many environmental laws made in the US migrate to affect Europe; it’s as well to be aware.