Split fastener carries triple load

There is a move in manufacturing towards using aluminium section kit systems to construct big gantry handling systems and large rigs for aerospace construction applications.

Problem: This leads to increased loads on fasteners. The options are either to use 'D' shaped nuts, with a fastening strength limited by the diameter of the bolt that will go into the slot or T-bolts. These can be made with a head that drops in and twists, but the groove geometry does not then allow sufficient head area to give a good holding power. Moving to a larger section size with wider slots would mean introducing additional products, incompatible with already existing products. Solution: item has added a novel split fastener to its MB Building Kit System that overcomes all problems at a single stroke, providing M12 strength using an M8 compatible slot. Machine Building Systems managing director Stuart Mitchell recently showed Eureka how the 8 M12 fastener is made in two halves. Designed for use with standard Profile 8 grooves, with an 8mm wide slot, the two halves can be fitted into a groove at any point along its length. The halves may be then be slid together. An integrated sprung ball detent holds the two halves together while the nut is attached. The screw element can then be made M12, permitting an 80 Nm tightening torque, more than three times the 25 Nm possible with an M8 element, unless it were made of very high tensile, and expensive, material, with nut to match. Fasteners are made of cast, stainless steel. Applications: Any framework for automated or manual manufacturing, racking, machine guarding or other usage. The MB range currently comprises more than 1400 components. The latest catalogue, just issued, is available from the UK agents, who are based in Ripley, Derbyshire. TS item Industrietechnik und Maschinenbau Machine Building Systems