Alcoa Designs New Fastener Insert; No Tapping Needed.Reduces Cost and Time and Offers New Applications NEW YORK New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of & MELBOURNE, Australia -- Alcoa (NYSE NYSE See: New York Stock Exchange :AA) announced today that its Alcoa Fastening Systems (AFS A distributed file system for large, widely dispersed Unix and Windows networks from Transarc Corporation, now part of IBM. It is noted for its ease of administration and expandability and stems from Carnegie-Mellon's Andrew File System. AFS - Andrew File System ) business has introduced a new patent-pending insert, called SmartSert, which can be installed in plastic or aluminum-based materials without a pre-tapped hole. The innovative product, which was developed by AFS in Melbourne, Australia, is both cost effective and efficient because steps previously required for thread-forming inserts are eliminated. Manufacturers traditionally used bolts inserted into a tapped hole to fasten items together. If the thread on the bolt or in the hole gets damaged -- or "stripped" -- the connection becomes weak and the product is ruined. The solution was to place a metal insert with a thread formation into the hole, restoring both the connection and the product. Over time, thread forming inserts became standard practice when a bolt connection needed to be strong, such as on aircraft. "One of the major drawbacks of threads is that the preparation for the insert - drilling a hole and then performing a tapping operation to thread the hole - is time consuming and expensive due to the machinery and accuracy required," said Simon Bowen, Director of Operations for AFS Australia. "The key to creating the SmartSert insert is that it can be installed quicker without a pre-formed hole." Advantages and Applications AFS turned to its expertise in wire forming to develop a wire that has a concave-shaped cross-section as opposed to the traditional diamond shape. "The insert doesn't actually cut the base material when it's installed," said Bowen. "Instead, the material flows around the insert just like modeling clay does when you press a finger into it. This eliminates cracking and other damage." SmartSert inserts are extremely compact, and require minimal space. Bolts can be tightened to higher torques tor·ques n. Zoology A band of feathers, hair, or coloration around the neck. [Latin torqu without stripping, and are not easily dislodged by vibration. Potential new applications include scooter scooter: see motorcycle. engines, aerospace materials, computer cases, printers, mobile phones, and electrical plugs. AFS Melbourne has begun commercial production, with interest in the insert already being shown by major Asian automotive and electronics manufacturers. About Alcoa Fastening Systems Alcoa Fastening Systems, a business unit of Alcoa, is a leading worldwide designer and manufacturer of fastening systems, specialty fasteners fasteners In construction, connectors between structural members. Bolted connections are used when it is necessary to fasten two elements tightly together, especially to resist shear and bending, as in column and beam connections. , components, and installation systems for aerospace and commercial product assembly. Headquartered in Torrance, California, the company has 6,600 employees, and manufactures at 19 locations in 9 countries. AFS also operates 7 worldwide distribution/logistics centers. About Alcoa Alcoa is the world's leading producer and manager of primary aluminum, fabricated fab·ri·cate tr.v. fab·ri·cat·ed, fab·ri·cat·ing, fab·ri·cates 1. To make; create. 2. To construct by combining or assembling diverse, typically standardized parts: aluminum and alumina alumina (əl  `mĭnə) or aluminum oxide, Al2O3, chemical compound with m.p. about 2,000°C; and sp. gr. about 4.0. facilities, and is active in
all major aspects of the industry. Alcoa serves the aerospace,
automotive, packaging, building and construction, commercial
transportation and industrial markets, bringing design, engineering,
production and other capabilities of Alcoa's businesses to
customers. In addition to aluminum products and components including
flat-rolled products, hard alloy alloy (ăl`oi, əloi`) [O. Fr.,=combine], substance with metallic properties that consists of a metal fused with one or more metals or nonmetals. extrusions, and forgings, Alcoa also
markets Alcoa[R] wheels, fastening systems, precision and investment
castings investment castingPrecision casting for forming metal shapes with minutely precise details. Casting bronze or precious metals typically involves several steps, including forming a mold around the sculptured form; detaching the mold (in two or more sections); coating its , structures and building systems. The company has 122,000 employees in 44 countries and has been named one of the top most sustainable corporations in the world at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. More information can be found at www.alcoa.com |
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