Appliance Design - August 2007 - (Page 39)

JOINING Snappy Style Fig. 1. Handle installation by traditional method (left) and with D-SNAP. eliability and quality are extremely important for consumers. However, inevitably there comes a time in a product’s lifecycle when the item will require service. Whether the product is a home appliance, commercial foodservice appliance, vending machine, ATM machine, or computer server, the less time it takes to repair the item the better. Downtime for maintenance is costly in terms of both service labor cost and temporary loss of equipment use. Frequently, the labor portion of the service call exceeds the costs of the replacement parts. And, depending on the application, downtime translates into lost revenue, as in the case of a vending machine or foodservice appliance. In some cases, lost revenue can be enormous. An out of service computer for a financial institution or airline reservation system, for example, could result in millions of dollars worth of lost revenue for a relatively short period of downtime. For such products, it is imperative that product designers consider ways to improve serviceability and make maintenance procedures faster and easier. One way to accomwww.applianceDESIGN.com R plish that goal is to use a fastening method that permits quick removal of metal panels to speed access to a product’s internal components. DIRAK has developed a snap-based technology called D-SNAP™ that offers tool-free assembly and eliminates the need for threaded fasteners when joining metal panels, or when fastening hardware to metal panels. In addition to simplifying and speeding both assembly and disassembly, the technology also eliminates instances of small fasteners falling into the equipment, where they can cause subsequent damage during operation of the product. On average, it can take several minutes to install a normal hinge or handle on a door panel. First you have to make sure you align the part correctly on the cutout and then you have to fasten the part to the sheet metal with several screws. The entire process is time consuming. Compared to costly, labor-intensive traditional installation methods, the new fastening technology can save time and effort, allowing panels to be removed and reinstalled in just a fraction of the time it takes Snap technology makes products more serviceable. by dieter ramsauer Dieter Ramsauer is president of DIRAK, Ennepetal, Germany. applianceDESIGN August 2007 39 http://www.appliancedesign.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Appliance Design - August 2007

Contents Editorial Shipments/Forecasts News Watch A Reed Switch is Simople, yet Versatile, and Designers are Finding New Uses for this Time-Tested Technology A Novel Actuation and Sensing Technology can Register a Light Touch, but Resist Blows from a Hammer Tracing the Source of Noise is Made Easier with Noise Source Identification Methods Appliance Noise can be Annoying, but Designers have Many Material Choices to Help Rein in the Racket Nanocomposites are No Longer a Technology for the Future. These Plastic Materials are Already on the Job A New High-Strength, Low-Density Glass-Microsphere Additive can Improve Plastic Part and Molding Performance A New Electromagnetic Weld/Bonding Process Helps Ensure Long-Term Integrity of Joints in Plastic Parts Snap-Based Technology Eases Installation and Makes Products More Serviceable Two-Part Silicone Adhesives Provide a Rapid-Cure Alternative to Traditional One-Part Silicones Classified DesignMart Advertiser’s Index Association Report: GAMA

Appliance Design - August 2007

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