Assembly Planbook - June 2008 - (Page 39)

“If you have to take something apart, it’s a whole lot easier to do if that part is screwed or bolted, rather than welded or fastened,” says Speth. “Bonding is more permanent. Bonding sheet metal to a frame is one thing, but you probably wouldn’t want to bond the closer panel that covers the compressor.” “Appliance manufacturers want to achieve in-place cost savings by using fasteners that form threads in stamped, punched or drilled holes,” adds Larry Pickett, director of marketing at Acument Global Technologies Inc. (Troy, MI). “By doing this, they achieve more in-place cost savings from thread-forming designs that overcome the inherent problems of fastening in thin sheet metal applications.” According to Pickett, the appliance industry is also using more aluminum and, in some cases, powder metal stampings vs. steel stampings. He says fasteners still remain popular for steel applications such as hinges, electrical assemblies and main wall assembly. “The biggest advantage to using fasteners is that newly assembled appliances can undergo rough treatment during shipment to final destinations,” claims Pickett. “This can cause parts to move slightly—particularly washer and dryer spin mechanisms—leading to expensive servicing requirements upon arrival.” Manufacturing engineers must carefully consider the advantages and disadvantages of adhesives, fasteners and welding. “The most important limitation of both thermal joining and mechanical fastening is cost,” argues Henkel’s Lafond. “Thermal joining is an expensive process that requires specialized labor. Welded joints are often nonuniform, lack the clean aesthetics desired for high-end applications and are very difficult to disassemble.” In addition to eliminating the cost for fasteners and fastening equipment, structural adhesives can eliminate the cost of drilling and tapping holes, as well as sealing devices such as gaskets. “Mechanical fastening requires costly labor to drill holes and insert fasteners, a process that cannot be easily automated,” Lafond points out. “Holes for fasteners can create leak paths, a starting point for corrosion, and may detract from the visual aesthetics of the end product,” adds Lafond. “Because fasteners and thermal joining both concentrate stress at a single point, they have difficulty withstanding stresses caused by flex or vibration, which can result in premature joint failure.” A ASSEMBLY ONLINE For more information on machine vision systems and components, visit www.assemblymag.com to read these articles: Bonding Metal Parts. A New Look at an Old Technology. Adhesives for Structural Metal Bonding. Holding your world together™ Avdel® Blind Fastening Systems Speed Fastening ® Systems Breakstem Systems Lockbolt Systems Avdel® – Experts in Fastening Solutions Avdel® supports you wherever you need to join components reliably and ef ciently. We bring 70 years of experience in designing fastening solutions to meet your requirements through application engineering support, joint and assembly expertise and a global presence. Quality, innovation and expertise – Avdel® is the brand you can trust in an ever-changing world. www.avdel-global.com Blind Threaded Inserts www.assemblymag.com June 2008 / ASSE M B LY 39 http://www.assemblymag.com http://www.avdel-global.com http://www.avdel-global.com http://www.assemblymag.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Assembly Planbook - June 2008

Assembly Planbook - June 2008 Contents Editorial Bonding Lines Quality in Assembly Assembly Lines Assembly in Action Fastening or Bonding? Loose Lips Sink Assembly Systems DFMA Cuts Downstream Costs Robots Lend a Hand Products Advertisers Index Classified Leading Lean

Assembly Planbook - June 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.