Fastener Technology International - December 2007/January 2008 - (Page 44)

IFI Update What’s Happening At the IFI? by: Joe Greenslade Director of Engineering Technology Industrial Fasteners Institute (IFI) 6363 Oak Tree Boulevard Independence, OH 44131 USA E-mail: jgreenslade@indfast.org www.indfast.org published as it is now proposed. The first new GM requirement is for the measurement and reporting of the internal cleanliness (inclusion rating) of the steel used in making fasteners. This has not been routinely measured in steel making in the past and has been controlled by the steel mills through strict process controls during the melting process. The working group is cooperating with steel suppliers to develop an approach that will give GM the assurance of the quality of the steel and its cleanliness without unnecessarily driving up costs. The second troublesome requirement GM is adding is a prohibition of the presence of phosphorous on the surface of post heat treated fasteners of property class 10.9 and 12.9. The difficulty here is that there is no recognized method of detecting and measuring the phosphorous on finished parts. The working group is exploring ways to meet this requirement in a practical and economical way for all parties. This working group is being lead by Chris Wackrow of MNP Corporation. IFI Publishes Two New Standards IFI recently published two new standards: IFI-160: TEST PROCEDURE FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF NUTS WITH PRE-APPLIED ADHESIVE COATED THREADS — INCH SERIES and IFI-560: TEST PROCEDURE FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF NUTS WITH PRE-APPLIED ADHESIVE COATED THREADS — METRIC SERIES. These standards provide a means of evaluating the locking performance of pre-applied adhesives on inch and metric nuts. They are available through the IFI online store by visiting www.indfast.org. IFI is Working On ISO Standards Staff members of the IFI serve on the USA Delegation to ISO through ANSI, and in cooperation with ASME. A revision of ISO/DIS 898-1 Mechanical properties of fasteners made of carbon steel and alloy steel — Part 1: Bolts, screws and studs standard is nearing completion. There was a week-long series of meetings in October 2007 in Sweden and there are threeday conferences scheduled in January and February 2008 in France to try to get this standard ready for publication before the end of 2008. This is arguably the most important standard in the ISO system. Making sure the requirements can be consistently met economically by fastener manufacturers is extremely important because worldwide trade continues to grow at an ever increasing rate. The AFGAWG Makes a Difference in Washington The Aerospace Fastener Government Affairs Working Group (AFGAWG) is made up of aerospace fastener distributors and manufacturers. The organization funds the monitoring of legislative activities in Washington to protect the interests of fastener suppliers. Most of the AFGAWG manufacturer members are also IFI members. Pat Meade, IFI Division II Manager, coordinates the AFGAWG even though the two organizations are not directly related. Specialty metals procurement restrictions (formerly referred to as the Berry Amendment) require the Department of Defense (DoD) to purchase specialty metals (steel, metal alloys, IFI / NFDA Join to Emphasize Quality in the Fastener Industry This past summer, the IFI partnered with the National Fastener Distributors Association (NFDA) to create the Fastener Industry Education Group (FIEG). The purpose of the FIEG is to create and disseminate timely information that is helpful and informative to the fastener industry. We have all been hearing about many product recalls this year in several industries. The IFI and NFDA feel the leaders in the fastener industry should be proactive in raising the issue of the importance of quality and how to achieve it in hopes of avoiding the kind of negative attention that several other industries are experiencing. The FIEG’s first project was the creation and publication of a white paper titled, “The Proper Designation and Use of Standards by End-users and Suppliers Is Critical to Fastener Quality”. It can be downloaded free at www.indfast.org and www. nfda-fastener.org. A free presentation based on the content of the white paper was also given in Las Vegas as part of the NIFS/WEST show last month. The feedback from the more than 100 attendees was very positive. The FEIG is working with the Los Angeles Fastener Association (LAFA) and other regional fastener associations to make similar presentations available in several locations around the USA during 2008. A New System for Timely Response to Technical Issues To address technical issues in a more responsive way, the IFI Technical Project Management System was created and adopted. When IFI member companies bring issues to the attention of the IFI technical staff, the staff determines if there are other member companies interested in that same issue. If so, a working group is formed to specifically address the issue. All IFI member and associate companies are invited to participate. A working group chair is elected to head the group’s activity. A specific mission statement is created and a determination is made of what specific product will result from the completion of the project. All meetings are conducted through one-hour long web conferences held approximately every other week until the project is concluded. Currently two working groups are operating. The IFI Recessfill Working Group is working on the production of an IFI TechGuide that will emphasize the importance of a fastener end user’s need to collaborate with its fastener suppliers when using one of the modern, high-performance finishes applied by the dip-spin method during a product’s design phase. The purpose is to discuss how parts can be designed for the optimum use of these finishes and what the criteria for acceptance will be when the parts are delivered. When complete, the document will be available for free from the IFI website. The working group has 22 participants lead by Gene Simpson of SEMBLEX Corporation. The other group is the IFI Working Group for the Review of the GMW25 Standard. General Motors is revising its metric material standard GMW25 and has asked fastener suppliers to comment on the changes they wish to make. The IFI working group has completed its review and identified two new requirements that may cause significant increases in the manufacturing of some categories of parts if the standard is 44 Fastener Technology International/December 2007 http://www.indfast.org http://www.indfast.org http://www.indfast.org http://www.nfda-fastener.org http://www.nfda-fastener.org http://www.indfast.org

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Fastener Technology International - December 2007/January 2008

Fastener Technology International - December 2007/January 2008 Contents Editorial Calendar Industry News 5S – Turbocharged Lean House Cleaning: Principles and Practices for Creating an Efficient Workspace Corporate News Mechanical Properties – Part 7: Strength & Ductility in Bending FTI Technical Achievement Awards — Class of 2007 The Heat Treatment of Fasteners — Practice Melt Shop Provides More Efficient Titanium Wire & Rod Production Spotlight On Simulation Comparing Preparation and Calibration Techniques for Ultrasonic Bolt Tension Measurement – Part 2 Future-Oriented Testing Equipment Wire Handling Roundup What’s Happening at the IFI? Product Showcases Machinery Product Showcases Quality Education & Training in 2008 Fastener Focus Quality Checks on Retaining Rings: Your Recipe for Success Straight From The Show: NIFS/WEST Spotlight on Plastic Fasteners Competence in Stainless Steel Pick More Orders in Less Time With Slotting New Fastener, Drive Systems & Insert Join a Proven Product Line ASTM Update on Fastener Test Methods – The Bolt Doctor Column Advertisers’ Index Classified Advertisements Editorial Index

Fastener Technology International - December 2007/January 2008

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