Challenge Europe

The UK manufacturing industry once again is using all its ingenuity and determination to grow itself out of externally derived problems. In this case, Challenge Europe is geared up to help with design and production support in supply of standard and custom threaded fasteners.

It was the need for speed combined with the realisation that by putting a cutting face on the end of a power driven screw it could cut its own hole and immediately generate a female thread, which led to the concept of self-drilling screws, and saving a considerable amount of time. In the case of self-drilling Tek type screws, with integral sealing washer, this time saving is increased, together with the added functional improvement of instantaneous sealing.

  Large stocks of sealing washers such as Dubo rings and Dowty washers have been announced from Challenge Europe, as well as those manufactured from rubber, EPDM, neoprene, silicone, nylon and fibre, being available for immediate delivery.

A portfolio of vibration proof products have been built up by Challenge Europe, that suit many manufacturing and installation applications, both ex-stock and to custom specifications. For sealing and locking purposes the Dubo Retaining Ring is a deformable plastic collar which prevents rotation of a threaded bolt or screw while effectively sealing the opening.

  Managing Director at industrial threaded fastener specialists Challenge (Europe), Kevin Moorcroft has recently taken a look at the question; What screw head type should I use?

Common across a significant range of fastener products are metric thread forms, so much so, that for example an M5 thread is the same irrespective of the head type or screw style. There are fine thread, extra fine thread and constant pitch series, but if possible these are to be avoided as their stocked range is not as comprehensive as it is for more general coarse pitch threads.

A lot of imperial thread sizes are now either obsolete or trending towards obsolescence prompted by changes in demand patterns from countries like the US who are now drifting towards metric products. This increasing globalisation of metric threaded fasteners does not necessarily mean that all variations are commonly available and it remains important that design engineers are careful in their selection.

A well developed, reliable and surprisingly sophisticated technology today are threaded fastener systems such as nuts, bolts, screws and washers used in the manufacturing industry. They are also well known – but it is often not appreciated just how critical it may be to choose exactly the right material and finish. This is where Challenge Europe can help.

There are individual requirements for each manufacturing industry, but they all use threaded fasteners – nuts, bolts, screws and washers. Challenge Europe addresses these varying applications with the experience and technical expertise which can save manufacturers’ time, money and concerns about quality.

  The mission to provide standard and bespoke components, from Challenge Europe is supported by its range of threaded fasteners, along with both technical and supply expertise in sourcing specialist specifications.