Materials and Fastening

The new Program 1000 stainless steel quarter-turn latch from EMKA uses an externally mounted C shaped catch and insert type spanner lock in conformity with RIC for Railway use outside the sealing gasket on enclosures and cabinets. By mounting outside the cabinet frame and outside the gasketing area, panel builders may be confident that the lock installation ensures integrity of the housing as the sealed area is not compromised in any way.

The growing trend currently is UK redevelopment programmes replace concrete recess covers with safer GRP composite alternatives. This year in particular, UK manufacturer Fibrelite has seen a growing trend of a wide range of facilities choosing to upgrade from the concrete recess access covers traditionally used in favour of bespoke composite alternatives.

  Traditional bridge handles from FDB Panel Fittings Online store provide easy one-handed operation of doors, draws, access panels, cases and instruments with comfortable feel and aesthetically suited to industrial or office-style environments.

Standing at a height of four metres, a new highly complex control, audio and power cable management system has been introduced by igus that challenges for a new work of art. The solution: e-spool from igus ensures reliable cable feed in a confined space even under the toughest of time pressures. It was quick to install, and easy to maintain and operate.

A new CAN bus cable has been introduced by igus for highly dynamic energy chain applications, such as in machine tools and production equipment. The chainflex CFBUS cables is available with either a highly abrasion-resistant PVC (CFBUS.PVC.020) or oil-resistant PUR (CFBUS.PUR.020) outer jacket. Both cable options have EAC and CTP approvals, simplifying trade with the Russian market.

Challenge Europe serve central and eastern England with an ex-stock range of the well-known Action Can industrial consumables including industrial lubricants, cleaning sprays, foams and many related aerosols such as copper grease, cutting fluids, car cleaner, anti-static spray, welders anti-splatter spray, brake and clutch cleaner, glass cleaner, chain lube (also food grade), freeze spray, electrical control cleaner, isopropyl alcohol cleaner, corrosion inhibitors, stainless steel cleaner and many more.

At igus’ dry-tech test lab in Cologne Germany it recently carried out an experiment in comparing the resilience of its xiros flanged ball bearing and a conventional metallic bearing in salt water. The results prove that the use of lubrication-free and maintenance-free tribo-plastics enables the xiros bearing to remain completely unharmed.

Freudenberg Sealing Technologies has announced the release of its latest generation of EPDM sealing materials. The latest material portfolio offer optimised temperature and media stability, as well as full safety testing in accordance with industry standards. The material is available through Dichtomatik UK.

In the engineering lexicon rivets and pins are In the engineering lexicon rivets and pins are commonplace and are fundamental to location, for example by use of dowels or groove pins and slotted steel tension pins. Challenge Europe ex-stock delivery reflects the everyday usage of simple security fixings such as split cotter pins as well as the wide range of weld studs, self-clinching pins, brass threaded inserts and the many types of rivet in daily use. 

It’s unlikely that any design engineer would knowingly develop a product that was unfit for purpose or unable to last. But without close attention to materials selection, this can be the fate of many products due to mechanical stress and natural creep. Richard Huber, Materials Scientist at materials comparison site Matmatch explains the impact of mechanical stress on commonly used materials.