Elastomers are synthetic polymers that can bend and stretch in numerous ways and then return to their original shape. Because elastomeric products are so ubiquitous, it is tempting to believe that all elastomers serve the same purpose - but think again. Here, APM Hexseal offers a handy guide of the different types of elastomers that it uses, as well as some of their most common applications. Co...

Star Fasteners has developed a clever colour changing indicator that visually verifies if its lockbolts have been installed correctly. The new red coating helps to improve final product quality checks, crucially making pre-assembled, uninstalled fasteners much easier to identify. Dan Starbuck, director at Star Fasteners, explains: “We were asked by a customer to remove welding from their produc...

By Dr Bill Eccles, Bolt Science Some bolts are deliberately tightened past their yield point. Why don't they further yield when an external load is subsequently applied to the joint and come loose? When a bolt is tightened into its plastic region, yielding is the result of the combined effects of both tensile/axial stress and the torsional stress exceeding the yield point of bolt material. The...

Trespassing and vandalism on railways is reckless, causes delays as well as causing lost profits. When someone is caught trespassing, all trains must be stopped in the vicinity to make sure everyone is kept safe. This not only delays nearby trains, but also has a knock-on effect on trains across the network. In the modern world there is an ever increasing need to review the safety and security...

Fan safety in football stadiums has come a long way in recent decades, yet collapses and accidents still occur. When Bernhard Baumhus GmbH & Co KG was tasked with building a stand for a newly promoted Bundesliga club, it was integral to the design to find an optimal bolting solution. In 2019, the football club SC Paderborn 07 secured its second successive promotion, to go from the third tie...

The new and improved Digital Bluetooth System by Hydrajaws Ltd provides a comprehensive pull test management system, which can store pull test results digitally in a Cloud-based database. Just as the previous version, the Hydrajaws App connects by Bluetooth to a gauge and records pull test results digitally and stores them in a report complete with result graphs. The new system now goes a step...

At a time when reshoring is very much a topic of concern, Challenge Europe has announced its partnership capabilities for sourcing and supply chain management of threaded fasteners on a specialist basis. This covers threaded products and related items from screws and bolts to nuts, washers, security fasteners, inserts and custom fasteners. Challenge Europe is able to partner with assemblers/man...

Elesa says its Panel Support Clamp range offers a quick and robust solution to the construction of safety screens manufactured in acrylic or other materials. These screens are particularly beneficial when managing Covid infection risks in public areas or the workplace. Elesa Panel Support Clamps enable simple assembly of divider panels such as “sneeze screens and shields” for industrial safety...

Rail fastener company, Progress Rail, a Caterpillar company, has developed a new battery powered switcher locomotive to be available globally, working in collaboration with its South American customer, Vale. The zero-emission, zero-idle and low noise EMD® Joule locomotive broadens Progress Rail’s rolling stock portfolio with the latest smart lithium-ion battery technology and reliable performa...

For more than 10 years now, RIPP LOCK® has been ensuring a proven solution for securing screws in a wide variety of applications, even for connections subject to high dynamic loads. It is a reliable element for use over the entire life cycle of the end product. In 2010 Böllhoff launched the RIPP LOCK washer. Its aim was to provide a high functional and reliable locking element in order to fill...