In previous articles we have indicated no one person should have the sole responsibility for determining assembly costs. For the exercise to be meaningful there is a need for various individuals, within and outside of the organization, to be drawn into the equation for developing in-place assembly cost data. Design, Buying, Accounting, Production Engineering and the Component Supplier can all add positive input in the exercise of developing the components of total assembly costs.

Question: Why do I need to know these costs?

Answer: If you do not, there is no way that you can produce an end product or assembly in the most cost-efficient manner.

REMINC engineers do not design fasteners, per se. Every new product is developed to eliminate an assembly problem and reduce cost. What everyone would like to do with in-place assembly costs is to eliminate them. Unfortunately, that is not easily done and, in most instances, impossible. What can be done is to reduce them, not ignore them. A first step is to determine whether the fastener being used is the best choice for that application. Secondly, see if you have a readily available alternative fastener or assembly technique that can easily solve the problem. By doing so you may be able to reduce cost plus avoid potential rectification costs caused by an incorrect fastener application. Let us examine an actual assembly problem that led to the development of our FASTITE® 2000™ design.

A problem identified and solved -

A prominent manufacturer of sheet metal assemblies had used low-cost self-tapping screws for a consumer product unit assembly until the sheet metal thicknesses had to be reduced from 0.7 mm to 0.5 mm due to a design change. With the thinner sheet metal, the applied torque required to form the threads in this nut component approached the torque that would cause the threads to strip and the screws to spin, losing joint integrity. The solution to the problem in this example and many other thin-sheet metal assemblies was to introduce our innovative FASTITE® 2000™ design. The FASTITE® 2000™ screw’s unique double-lead thread and under-head design created excellent and consistent joint integrity and provided the cost savings desired. Problem solved!

Contact REMINC for more information on FASTITE® 2000™ or with any questions you may have regarding our family of TAPTITE® thread-forming fasteners.