Innovative fastening technology for the lightweight construction
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EJOT® sets new standards for the latest trendThe term "lightweight construction" in all its facets and forms has become one of the central starting points in the cross-sector research and development activities of innovative companies. The input of this term into one of the conventional Internet search engines, yields no less than 500.000 results and thus access to the same number of more or less relevant web pages regarding this topic. Meanwhile the actual spectrum of potential application areas where innovative lightweight construction materials are used can only be guessed. For example in professional cycling, racing bicycles are used which are mainly made out of carbon materials, weigh only 6,8 kg and withstand the same stress as conventional aluminium frames. This minimum weight is demanded by the professional cycling standard, although weights of far below 6 kg are now technically possible. |
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But also outside of the sport of professional cycling, where these developments are known to be taken to technical extremes, we can increasingly find applications of lightweight construction materials. For example the "white goods" in the household appliance industry, the wide area of forestry and agriculture or in the automotive area. The lightweight construction topic has high priority especially in the automotive industry since one of the central demands here is the fuel reduction accompanied by a reduction of the environmentally harmful emissions. These objectives can only be realised in an economic way through a clear weight reduction in car design. New drive concepts are all but dependent on the success of lightweight automotive construction. |
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But the use of lightweight and efficient materials is just one side of the coin. Stability, even under the highest loads, has to be guaranteed by the use of fastening elements as well. EJOT, the specialist for reliable and high-quality fastening technology, especially in the direct assembly of plastic material and metal, meets these demands and offers the right solution for every lightweight construction application. In this way the application of the FDS screw in the car body assembly could be realised in cooperation with a famous German car manufacturer, a pioneer of automotive lightweight construction concepts. Here up to 310 screws are automatically fastened to a bodyshell without pilot hole into the respective auto body sheets.
In the field of plastic direct assembly, EJOT also supports developments to put optimal use to potentials for weight reduction. For reasons of significant weight reduction in the commercial vehicle industry, pressure tanks for brake systems are now partially made of plastic material, reliably fastened with EJOT DELTA PT screws, instead of metal which used to be customary. With suitable fastening products EJOT also accomodates approaches to build the casings of turbochargers out of thermoset instead of light metal, which are more and more used in the automotive area due to fuel saving "down-sizing concepts".
These highly loaded components can be assembled with a DELTA PT DS (Duro Set), a specially developed screw for the direct assembly into thermosets, in a reliable and durable way.
But at EJOT reduced weight can also mean: reduced costs! For example for the DELTA PT or the ALtracs screw for the direct assembly in light metal. In many cases the dimension of these screws or even the amount of joints can be reduced due to the outstanding efficiency of these fastening elements.
Consequently not only the physical effects can be achieved when following an individual lightweight construction strategy in cooperation with EJOT, but also monetary ones. A significant "by-product" from the development of an optimal material mix in the lightweight construction in combination with the right joining technology.
