PEM International Puts Fasteners to the Test
PEM International Ltd., a developer and manufacturer of self-clinching and broaching fasteners and fastener-installation presses, has opened a fully equipped Engineering Technical Centre at its facility in Doncaster, UK. The centre is designed to provide comprehensive evaluations of fastener suitability and installation techniques as well as to test prototypes under realistic conditions. In the past, such testing was conducted in the field or at the company's US headquarters in Danboro, PA.
The decision to expand the company's range of services was motivated by a growing demand for suppliers willing to provide technical support with their products, explains PEM International's European sales director Alan Carter. "Too many existing suppliers are not sufficiently customer-focused,"says Carter. "At our centre, we will be able to evaluate problems and find effective fastener solutions."
A staff of three engineers runs the centre, which is equipped with a number of specialized testing machines including an embrittlement tester, a Hounsfield tensile tester, and an Instron hardness tester that measures rigidity against Rockwell, Vickers, and Brunel standards. "The Instron machine, in particular, is a highly sophisticated piece of equipment," says Carter. "It analyzes the customer's material in relation to PEM fasteners to ensure that the optimum fastening material is used."
For prototyping applications, the company has installed a hole-punching machine that replicates a broad variety of real conditions. "In a production run, punched holes can cause a hardening and slight deformation of the material," he explains. "Consequently, it is very important to replicate these conditions to ensure an accurate assessment of fastener clinching performance."
Contact PEM International Ltd., Doncaster Rd., Kirk Sandall Ind. Est., Doncaster DN3 1QR, UK; phone: +44 1302 886961; fax: +44 1302 885341.
