Industry News

Fastener Fair Stuttgart 2017 was a great success and on the final day of the show the editorial team had the pleasure of presenting the Route To Fastener Innovation awards - naming VVG as the winner of the title 'Fastener Technology Innovator 2017'. 

Winner: VVG - Befestigungstechnik GmbH & Co  

The RivSmart battery riveter with integrated process control, from VVG, weighs just 1.3kg and will process the most frequently used rivets up to 5mm with an 8,500N setting power and 20mm stroke.

Launching in April, VVG-Befestigungstechnik GmbH & Co says the already compact design of the RivSmart can also be further reduced to a length of only 195mm. Benefits to using the riveter include an optimised grip and a user-friendly newly introduced belt clip to enable the user to work with more mobility. The LED will lighten up the work area and serves as an optical warning signal in a noisy environment. A quick maintenance can also be assured as no tools and effort are needed to exchange nosepieces and clamping jaws and the unique modular design offers a customised length adjustment.

Supplied with VVG’s engineered BLDC-Motor, the RivSmart provides high-speed power with high efficiency and one battery will supply enough power and endurance for up to 1,000 rivets, which means that the working period exceeds the time being needed for the recharging process.

As an additional benefit, the integrated Nano-Sensor supports an internal digital process documentation, which is monitoring the complete riveting process. This provides a direct feedback regarding process and product quality without any additional external hardware.

This helps to monitor and integrate the tool. For example, the tool gives a sign to empty the mandrel cup, tool - service or jaw service depending of the rivet material. These features help to have a long and undisturbed lifecycle but also for unintentional time outs.

“The RivSmart is the perfect answer if an ergonomic and mobile solution if a process controlled job is needed. All functions are available and monitored via an App or wireless network integration,” comments VVG.

2nd Place: Apolo MEA Befestigungssysteme GmbH

Apolo MEA entered the new ResiTHERM^® distance mounting system for perforated/hollow bricks into this year’s Route To Fastener Innovator Competition. 

 Apolo MEA Befestigungssysteme GmbH says its new ResiTHERM^® is setting new standards when it comes to distance installations of heavy loads in hollow bricks. By using ResiTHERM, heavy and security relevant objects such as awnings, canopies, French balconies, satellite dishes, etc, can be fixed through thermal insulation composite systems (ETICS) in an easy and secure way.

Available in three lengths – 120mm, 160mm and 200mm, ResiTHERM passes through insulation thicknesses of 80mm up to 200mm with almost no heat loss. If needed, ResiTHERM can be cut down by maximum of 40mm. An M12 internal thread with a length of 80mm extends into the massive anchor body. Thus, it is possible to achieve both a thermal separation and a large screw-in depth of the A4 stainless steel threaded stud, which is included in the set, along with a nut and washer.

Made out of glass fibre-reinforced polyamide, together with the injection system ResiFIX VY by Apolo MEA, ResiTHERM has also undergone extensive testing at the Institute for Facade and Fastening Technology (IFBT GmbH) in Leipzig.

ResiFIX VY can be injected easily and safely from the outside into the injection hole of ResiTHERM, and the special membrane ensures an even distribution of the injection resin. ResiTHERM enables exceptionally high pull-out values in hollow bricks, and for hollow brick walls without insulation a high-performance sleeve ResiTHERM S is available.

3rd Place: Tite-Fix

With a unique oval thread and shank, as opposed to a standard round thread and shank, Tite-Fix says its Ova-Lok® screw resists anti-sealing moments.

Ova-Lok® is suitable for fixing all types of material, including soft and hardwood; block – without a piot hole, brick – with a pilot hole, plastic, thin plate steel and all types of fibre board.

The oval thread form has two major and two minor outer diameters to help reduce drive torque while minimising blistering, especially in fibrous material such as MDF and chipboard.A sharply defined spiral point begins at the optimal point between the major and minor outer diameters, which enables the screw to start and drive balanced, similar to a twin thread, as opposed to a single start screw that tends to kick or ‘cork-screw’ and drive in at an angle.

Tite-Fix says the Ova-Lok has a reduced insertion torque due to the oval thread form enabling the screw to adopt a deep coarse thread, which exhibits high pull-out retention and fast driving speeds. The company also says the screw will drive in approximately 25% faster than a standard round screw saving time and extending power tool battery life.

Ova-Lok is also suitable for manufacture in all types of material including hardened carbon steel and stainless steel where the oval thread form’s low insertion torque allows the screw to be driven into dense materials such as hardwoods without the need of a pilot hole, where a standard round screw produced in stainless steel often fails.