A new mix of technologies has allowed for a new type of fastener functionality. The self-piercing, self-extruding, self-thread-forming EJOT FDS (Flow Drill Screw-driving) screws by EJOT Industrial Fasteners of Germany saves weight on cars and trucks, an important advancement for auto companies.
It is said that for every 100 lb of weight removed from a vehicle, its mpg improves by an average of 1% to 2%. This is critical to the auto companies that must find ways to increase their average corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) rating to 53.4 mpg by 2025. That may not seem too onerous until one realizes that the starting point for those OEMs is model year 2011, when regulations set the standard at 27mpg. The smart OEMs, therefore, are already getting to work and combining many new technologies and processes on their journey toward a CAFE of 53.4 mpg.
A recent example of
Ford’s work is the relatively new aluminum-body
Ford F150. In many ways it marks an outstanding achievement in automotive lightweighting, reducing the previous model’s weight by nearly 700 lb. As remarkable as this weight reduction is, it would not be possible without state-of-the-art advances in “enabling” fastening technology.
Until now, much of the focus on new fastening technologies has been on adhesives and self-piercing rivets. However, in the mix of enabling technologies, a totally new type of thread-forming fastener deserves recognition for providing functionality not possible with other fasteners. This state-of-the-art technology was developed and first brought to market by
EJOT Industrial Fasteners of Germany, a global firm that develops thread-forming and specialty fasteners. The fastener, known as the
EJOT FDS (Flow Drill Screw-driving) screw is a self-piercing, self-extruding, and self-thread-forming screw. This means it combines several functions in one screw.
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