Global Fastener News

U.K. Road Deaths Prompt Fastener Redesign

Jason Sandefur

Editor’s Note: Articles in Media Spotlight are excerpts from publications or broadcasts which show the industry what the public is reading or hearing about fasteners and fastener companies.

Loose wheel bolts kill as many as 10 people each year on roads in the U.K., according to the Western Daily Press. Similar safety concerns for wind turbine blades have caught the public’s attention, forcing government officials to issue new guidance for proper torque on critical application fasteners.
But fastener engineer John Hirst of Team Innovation thinks that torque regulations alone won’t eliminate human error. His company was awarded a �12,000 (US$21,000) grant to develop a failsafe wheel bolt.
“Improved tightening of the bolts helps, but human nature being what it is, it won’t always happen,” Hirst told the Daily Press.
To improve bolt strength, Hirst decided to pre-stress the bolts during manufacturing. Test results showed “the new bolts were at least twice as strong as the standard ones used throughout the industry,” the Daily Press reported.
Team Innovation is now looking for a partner to market the patented fastener.
“The bolt will cost a few pennies more than a standard one, but the applications are endless,” Hirst stated. “Basically, any machine which has a cyclical load or vibrates would be safer with these bolts.”
The obvious market is automobile and light-truck manufacturers, but Hirst said the application value doesn’t stop there.
“Big fairground rides like Ferris wheels could be made safer and also turbines on wind farms, which could cause major damage if they became detached.” �2005/6 FastenerNews.com