wiredinUSA August 2014

Safety in (tang) numbers

offshore production infrastructure, spurring the development of new designs and engineering techniques. JamesWalker RotaBolt is currently supplyinga range of measurement fasteners to offshore contractors for use on clamping systems, flanges and jacket reinforcement designs. These vary from M24 bolts on clamps of less than half a meter in diameter to 3.5m long M90 bolts in use on cable stay clamps of up to 130 tonnes.

Alcoa Fastening Systems has launched its Recoil ® Tangless ® wire thread insert, available in a variety of materials and finishes as either self-locking or free-running form. Withnotangtobreakoff following installation, the insert is designed for situations where the counting of displaced tangs is mandatory, or where loose tangs couldpotentiallydamage the finished product. Its bi-directional design helps eliminate the time required to check insert orientation prior to installation, so significantly reducing assembly time. The Recoil Tangless wire thread insert is available in a selection of metric sizes from M3 toM10 andwill soon be available inM2.5. Jay Sahadew, marketing manager at Alcoa Fastening Systems, said: “Developed based on the demand from customers requiring an insert with no tang, the Recoil Tangless insert will not only save installation time but also provide assurance to safety critical applications such as engine manufacturing or consumer electronics – where the tang could potentially cause a short circuit in electronic components or other computerised equipment. Comprehensive technical information and advice on the use of Recoil Tangless products is also available to all of our customers fromproject inception through to post installation support.”

The range of RotaBolts

RotaBolts have been used in offshore and subsea applications since the 1980s. Bolting materials have improved for increased corrosion resistance, but the original technology that ensures correct tension is largely unchanged. “There are still RotaBolts in service that were fitted on underwater applications back in the mid-80s,” said Mike Hadley, engineering manager. “In fact, these are currently being re-checked as part of the extended life activity.”

Bar roll-out

Nepal’s Hulas Wire Industries has launched thermo-mechanically treated (TMT) bars onto the market. The bars are available

wiredInUSA - August 2014

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