Colorfast Quality:
Systems & Processes

One of the main reasons why EJOT Colorfast has remained at the forefront of fastener technology for three decades is because of the way quality and performance is continuously reviewed, tested and improved.

Colorfast was originally developed to provide a way for roofing and façade designers and contractors to overcome the most common challenges associated with using colour-matched fasteners. The rationale for its development was chiefly to explore the potential for applying EJOT’s nylon over-moulding techniques, which had advanced significantly at the time in the industrial sector, to the self-drilling fasteners used to install building envelopes.

The resulting product, which saw the conception of the EJOT Colorfast brand, was transformational, changing how installers approach colour-matched roofing and façade installation forever and elevating performance to levels not previously considered possible.

What the original Colorfast concept did provide was a platform for the fastener to evolve to respond to advances in materials science and manufacturing technologies. And that is exactly what EJOT UK’s technical team has been able to do.

 

Using 30 years of anecdotal evidence to unlock new potential

Colorfast is now onto its third generation, and the developments made over the fastener’s lifetime have been fuelled by an ever-increasing bank of real-life data. This brings together test data gathered through the ongoing quality checking and insights gained through application testing, which is regularly undertaken on behalf of OEMs and contractors.

The value of this real-life data is enhanced by anecdotal evidence gathered through OEM, building owner and installer feedback. Through this, the EJOT UK team has been able to collate its own bank of qualitative data which can be used to substantiate the results of its own tests as well as feed into R&D work associated with future modifications to the Colorfast range.
 

Optimising colour for matching accuracy and UV stability

One of the most important areas of EJOT UK’s ongoing testing is to ensure Colorfast stays ahead of the curve in terms of its colour quality. ‘Staying in front’ means the EJOT UK technical team must regularly recalibrate its test processes for its entire range of engineering grade nylon products. By making this an established and regular process, the structural integrity, light-fastness strength and the ultra-violet stabilized polymer of the product’s colour combinations that correspond to all recognised colour matching systems, is maximised.

The colour-matched over-moulded head of Colorfast, therefore, is checked by the quality team at regular intervals with great precision using the Applitec Centre’s UV light cabinets. Torsional testing, of the fastener’s head is also checked to ensure that the over moulding is performing exactly as it should be, in order deliver a maximised transmission.

 

Proven long term corrosion resistance

Thirty years of real-time data also allows EJOT to monitor how well its fasteners withstand long term exposure to the elements. Given that Colorfast was always conceived to offer a more durable solution than painted fastener heads - the coatings of which can be damaged during installation to expose the uncoated metal to moisture - this remains a strategic focus for EJOT UK’s technical team, and a performance benefit for the customer.

Key performance data from existing installations over three decades has been archived, and this means the team has the capability to calibrate 1000 hour test conditions, for example, equating to 40 years of real-time performance.

 

Using Applitec’s resources to maintain quality

The role of EJOT UK’s Applitec Centre and its technology in the success of Colorfast is significant. In addition to facilitating collaborations with OEMs, providing installer training and supporting EJOT’s own new product developments, the facility is also central to maintaining high quality standards.

All the products manufactured in EJOT UK’s Yorkshire factory are quality checked throughout their production, and that includes all Colorfast products. This involves the quality control team conducting a system of spot checks to monitor correct coding and labelling in addition to checking the products themselves.

The state-of-the-art testing equipment within the Applitec Centre is used for quality checking on a daily basis, primarily for assessing raw materials and inbound goods, including any of the EJOT JT and JF fasteners manufactured elsewhere within the EJOT Group. This involves checking the material hardness, and critical dimensions using a range of specialist equipment, with a typical example being conducting checks on the coatings of products using state-of-the-art X-Ray equipment.

 

Supporting EJOT UK’s long-term goals

The testing that Colorfast is subjected to on a regular basis indicates the dedication to quality throughout EJOT UK’s operations, which falls in line with the wider EJOT Group. Standards such as ISO9001 encourage this, but the team are always looking at how processes can be enhanced to improve efficiency and quality.

The quality team is also working on the long-term development of the ISO14001 model and ensuring its environmental management systems are in line with Group directives and all EJOT subsidiaries around the world. This is a crucially important step in helping the EJOT Group as a whole to meet its 2035 net zero deadline.