Key fastening innovations that rail engineers can take from automotive engineering

As a leading supplier of fastening systems to the industrial and manufacturing industries, EJOT is ideally placed to support engineers in all areas of the rail industry, particularly those working in the train-building sector. EJOT’s technical teams work closely with UK-based mechanical engineers working on many different types of assemblies to ensure they can realise the full potential of its advanced fastening solutions.

Innovations can transform the way we build. In the 1970s, EJOT’s PT screw became the industry-wide ‘Hoover’ thread-forming screw, pioneering the wide scale use of thermoplastics. It’s an example of how fastening technology drives change. Numerous other examples illustrate how EJOT has the potential to help the rail industry to achieve its goals, principally to improve sustainability by being able to build lighter weight, stronger trains.

EJOT’s products, systems and support can help engineers in the train building industry to achieve high strength joints in lightweight materials. Over the last three decades, the company has supported numerous vehicle manufacturers, including most premium international car brands, to utilise super-strength thinner materials to reduce the overall weight of the finished vehicle.

The EJOT UK team can apply this knowledge and experience to support rail engineers to do the same. This could be for the fit-out of carriages or more structural applications as part of the construction of the underframe, sides, ends and roofs.
Whatever the objective, EJOT’s technical consultants, backed by extensive technical teams in the UK and Germany, can advise on achieving the optimum result.

 

Creating strong welded joints in thin sheets

One EJOT technology with great potential for train builders is EJOWELD®, which has already been deployed by several automotive manufacturers to achieve light-weighting goals.

EJOWELD® is an innovative friction weld system that was developed with a well known German vehicle manufacturer. Suitable for robots and autonomous processes, it is a thermomechanical process where energy is generated through rotatory friction between an element and the base plate. This process results in a high strength connection capable of joining super-strength steels to light weight alloys.

 

Unlocking the potential for using composites

Another example that enables secure attachments to be achieved in very light sandwich and composite type materials is EJOT’s TSSD - a 9mm diameter fibreglass reinforced thermoplastic polymer boss. TSSD is installed at a certain rotational speed and axial load to generate heat, creating a bond.

Once inserted, the TSSD boss can then be used in conjunction with EJOT screws specifically designed for purpose, chiefly the Delta PT or EVO PT.  It has evolved to incorporate different drive options, including fully automated systems and hand held DC tools, and offer several variants with great potential for assemblies associated with train carriage fit-out.

 

Improving productivity and quality

Lightweight materials will play a crucial role in reducing the weight of rolling stock in future and keep the rail industry’s sustainability strategy on track. One estimate claims that using lightweight materials will contribute to weight savings of up to 30 per cent for all rolling stock in the coming years.

Partnering with EJOT UK, therefore, could be an important step to identifying which materials may be deployed in future and how they would be attached. But its scope to support change in train manufacturing is not limited to carbon reduction – it can also help businesses streamline their processes and improve quality.

EJOT fastening systems are widely used by many global car brands whose economy relies on the quality of the components that go into the assembly of their vehicles. Hence, the standard of fastening products and technologies provided by EJOT must always be at the highest level with the lowest PPM defect rate.

Productivity gains may also be achieved through the fastening part, which in turn could deliver a ‘parts reduction’ value. For example, when a higher performing fastener is chosen, fewer fasteners are needed in the assembly overall, without compromising strength or performance. Or it could be that one type and size of fastener performs the same joining function of several in the current assembly.

Through fastener rationalisation, train builders could achieve huge commercial benefits. From inventory savings to reduced risk of incorrect fasteners being used on assembly lines, thus reducing quality issues, streamlining fastener use can be a simple route to improved efficiency, shorter lead times for clients and better-quality finished products – all of which can boost profitability and a company’s reputation in the market.