WINTER 2017

44 THE DISTRIBUTOR’S

44 THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK DURAFORCE FASTENER SYSTEM PO Box 13785, Roanoke, VA 24037 TEL 1-800-687-8430 EMAIL info@duraforcefasteners.com WEB www.duraforcefasteners.com THE FASTENER INDUSTRY’S MOST REVOLUTIONARY TECHNOLOGICAL IMPROVEMENT FOR 85 YEARS! The National Industrial Fastener and Mill Supply Expo in Las Vegas always produces new ideas for exhibitors and expo attendees alike. This year was no exception with several new concepts on display. However, one new product stood out from the others for its innovation, broad application, and simplicity. That is the new DuraForce ReLok self-locking, vibration-proof nut system. DuraForce Fastener Systems, LLC is a relatively new start-up company with a great new twist on a vibrationproof nut that can be applied in critical joints requiring up to 75% of design preload torque/clamp force. The new product (shown below) utilizes a tapered annulus protruding from the joint side of the nut that encircles the threads of the bolt and is contained by a collar (also below) to create a truly unique locking mechanism. As the DuraForce ReLok nut is tightened to the design preload level, the interacting geometry of the annulus and collar tighten around the bolt and store strain energy in the collar. In effect, this phenomenon produces a very stiff spring acting as a lateral force in the joint to deflect “micro motion” between the nut and bolt threads and thereby prevents nut loosening when subjected to severe shock, vibration or thermal expansion and contraction. As confirmation to the novelty of this invention, U.S. Patent 8,967,932 B2 has been awarded protecting multiple configurations of this product with near worldwide coverage also in process to completion. Not long after the DuraForce concept first came into being, the North Carolina State University Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering was commissioned to conduct an independent study to explore the DuraForce invention. In conclusion, Dr. Gracious Ngaile declared a summary analysis to the fundamental science of DuraForce, which is as follows: “The DuraForce Annulus and Collar form a LATERAL SPRING within an assembled joint to deflect Shock & Vibration and thereby prevents’ vibrational loosening’ caused by Side Sliding between nut and bolt threads. DuraForce is new technology that can replace fasteners which were invented over 80 years ago” From inception, Junkers vibration testing has been an integral part of the DuraForce product development process. To ensure that DuraForce would deliver a better alternative, Pierre Dionne, product inventor and company CEO, insisted upon implementing a more severe version of the Junkers test. Accordingly, the vibration test graph examples below represent results for the typical 2000 cycle Junkers test at the standard 12.5 Hz frequency; however, the amplitude was increased to over 12.5% of the bolt diameter to validate a higher level of performance. BUSINESS FOCUS ARTICLE CONTINUED ON PAGE 138