Request Expert

Expert has extensive experience with a variety of threaded fasteners. He has worked with design engineers to develop the proper selection of fasteners, to determine assembly strategies, and to diagnose assembly problems for a whole range of products. He has a working knowledge of the heat treatment of fasteners and washers and the resultant problems associated with it. He has conducted over 50 fastener training seminars and personally trained nearly 1,000 mechanical engineers in Mexico, England, Singapore, Taiwan, and the US in the proper use and selection of the correct fastener for a given application. As the Fastener Engineer at the Kokomo, Ind.-based Delco Electronics Division of Delphi Automotive Systems, Expert's suggestions resulted in over $15 million in savings and cost avoidance in his last years with the company. These savings were a result of Expert reviewing and evaluating various types of fasteners as well as the quantity of part numbers. Expert worked to "deproliferate" the quantity of part numbers being used by manufacturers, thus increasing the volume of a given part number. Expert has over 15 years of experience in the mechanical joining of two or more components via threaded fastener, snap-fit fastening, velcro, and adhesives. He was personally responsible for introducing thread forming fasteners to Delco Electronics.

He has researched, developed, and staffed a fastener technology laboratory capable of complete joint signature characterizations and development of "nut factors" as they relate to the torque-tension relationships in a joint. His primary goal was to lower in-place fastening costs through the use of thread-forming, tri-lobular or Taptite(R) fasteners in sheet metal, aluminum, and plastic. This eliminated the need for tapped holes and enabled manufacturing to achieve single-digit PPM levels and increase the reliability and integrity of the joints. Expert identified and coined the term "relaxation embedment" and greatly reduced the number of fasteners coming loose during vibration testing. With torque data and clamp load data, he can write specifications for angle control in addition to torque monitoring. He can answer in-depth questions on fastener tightening, tension testing, and torque meters. He conducts torque/tension testing of all mechanical joints, including environmental and mechanical testing.

He was directly responsible for developing test standards for all metal screws, nuts, washers, rivets, clips, and clamps during his tenure as Fastener Engineer at Delco Electronics. His efforts led to standard specifications for threaded fasteners at this manufacturer. He also has experience working with brass couplings in the automotive industry as they relate to hydraulic lines.

Since 1987 he has worked with several fastener manufacturers and platers to develop finishes that are resistant to solder adhesion, especially while flowing through a solder bath. He has been instrumental in researching a finish on low-carbon steel that will meet the stringent red rust criteria of the automotive industry.


He completed the Neville-Clark QS9000 Assessor/Lead Assessor training course in 1996. He has 10 years of experience as a General Motors Target for Excellence auditor, SPEAR auditor, and Supplier Development Trainer. He has audited semiconductor and fastener suppliers in Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Mexico, and all across the US. He was directly responsible for major vendor database reductions and the elimination of incoming inspection through a planned program using Dodge-Romig inspection procedures. He has recently written articles on torque auditing methods and their capabilities.


Having trained quality personnel in statistical process control (SPC), Expert can answer questions on the use of X-bar & R, P, N, C, and other variables charting to identify the true Cp and Cpk of a process. Through his efforts many Delco manufacturing areas are now running single-digit PPM levels.


Because he has a unique association with many major fastener manufacturing houses, he is able to assist clients in selecting the right fastener at the right cost. He is also adept in improving fastening operations, which consequently reduces in-place fastening costs. At Delco Electronics, he reduced a significant amount of fastener part numbers, which resulted in a savings of about $2.5 million. He also has experience in identifying total cost factors of joing two or more objects together. He notes that it is always more than just the 'piece price.'


He has worked extensively in the area of supplier development and vendor rationalization, especially in the field of fasteners. He has written guidelines for determining and rating a supplier. He spent 15 years as a test technician conducting and developing benchmark "vendor comparison" tests for General Motors. He currently conducts joint signature tests for his clients to determine their field reliability.

He has considerable experience designing and using the proper washer on or with threaded fasteners. He is familiar with equalizing the clamp load under the fastener head and in developing special sealing washers to meet the harsh automotive environment. He has also worked with special washers to accommodate the cold flow or metal creep characteristics of many materials in the automotive industry. Additionally, he has worked with many manufacturers on the proper use of copper washers and their affect upon the total quality of the joint(s).


He has extensive training in all aspects for the manufacturing of threaded fasteners. The most recent training was through REMINC on "Trilobular Fastener Principles and Application."

He has extensive training in the quality field and has conducted numerous quality audits. He wrote many quality procedures during his 41-year career. He is a knowledgeable quality auditor. This experience has covered the evaluation of a vast selection of automotive components and their suppliers. He has over 30 years experience in automotive parts components quality analysis and supplier quality development. He spent eight years as a quality engineer for General Motors. He has assisted many manufacturers with designs or redesigns to improve their products. He has extensive training in Design of Experiments (DOE) and the Taguchi approach to quality engineering from design to end-user. He has written many daily work standards and procedures for aerospace and automotive manufacturers. These standards include examples of acceptable and un-acceptable work pieces.

He has assisted many major manufacturers of high-stress high-vibration equipment solve their problems using Belleville/Crestcup/Squarecone washers. He has worked with Belleville/Crestcup/Squarecone washer manufacturers developing guidelines for proper design and use of Belleville/Crestcup/Squarecone washers to assure proper distribution of spring/compressive loads in the joint. He is also a recognized expert in the use of Nord-Lock washers

He has designed many different styles of bosses, which are determined by the stresses they are expected to handle and the material they are in. He has written several articles on proper boss design for specific materials.

He has written and given many presentations on proper boss design tying the boss design to the beginning of reliable threaded joints in all materials. He is recognized in his field for boss design in the plastics family of materials.

He has written several articles identifying the different "interpretations" of torque and how they can be more clearly and easily defined so that all users can understand them. He has developed this into a training module that he uses in his training seminars.

He has taken his equipment on site to assist many manufacturers in auditing/measuring applied torque on manufacturing lines. He has over 25 years experience with different technologies and methods that have been proven through years of use.

He has developed a numerical system for evaluating a vendor/supplier thus giving clients better control of how that vendor operates.

Array

Expert has conducted several in-depth on-site training sessions for the manufacturing applications, and troubleshooting of fasteners. He has also conducted over 500 on-site torque audits and custom training. Expert aided in reducing fastening costs by directing steps for standardization, sourcing, and writing proper specifications.He has provided testing, analysis and redesign of hydraulic lines in the automotive world to prevent major field problems or recalls. Expert provided in-depth investigative work identifying the root cause of fastening issues created by other shortcomings with the construction of a water line stretching over 100 miles.