WINTER 2021

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THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK
PENN ENGINEERING
5190 Old Easton Road, Danboro, PA 18916
TEL 1-800-237-4736 FAX 215-766-0143 EMAIL info@pemnet.com WEB www.pemnet.com
ADVANCEMENTS IN MICRO FASTENING TECHNOLOGY
by Kent Johnston, Global Market Manager Consumer Electronics
Can the little things in life sometimes present big
challenges? Take small, compact consumer electronics,
for example.
Figuring out how to best attach your small
components for final product assembly can oftentimes
be anything but easy. The demands of size, durability,
limited footprints, and fast-changing technology – along
with the need to control hardware costs – are some of
the most typical attachment issues for end products
like smart watches, cameras, headphones, tablets, and
every product in between.
But we’re in luck. Entire families of micro fasteners,
threaded and unthreaded, already have a place in the
world of consumer electronics and are serving us well.
Some of today’s micro fasteners rely on self-clinching
fastener technology, where the fastener becomes a
permanent and integral part of a thin metal assembly.
Other types are designed for installation in plastics
and printed circuit boards. Many can be installed
automatically in high volumes, as typically required to
promote cost-effective and timely production.
The number and types of micro fasteners have
expanded over time in response to new application
needs. But as customer requirements become more
complex, the need for new micro fastening innovation
grows. For that reason, PennEngineering® continues to
expand their portfolio of microPEM® fastener products.
¤ microPEM ® Concealed Rotary Standoff uses
a technology that installs the standoff securely into
thin sheet metal with low axial force – keeping one
side of the panel aesthetically clean with no or minimal
markings – while still providing strong pull-out and
torque-out resistances. In addition to use in consumer
electronics, the versatile technology is adaptable to other
applications including telecom/5G, medical equipment,
LED lighting, and more.
A Look at New microPEM ®
Fastening Solutions
Here’s a quick overview of the latest microPEM®
innovations to join our family:
¤ microPEM ® ClampDisk Fastener is a presson,
removable fastener that’s engineered to generate
clamp load and provide fast and simple sheet-to-sheet
attachment.
TECHNICAL ARTICLE CONTINUED ON PAGE 108