Article

ND Company Spotlight – FTI

COMPANY HISTORY:

Founded by Richard B. Wallace in 1955, ND Industries started out as the Nylok®-Detroit Corporation. At that time the company offered only one processing application, nylon pellet inserts. Through a licensing and technical exchange program, information was shared with Nylok to enhance their products while Nylok-Detroit worked directly with automotive companies to build specs for their materials. These relationships were critical to establishing self-locking fasteners in the automotive industry.

Nylok-Detroit began a phase of expansion and product development which shifted the focus towards customer driven research and low cost processing. To free the company from licensing restrictions and move in a new direction, a name change was made to ND Industries, and Nylok’s partial ownership was bought out. Once it achieved its independence, ND Industries opened a cutting edge Technologies Group comprised of Design Engineering, Research and Development, and Chemical Blending Divisions, while expanding its network of fastener processing centers.

TODAY AND THE FUTURE:

ND Industries’ success in the automotive industry has allowed ND to become a self-locking fastener leader in markets such as electronics, aerospace, marine, military, construction and appliance. In early 2011, ND Technologies Group, ND’s Research, Development, and Laboratory Testing Facility, expanded by relocating to a newly acquired building in Troy, Michigan. The 7,600 square foot area, nearly double the former R & D footprint, provides more room for ND’s chemists and technicians to develop next-generation adhesives and sealants. In addition, ND’s Chemical Blending and Vibra-Tite Bottling Divisions continue to increase their annual
product output.

ND is the only company in the industry that controls every step of its manufacturing process. ND’s growth is supported by this vertical integration, which allows it to react quickly to customer needs, while maintaining low cost and high quality throughout the entire product pipeline.

ND ASIA:

ND Industries Taiwan and ND Electronics (Kunshan, China) Co., Ltd. have a collective team of over 200 employees and facilities covering more than 60,000 square feet in plant floor area. Unlike many of its competitors’ foreign operations, ND’s Asian facilities are wholly owned divisions. ND Industries’ Asian customers benefit from ND’s U.S. manufacturing experience and extensive connections with U.S. distributors.

VIBRA-TITE:

Vibra-Tite, ND’s bottled product division, provides quality adhesives, sealants, lubricants and more to customers around the globe. Vibra-Tite is now one of the world’s market leaders in the bottled product adhesive industry. Vibra-Tite’s low overhead and in-house
capabilities allow it to compete with top name brand products at a cost savings of up to 40%.

LOCATIONS:

Through innovation, continual reinvestment and the drive to better serve our customers, ND Industries has grown to become one of the largest self-locking fastener processors in the world. Our divisions span the USA, Asia, and Europe.

• Clawson, MI
• Troy, MI
• Oakland, NJ
• Charlotte, NC
• Northbrook, IL
• Rockford, IL
• Twinsburg, OH
•Arlington, TX
• Santa Fe, CA
• Blythe, CA
• Kunshan, China
• Kaohsiung, Taiwan
• Istanbul, Turkey

PRODUCTS:

From two base pre-applied products in 1965 to currently over 100, ND continues its research and development with the regular introduction of more advanced fastening and sealing technologies. ND currently owns 41 product and process patents in the U.S. and overseas.

Seal and Protect with ND Gasketing

Seal and Protect with ND Gasketing with ND Mastics and Expandables

The world can be a rough place. The environment bombards us constantly with water, dust, noise and pollutants. While we can weather these hazards with only a little inconvenience if necessary, we also rely heavily on sealing technologies to help keep these intrusions out of our homes and transportation vehicles and to protect delicate electrical devices against environmental damage caused by these factors.

 

Because of the importance of controlling our living and working environments and keeping our high tech tools and toys working properly, more and more investment has been made in the area of sealing technologies to protect against environmental infiltration.

Depending on the situation, environmental infiltration can lead to:

  • energy inefficiency in heating and cooling systems,
  • dangerous gas seepage,
  • corrosion or decay from moisture leaks,
  • mechanical inhibition from dust or dirt encrustation,
  • functional inadequacy due to air leaks (in the case of hydraulic and compressed air devices),
  • or just plain aggravation owing to lack of noise insulation.

 

Now ND Industries has developed a line of advanced Gasketing using mastics and expandable rubber products that can effectively prevent harmful environmental infiltration by filling voids that can cause leaks while also providing insulation against related problems like noise and vibration.

The ND Gasketing Processes

ND Gasketing can be used to fill holes and gaps, seal against leakage, and provide protection against noise, vibration and harshness (NVH). ND Gasketing can be provided to meet virtually any design criteria as:

  • an extruded product,
  • a die cut product – in standard, complex, or custom shapes and sizes,
  • fly cut washers, or
  • can be injection molded (co-molded) directly onto the part.

 

ND Expandable Gasketing can be co-molded (Pre-Applied) to parts, improving J.I.T. (Just-In-Time) Delivery in high speed applications, eliminating stamping and die cutting, reducing handling, labor and material waste, and improving overall product quality.

ND can die cut Mastics and Expandables to your requirements or can supply bulk product to your preferred die cutter.

ND Pre-Applied Gasketing has no size limitation and parts gasketed with ND Mastics and Expandables can be shipped in bulk.

ND Gasketing materials are available in a variety of polymers, which allows a wide choice of characteristics such as:

  • softness,
  • flexibility,
  • temperature resistance, and
  • chemical resistance.
  • ND Gasketing Materials – ND Mastics and Expandables

 

ND Mastics and Expandables (Gasketing Materials) can be custom formulated to meet your specifications. ND Gasketing Materials are available in:

  • expandable,
  • non-expandable,
  • crushable, and
  • non-crushable formulations.

 

ND Expandables offer heat activated expansion rates ranging from 100% to 400%, swelling to fill the cavity it is placed in, and can be formulated to meet your expansion volume and rate requirements.

ND Expandables are used in a wide variety of applications providing economical solutions for the prevention of metal-to-metal contact, vibration, and noise-related problems and ensuring firm joints and providing extra sealing material to fill gaps and leak paths produced by stamped holes or difficult alignments.

An excellent anti-flutter compound, ND Expandables can be provided as an extruded product made in standard, custom, or complex die cut shapes and thicknesses, to meet customer requirements, and are available in crushable or non-crushable formulations. ND Expandables can be pre-applied to your parts by ND Industries or purchased for application during your assemblies.

ND Expandable extrusions are ready-to-use in an uncured form and can be applied, or bonded upon the application of heat, to any metal surface. When heat is applied to ND Expandables, generally in a paint bake oven, a reaction takes place that causes the material to expand and adhere to the metal surfaces, creating a seal while filling all space between the metals.

When used between two layers of sheet metal, the material acts as an insulator from moisture, air, dust, and noise. When used as backing for sheet metal panels it seals, prevents flutter, reduces vibration, and dampens sound.

The ND Expandable Mastic materials are:

  • stable
  • non-volatile
  • non-staining
  • resistant to most chemicals
  • compatible with production phosphatizing and paint systems
  • exhibit long shelf-life.

 

In a cured or uncured state, ND Expandables secure the intended area from penetration by moisture, gases, dust, sound, and vibration. ND Expandables will provide some metal-to-metal bonding once fully cured and offer excellent adhesion to metal substrates – without additional adhesives or tape.

Particular formulations of ND Expandables meet or exceed the performance requirements of the following automotive specifications:

DaimlerChrysler – MS-CD451 Type E, MS-CD466 Type E
Ford Motor Co. – ESB-118P11-A
General Motors – GM3640M, 9984188

ND Crushable Mastics:

  • cost less than silicone,
  • can be used in painting operations where silicone cannot,
  • and consistently provide reliable gap filling and sealing, even in high temperature applications.

 

ND Crushable Mastics can be provided as an extruded product that is specially formulated for fastening and sealing operations that require holes and gaps to be filled and sealed. ND Crushable Mastics can be formed in a variety of shapes, sizes, and dimensions, and can be applied to your parts by ND Industries or purchased for application during your assemblies or by your preferred die cutter. ND Crushable Mastics are available in expandable and non-expandable formulations.

ND Crushable Mastics’ crushable properties enable them to evenly fill and seal holes, gaps, and other voids. Bolts, nuts, stampings, or virtually any other item that would benefit from a seal is a candidate for gasketing with ND Crushable Mastics.

Using resources specifically designed for this product, ND Industries is capable of bonding Crushable Mastic formulations to a variety of substrates.

Another common use of ND Crushable Mastics is to form a loose seal. In this case, ND forms the material to specifications and the end user or assembler sets the mastic on the gap prior to torquing the fastener into place.

ND Crushable Mastics are generally used in applications where a considerable clearance has been designed into a part, thus leaving voids, gaps, and spaces which can be penetrated by gases, water, dust, and other substances. A gasket formed by ND Crushable Mastics eliminates these problems by filling the balance of the hole with a material that prevents the passage of these contaminants.

ND Crushable Mastics can be exposed to temperatures of up to 400°F without losing their sealing qualities. And, easy to assemble, gasketing with ND Crushable Mastics requires no special tools for application by the end user.

ND Crushable Mastics are stable, with a long shelf life and will not stain metal, fabric, or other surfaces.

ND can specially formulate ND Crushable Mastics to meet customer specifications (e.g. – penetrometers, tolerances, etc.) and will work with you to produce tolerances lower than any other crushable mastic supplier.

ND Crushable Mastics can be extruded in a wide range of diameters and lengths and is easy to incorporate into high-volume production functions, requiring minimal employee training for efficient use.

Particular formulations of the ND Crushable Mastic Sealer meet or exceed the performance requirements of the following automotive specifications and or standards:

DaimlerChrysler. – MSCD-69, MSCD-64
Ford Motor Co. – ESB-M4G87-A
General Motors – GM 1131M Type A or B

ND Patch – Self Locking & Sealing

ND Patch® found its original market in the automotive industry over 40 years ago. This new locking and sealing product quickly expanded into an indispensable service in automotive manufacturing. Currently, ND Patch is a leading fastening technology used, not only in automotive manufacturing, but by a variety of industries in global markets.

A few facts about Patch Technology:

  • Patch is one of the leading technologies used to make fasteners self-locking and self-sealing.
  • Patch coats an average of 90% of the screws in most PC laptops.
  • Patch is regularly utilized on the screws used in bike breaks and gear shifters.
  • 95% of the screws in a giant bicycle are coated with patch.
  • Most mobile phones use about 20 to 25 fasteners, all of which utilize self-locking coatings like patch.

What is Patch?

Patch is an inert fastener coating that makes threaded fasteners self-locking and self sealing. Patch is not a glue. Patch can be applied to almost any threaded fastener by ND Industries®. This pre-application process means that fasteners come to the assembly line ready to use, no adhesives or other locking devices need to be added. The ND Patch, offered by ND Industries, is an advanced nylon/polymer material dryfused to a fastener at the ND® Processing Plant. ND Patch creates a positive lock upon fastener assembly, preventing loosening and leakage at the fastening point. ND Patch applications replace the need for costly lock washers, cotter pins or castellated nuts. Patch technology has, in some cases, also replaced the use of bottled thread-locking compounds. Because ND Patch is pre-applied before assembly, the use of patch coated fasteners instead of bottled products, which are applied during assembly, improves cost efficiency on long runs.

During ND’s Patch coating process the fastener to which the Patch is being applied is heated to a precise temperature. This heating allows a powdered nylon/polymer material to flow into the shape of the fastener thread. Because the ND Patch coating process entails no drilling or milling, the fastener to which ND Patch is applied does not lose any structural strength. ND Patch is typically applied 2 to 3 threads back from the fastener end for easier starting of the nut/bolt assembly. The ND Patch material fuses to the heated fastener instantly upon application. Since ND Patch is not chemically reactive, no cure time is needed. Once the fastener is cooled, ND Patch coated fasteners are ready for use. This means that ND Patch coated fasteners can be immediately put into automatic assembly preparation equipment, saving precious time in the assembly process.

ND Patch can be applied to almost any internally or externally threaded metallic fastener, whether large construction bolts or tiny screws used in portable electronic devices. Moreover, the nylon-like material used in the ND Patch coating process is highly chemical resistant, and will not dry, shrink, or lose its integrity even when exposed to commercial solvents, alcohol, gasoline, motor oil, caustic soda, jet fuel, anti-freeze, brake fluid, and more.

ND Patch is available in standard coverage, 360° Ring Patch – for extra sealing – and Hi-Temp Patch for assemblies that must withstand temperatures up to 500°F (260°C). Developed by ND Industries for assemblies that operate in extreme heat conditions, such as those used in the aerospace, automotive, appliance industries, and others, ND Hi-Temp Patch performs in temperature extremes ranging from -70ºF to +500º F, exceeding the temperature performance of any other high temperature patch application offered by other companies.

How does ND Patch work?

The ND Patch coating works effectively like a spring and a dam. When a ND Patch coated fastener is threaded onto a mating part, the patch material is compressed. Once a patch coated fastener is engaged, the compression of the patch material that occurs during installation exerts a constant spring-like pressure between the fastener and its mate. This pressure, in turn, creates a strong metal-to-metal lock between the fastener and the mating part on the side of the fastener opposite of the patch. Even if the fastener is not fully seated, the pressure of the ND Patch material forms a positive lock, keeping the fastener in place. Once fully seated, ND Patch coated fasteners are resistant to loosening even when subjected to extreme shock impact and prolonged vibration. This resistance greatly reduces the need to retighten fasteners.

The ND Patch material also works as a dam, virtually eliminating the small spaces between the fastener and its mating part and blocking leak paths along the fastener threads. When the fastener is fully seated, the seal created by ND Patch effectively prevents all fluid leakage.

Even though a superior lock and seal are created by the ND Patch coating on a fastener, the presence of the ND Patch material does not affect fastener adjustability. Unlike many bottled thread locking and sealing adhesives, a fastener coated with ND Patch retains service removability. Furthermore, the ND Patch material does not lose its locking power if the fastener is removed. And, since ND Patch is highly resistant to deformation, patch coated fasteners may be repeatedly reused without compromising their locking ability or damaging their threads.

ND Patch is used in the automotive, construction, medical, electronics, and aerospace industries as well as in military applications and many others.

For more information contact ND Industries at 248-288-0000 or visit www.ndindustries.com.

ND Hi-Temp Patch® – Raising the Bar for High Temp Applications

How well can your fastener assemblies take the heat? Do you worry about high temperatures that can cause failure? Do you wonder if there is a fastener application that works beyond 475°F?

The answer is YES – if you’re using ND Hi-Temp Patch®, the latest breakthrough in high temperature patch technology.

Developed by ND Industries® for assemblies that operate in extreme heat conditions, such as those used in the aerospace, automotive, appliance industries, and others, ND Hi-Temp Patch performs in temperature extremes ranging from -70°F to +500°F.

What is a patch?

A patch is a coating applied to a fastener that creates a positive lock, preventing loosening and leakage at the fastening point. One of the more practical benefits of a patch application is that it replaces the need for costly lock washers, cotter pins or castellated nuts. These types of hardware components were the most commonly used methods to prevent fastener slippage before patch technology was available. To improve the cost efficiency on large runs, patch technology has also supplanted the use of bottled thread-locking compounds that require application at the point of assembly.

How is ND Hi-Temp Patch different from traditional patch materials and what are its benefits?

A high temperature patch creates this same kind of lock, with the same resiliency and benefits of a standard nylon patch, but also with the capacity to retain locking reliability at high temperatures. Standard patch may fail to retain functional integrity when exposed to temperatures above 250°F. Most high temperature polyester based patch coatings’ will not endure in temperatures exceeding 400°F. However, as a result of innovative research, ND Industries now offers ND Hi-Temp Patch, a high temperature patch that can withstand temperatures as high as 500°F without compromise to its locking power.

During the patch coating process the fastener to which the patch is being applied is heated to a precise temperature. This heating allows a powdered polymer material to flow into the shape of the fastener thread. During the ND Hi-Temp Patch process the custom formulated polymer material is stabilized to work at extreme high temperatures. It is typically applied 2 to 3 threads back from the fastener end for easier starting of the nut/bolt assembly. ND Hi-Temp Patch is clearly distinguishable from ND Patch®, by virtue its color. ND Hi-Temp Patch is orange or gray, while ND Patch is normally yellow.

The applied coating material fuses to the heated fastener instantly; no curing time is required. Since ND Hi-Temp Patch is not chemically reactive, once the fastener is cooled, it’s ready to use right out of the box. This means that ND Hi-Temp Patch treated fasteners can be immediately fed through automatic feeding equipment, saving precious time in the assembly process. Because the ND Hi-Temp Patch coating process entails no drilling or milling, the fastener to which a patch is applied does not lose any structural strength. ND Hi-Temp Patch coating can be applied to almost any internally or externally threaded metallic fastener, whether large construction bolts or minuscule screws used in portable electronic devices. Moreover, the nylon-like material used in the ND Hi-Temp Patch coating process is highly chemical resistant, and will not dry, shrink, or lose its integrity even when exposed to commercial solvents, alcohol, gasoline, motor oil, caustic soda, jet fuel, anti-freeze, brake fluid, and more.

Overall, the ND Hi-Temp Patch concept is nothing short of genius in its simplicity. The ND Hi-Temp Patch coating, like typical patch, works effectively like a spring or a dam. When a ND Hi-Temp Patch coated fastener is threaded onto a mating part, the patch material is compressed. This is when the sealing action begins. The compression of the patch material exerts a constant spring-like locking pressure between the fastener and its mate, creating a strong metal-to-metal contact. Even if the fastener is not fully seated, the pressure of the patch material forms a positive lock. When the fastener is fully seated, the positive seal created prevents fluid leakage and is resistant to loosening, even when subjected to extreme shock impact and prolonged vibration. This resistance greatly reduces the need to re-tighten fasteners.

Amazingly, even though a superior seal is made by the ND Hi-Temp Patch coating on a fastener, the presence of the ND Hi-Temp Patch material does not affect its adjustability. A fastener treated with ND Hi-Temp Patch retains service removability. Furthermore, the patch material does not lose its locking power if the fastener is removed, and remains extremely impervious to deformation. This ensures that fasteners may be repeatedly reused without compromising their locking ability or damaging their threads.

Coating a fastener with ND Hi-Temp Patch is not only easier and more cost effective than outdated sealing methods, but also ensures fastener reusability and sealing reliability under the strains of extreme environments. So, it would seem the ND Hi-Temp Patch is the best solution for high temperature fastening needs.

ND Hi-Temp Patch is used in the automotive, construction, medical, electronics, and aerospace industries as well as in military applications.

ND Patch – Locking Fasteners For Over 40 Years

ND Patch found its original market in the automotive industry over 40 years ago. This new locking and sealing product quickly expanded into an indispensable service in automotive manufacturing. Currently, ND Patch is a leading fastening technology used, not only in automotive manufacturing, but by a variety of industries in the U.S. and Asia.

A few facts about Patch Technology:

  • Patch is one of the leading mechanical fastening technologies used to make fasteners self-locking and self-sealing.
  • Patch coats an average of 90% of the screws in many PC laptops.
  • Patch is regularly utilized on the screws used in bike breaks and gear shifters.
  • Most mobile phones use about 10 to 15 fasteners, all of which utilize self-locking coatings like patch.

What is Patch?

Patch is an inert fastener coating that makes threaded fasteners self-locking and self-sealing. Patch is not a glue. Patch can be applied to almost any threaded fastener by ND Industries. This pre-application process means that fasteners come to the assembly line ready to use, no adhesives or other locking devices need to be added.

The ND Patch, offered by ND Industries, is an advanced nylon/polymer material dry-fused to a fastener at the ND Processing Plant. ND Patch creates a positive lock upon fastener assembly, preventing loosening and leakage at the fastening point. ND Patch applications replace the need for costly lock washers, cotter pins or castellated nuts. Patch technology has, in some cases, also replaced the use of bottled thread-locking compounds. Because ND Patch is pre-applied before assembly, the use of patch coated fasteners instead of bottled products, which are applied during assembly, improves cost efficiency on high volume runs.

During ND’s Patch coating process the fastener to which the Patch is being applied is heated to a precise temperature. This heating allows a powdered nylon/polymer material to flow into the shape of the fastener thread. Because the ND Patch coating process entails no drilling or milling, the fastener to which ND Patch is applied does not lose any structural strength. ND Patch is typically applied 2 to 3 threads back from the fastener end for easier starting of the nut/bolt assembly.

The ND Patch material fuses to the heated fastener instantly upon application. Since ND Patch is not chemically reactive, no cure time is needed. Once the fastener is cooled, ND Patch coated fasteners are ready for use. This means that ND Patch coated fasteners can be immediately put into automatic assembly preparation equipment, saving precious time in the assembly process.

ND Patch can be applied to almost any internally or externally threaded metallic fastener, whether large construction bolts or tiny screws used in portable electronic devices. Moreover, the nylon-like material used in the ND Patch coating process is highly chemical resistant, and will not dry, shrink, or lose its integrity even when exposed to commercial solvents, alcohol, gasoline, motor oil, caustic soda, jet fuel, anti-freeze, brake fluid, and more.

ND Patch is available in standard coverage, 360° Ring Patch – for extra sealing – and Hi-Temp Patch for assemblies that must withstand temperatures up to 500°F (260°C).

Developed by ND Industries for assemblies that operate in extreme heat conditions, such as those used in the aerospace, automotive, appliance industries, and others, ND Hi-Temp Patch performs in temperature extremes ranging from -70ºF to +500oF, exceeding the temperature performance of any other high temperature patch application offered by other companies.

 

How does ND Patch work?

The ND Patch coating works effectively like a spring and a dam. When a ND Patch coated fastener is threaded onto a mating part, the patch material is compressed. Once a patch coated fastener is engaged, the compression of the patch material that occurs during installation exerts a constant spring-like pressure between the fastener and its mate. This pressure, in turn, creates a strong metal-to-metal lock between the fastener and the mating part on the side of the fastener opposite of the patch.

Even if the fastener is not fully seated, the pressure of the ND Patch material forms a positive lock, keeping the fastener in place. Once fully seated, ND Patch coated fasteners are resistant to loosening even when subjected to extreme shock impact and prolonged vibration. This resistance greatly reduces the need to re-tighten fasteners.

The ND Patch material also works as a dam, virtually eliminating the small spaces between the fastener and its mating part and blocking leak paths along the fastener threads. When the fastener is fully seated, the seal created by ND Patch effectively prevents all fluid leakage.

Even though a superior lock and seal are created by the ND Patch coating on a fastener, the presence of the ND Patch material does not affect fastener adjustability. Unlike many bottled thread locking and sealing adhesives, a fastener coated with ND Patch retains service removability. Furthermore, the ND Patch material does not lose its locking power if the fastener is removed. And, since ND Patch is highly resistant to deformation, patch coated fasteners may be repeatedly reused without compromising their locking ability or damaging their threads.

Fastener Failure: What You Need to Know

There are three common attributes that all threaded fasteners share.

1. All threaded fasteners loosen.

Threaded fasteners are designed to be reversible. Often this is a desirable quality –particularly when service removability is a necessity – but fasteners can and do come loose on their own, which can cause serious, expensive, and sometimes dangerous problems. Loose fasteners on an assembly can lead to vibration, noise, and overall quality issues, and ultimately lead to fastener failure.

2. All threaded fasteners have the potential for locking failure.

Fasteners can fail due to vibration, shock, or any number of environmental factors that an assembled product is exposed to. Products with mechanical or moving elements, or those that come into contact with moisture or work under air and fluid pressures, are particularly susceptible. While we put our faith in fasteners as a highly integral part of any assembly, there are a few things that should be noted about fasteners and fastener failure:

  • When friction drops in the threads of a seated fastener, or under the head, that fastener will start to loosen even if the bolt was properly tightened.
  • Once side-sliding starts it takes less than 100 cycles of vibration to loosen a fastener.
  • And it takes less torque to loosen a fastener than to tighten it.

As shown in this Laboratory Demonstration, ND Expand-A-Seal expands volumetrically 20-50%

3. All fastening points are potential leak paths.

Fastening points are the weak spots in any assembly. Leaks, particularly in assemblies that involve or must endure air or fluid pressures, can develop at fastening points using the helix of the threaded fastener like a canal. In the case of hydraulic assemblies, and other assemblies that require and utilize pressure, this can create a serious problem in the performance of the product over time.

Because of these common attributes of threaded fasteners, new and better developments in fastening technology are essential to the progress of modern industry. For over 50 years thread adhesives have been used to effectively fortify fastener reliability. Adhesives have been used to protect joints and guarantee that fastening components will not come apart even if a joint or fastener has been inadvertently loosened. Even when joints squeak and rattle, a clear indication of fastener failure, adhesives help keep joints and fasteners from separating and causing much more severe failures.

The use of fastener adhesives and coatings during assembly has become increasingly important to ensure the integrity and reliability of those assemblies, while also helping to reduce variation in clamploading and improve corrosion resistance and torque tension relationships. Furthermore, assemblers have found that the pre-application system ofutilizing fastener adhesives saves time and money on the assembly line, as pre-applied adhesives are typically less expensive than bottled adhesives and pre-application eliminates the unavoidable errors in the time-consuming process of on-line adhesive application. Pre-applied locking and sealing coatings are used regularly in many industries, including: automotive, electronics, aerospace, marine, construction, and appliance, to name just a few.

As pre-applied fastener adhesives have become more necessary in the efforts of manufacturers to meet modern assembly requirements, the micro-encapsulation of adhesive components in pre-application technology has become the method of choice as a fast, clean and effective way of utilizing chemical bonding during assembly. The premise of micro-encapsulation is that a 2 part adhesive, typically epoxy, acrylic or similar, is applied to the fastener in a pre-application process. But, unlike the result of bottled adhesive applications, the 2 components of the adhesive do not mix during the application of the adhesive to the fastener. Instead, the components are dry-fused to the fastener and kept separated by micro-encapsulation. That is, simply stated, one component is contained within tiny spheres, micro-caps or micro-spheres, and kept separated from the second activating component until assembly occurs. The dry-fusing of the components to the fastener ensures that the coated fastener remains dry to the touch and clean to handle, and that the micro-encapsulation technology will not activate even if handled roughly. When assembly does occur, the force of the fastener engagement breaks open the micro-caps and allows the adhesive to activate, creating a positive bond.

Most pre-applied, micro-encapsulated fastener coatings are designed to serve a single purpose, which is to lock a fastener in place, extremely well. With this understanding it is easy to see how many pre-applied micro-encapsulated adhesives, one of the most effective locking technologies available, may not provide the most effective air and fluid seal.

While all thread adhesives help to give some protection against leakage at fastening points by providing a kind of dam of adhesive material inside the fastener threads, adhesives intended only for locking and bonding are not designed to form a gasket that ensures sealing under air and fluid pressures. Even the most formidable bonds created by threadlockers leave miniscule spaces within the threads of a seated fastener, allowing for gas and fluid leakage. Gas and fluid leakage can become a particularly difficult problem at fastening points when subjected to pressure strained conditions, such as in compression tanks or air brakes. Often other methods of sealing are employed, mastics, form-in-place gaskets or other materials designed specifically to provide leakage protection, where a highly reliable seal is necessary.

But now, thanks to advancements in micro-encapsulation technology, a new 2 in 1 locking and sealing micro-encapsulated formula is available to assemblers, ND Expand-A-Seal ES0105®. This pre-applied, high-powered, microencapsulated thread-locking solution also provides an effective air and water tight seal even under the strain of gas and fluid pressure.

A product of ND Industries®, a global leader in fastening adhesive production and research, ND Expand-A-Seal ES0105 can be applied to interior or exterior threaded fasteners of all sizes. And, because it contains all of the components of the adhesive needed for activation, ND Expand-A-Seal only needs to be applied to either one of any two mating, threaded parts for effective sealing and locking.

With the implementation of ND Expand-A-Seal, concern about leakage and the use of multiple methods of locking and sealing on a single application becomes a thing of the past. When ND Expand-A-Seal’s chemical adhesive agent is activated it simultaneously expands volumetrically 20-50%, filling any gaps and voids within the fastener threads and creating a positive seal against air and most automotive fluids. ND Expand-A-Seal will even effectively fill gaps resulting from the use of oversized fastener threads or fastener deformation that occurs during welding. The seal created by this breakthrough technology will endure even under the force of air and fluid pressures, and has been successfully tested on straight threads under the strain of 115psi without compromise to its sealing capacity.

As with other micro-encapsulated coatings, ND Expand-A-Seal has low prevailing on torque, so assembles easily with common hand tools. However, the chemical reaction that takes place upon mechanical fastening is so rapid, and its strength so considerable even before fully cured, that exceptional breakaway torque values are achieved within as short a time as one hour after activation.

No heat curing is required for fasteners coated with ND Expand-A-Seal; full cure is achieved in 24 hours at room temperature.

As a locking agent, fully cured ND Expand-A-Seal creates a bond comparable in strength to most epoxy threadlockers.

The cross-linked molecular structure of ND Expand-A-Seal makes it one of the most resistant types of fastener adhesive available. Fully cured, ND Expand-A-Seal’s sealing and locking power is unaffected by exposure to foreign substances, including: oil, gasoline, salt-spray, acids, solvents, water and more.

ND Expand-A-Seal can be used to seal and lock almost any critical application where shock, vibration and fluid or air pressure could cause a fastener to loosen or a joint to leak and is ideal for applications where fittings must stay securely locked while under constant stress. Typical applications of this technology include: drain cocks, engine pipe plugs, air filtering connectors, compressor fittings, cooling connectors and much more.

ND Industries – Fastening and Sealing Solutions

ND Industries® – Leader in Fastener Locking, Sealing, Bonding, and Thread Masking Solutions

Founded in 1955 as the Nylok®-Detroit Corporation, ND Industries® is a single-source supplier for pre-applied and user applied fastener locking, sealing, bonding, and thread masking products and technology. ND Industries offers high quality, affordable alternatives to Nylok®, Loctite®, Long-Lok®, 3-M® and other big name products. ND currently owns 48 product and process patents in the U.S. and overseas with an additional 42 pending. ND Industries is ISO 9001:2000 certified and provides a broad range of Automotive and Military Approved processes.

ND Electronics (Kunhsan) Co., Ltd. and ND Industries Taiwan, under the direction of J. Timothy Marzano, President of ND International Operations, have been providing the Asian Basin with unique and innovative products since 2004. ND’s proactive business strategy includes providing products such as ND Patch, Vibra-Tite VC-3 Original®, ND Micro-encapsulated adhesives, Epoxy Lock®, Sealants and PTFE along with the many other ND products and services offered to North American, European, and Asian customers doing business in Asia.

ND’s Asian operations are not licensees – as many competitors’ foreign operations are – but a part of the ND international family. ND Asian operations and Asian customers of ND Industries share in the benefits of the U.S. success in manufacturing and ND’s extensive connections with U.S. distributors who wish to extend their business into Asia.

ND Industries Taiwan and ND Electronics (Kunshan) Co., Ltd. have a collective team of over 200 Asian employees facilities covering over 60,000 square feet in plant floor area. Eddie Davis, General Manager of ND Electronics, speaks highly of his experience in China and states proudly, “We have the most high tech and sophisticated equipment in the industry today and our employees are some of the best at what they do.”

Since its start up, ND Electronics has specialized in processing nylon patch for small screws (M1.4 to M3.5) for the electronic market which dominates the Shanghai and Suzhou basins. As the automotive industry continues to build momentum in China many more opportunities await ND’s Kunshan based facility.

Ricky Hsang, General Manager of ND Industries Taiwan, believes there is great opportunity for Taiwanese/Chinese manufacturers in the electronic, automotive, and bicycle/scooter markets to improve there assembly operations by using ND products.

ND Asia currently offers 6 diverse fastening applications:

ND Patch® – ● Reliable ● Service Removable ● Reusable

ND Patch, widely used in the automotive and aerospace industries, is applied to a threaded fastener surface, and so requires no drilling or milling. The ND Patch processes make threaded fasteners of all sizes and configurations self-locking and self-sealing. ND Patch can be used on both interior and exterior threads and leave fasteners fully adjustable. ND Patch is completely dry, fused to the fastener, and requires no curing time after installation. ND Patch is Automotive and Military Approved.

Vibra-Tite VC-3 Original® – ● Not an Adhesive and Not an Anaerobic ● Service Removable ● Works on Virtually Any Material or Finish ● Locks and Seals

Vibra-Tite VC-3 Original has headed the list of unique, high quality products offered by ND Industries® for over 40 years. The most effective inert, chemical threadlocker available, VC-3 prevents fastener loosening from vibration or shock on even the smallest threaded fasteners used on eye glasses and is the only product approved for use on the US Army’s main battle tank.

Epoxy-Lock® – ● The Most Powerful Pre-applied Locking Fastener Epoxy

An ND original product, Epoxy-Lock is the most powerful pre-applied locking fastener thread epoxy available on the market. Epoxy-Lock can be pre-applied to either exterior or interior threaded fasteners. Though the adhesive surface is dry to the touch, when mated to its corresponding part the force of the connection crushes the surface skin of the epoxy coating, mixing the separate components and initiating a chemical reaction that bonds in minutes. Curing continues after installation for 72 hours.

Because Epoxy-Lock remains inactive until the coated fastener is utilized, it has a long shelf-life if stored in a cool dry space. Once full cure is achieved, the lock created is powerful, permanent and impervious to exposure to oil, gasoline, salt-spray, acids, solvents, water and air. Epoxy-Lock is Automotive Approved.

ND Microspheres® – ● Requires No Special Handling or Heat Curing

ND Microspheres are microencapsulated room temperature curing adhesives that can be applied to exterior or interior threaded fasteners of all sizes and configurations to create a powerful lock between a fastener and its mate. An ND Microspheres coated fastener remains inert until mated into its corresponding part, so no special handling is required. Even rough handling will not activate ND Microspheres.

ND Microspheres have low prevailing on torque, so coated pieces assemble easily with common hand tools. ND Microspheres contain both of the components of the adhesive needed for activation, so it only needs to be applied to either one of any two mating, threaded parts. ND Microspheres are Automotive Approved and have an indefinite shelf life when stored in a cool dry place.

ST-3®- ● A Widely-Used Automotive-Approved Product ● Easily Adjusted, Removed and Reused ● Non-hazardous and Non-flammable

ST-3 is a resilient thread sealant for straight or tapered threaded fasteners. ST-3 immediately forms a custom-fitting, elastic gasket right in the threads, preventing the passage of most fluids and chemicals. ST-3’s elasticity also provides a strong resistance to vibration, helping to keep fastener threads locked in their seated position and joints tight. ST-3 is unaffected by chemicals, including: natural gas, butane, propane, motor fluids and chemical solvents. ST-3 also protects fastening parts against corrosion from brine, chlorine, acids and alkalis. It is used on a broad range of sealing and locking applications including: filler plugs, gauges and sensors, pipe fittings and plugs, hydraulic fittings, bearing adjuster nuts, cable connectors, screws for plastic assembly.

Compare ST-3 with 3M® Scotch-Grip® Brand #4291, as well as Loctite® Vibra-Seal® 516, 517, 503, and 503HV. ST-3 is also available in bulk for use on band applicator machinery, flow coat or tumbling systems.

LM-1293® ●PTFE Type Coating ●Eliminates the Need to Cap Male and Plug Female Threads

LM-1293 is a PTFE Type fastener coating that prevents undesirable substances such as electrodeposited automotive undercoatings, and weld spatter from adhering to fastener threads.

LM-1293 application is an automotive approved process in which fasteners are accurately coated with one of a variety of thread masking and lubricating materials. The use of a PTFE Type material and a proprietary binder system in the LM-1293 coating process makes it the ideal coating for many applications. LM-1293 can be applied to male or female, ferrous or non-ferrous threaded fasteners of virtually any finish.

Unlike competitive processes which often subject parts to extremely high temperatures that can damage or discolor the fastener, ND’s unique patented process employs minimal heat. And unlike processes that require parts be completely free of oil or other rust preventative coatings, only parts with excess oil or surface contaminants may require pre-cleaning for ND’s LM-1293 processing.

LM-1293 is commonly used on welded nuts, studs, and pierce nuts and in large appliances, construction applications, and heating & cooling compressors.

Why are more customers turning to ND?

ND is a vertically integrated company offering 1-stop, complete quality source operations. Not only does ND coat fasteners, they also supply bottled product, operate an in-house design engineering group, formulate custom chemical compounds, and are supported by their own in-house IT and advertising and marketing departments.

ND Industries focuses on customers’ individualized needs. If you have a hard to solve fastening related problem, or want a better solution than what you’re currently using, ND can help you create an original and highly effective solution to help solve it.

Price and quality are universal to ND’s business strategy. ND’s advanced in-house capabilities can provide multiple functions for its customers and at the same time keep overhead expenses low. And because ND’s overhead is low their prices are typically lower than their competitors, while their product quality is as high or higher. And ND prides itself on fast delivery. ND customers get what they need when they need it.

Expand-A-Lock – Two-in-One Advancement

ND Industries has been, and continues to be, a leader in the field of Pre-Applied fastening technology, bringing you powerful locking products like Epoxy-Lock and ND Microspheres® and advanced sealing products like ND Mastics® and ND Expandables®. Now ND is pleased to present the latest breakthrough in microencapsulated locking and sealing technology: Expand-A-Lock.

Most Pre-Applied fastener coatings are designed to serve a single purpose extremely well. ND Epoxy-Lock, for example, is unsurpassed with regards to its locking ability, while ND Expandables provide an excellent seal against air and liquid leakage at a fastening point. With this understanding it is easy to see how the most effective locking technology may not provide the most effective seal, while the most effective sealing technology may not improve a fastener’s locking power.
There is a solution. ND’s research and technology experts, working from the basis of the superior locking and sealing products, have developed the ultimate locking and sealing fastener coating – Expand-A-Lock ES0105, a totally unique, Pre-Applied, high powered epoxy thread-locking solution that also provides a total air and water tight seal even under extremely high pressures.

Like ND Microspheres, Expand-A-Lock is a microencapsulated product. Through the microencapsulation process, epoxy type hardener and resin is contained within and kept separate by microscopic spheres. These spheres are then applied to the threads of a fastener in the form of a powder. ND’s microencapsulation technology allows Expand-A-Lock to remain inert until mated into its corresponding part. One immediate advantage of microencapsulization is that no special handling of the coated fasteners is required. Even rough handling will not activate Expand-A-Lock. When the coated fastener is mated the microscopic spheres burst open, activating the locking power of the adhesive agents. Expand-A-Lock can be applied to interior or exterior threaded fasteners of all sizes. And, because it contains both of the components of the adhesive needed for activation, Expand-A-Lock only needs to be applied to either one of any two mating, threaded parts for effective sealing and locking.

Expand-A-Lock has low prevailing on torque, so assembles easily with common hand tools. However, the chemical reaction that takes place upon mechanical fastening is so rapid, and its strength so considerable, even before fully cured, that exceptional breakaway torque values are achieved within as short a time as one hour. No heat curing is required for fasteners coated with Expand-A-Lock. Full cure is achieved in 24 hours at room temperature. As a locking agent, fully cured Expand-A-Lock creates a bond comparable in strength to most epoxy threadlockers.

Expand-A-Lock ES0105 exhibits phenomenal sealing action. Though some threadlockers have limited sealing capabilities, even the most formidable bonds created by threadlockers leave miniscule spaces within the threads of a seated fastener, allowing for gas and fluid leakage. Gas and fluid leakage can become a particularly difficult problem at fastening points when subjected to high pressure conditions, such as in compression tanks or air brakes. With the implementation of Expand-A-Lock, concern about leakage becomes a thing of the past. When Expand-A-Lock’s chemical locking agent is activated it simultaneously expands volumetrically 20-50% filling any gaps and voids within the fastener threads and creating a positive seal against air and most automotive fluids. Expand-A-Lock will even effectively fill gaps resulting from the use of oversized fastener threads or fastener deformation that occurs during welding. The seal created will endure even under the most extreme pressures. Expand-A-Seal has been successfully tested under the strain of 10,000 psi without compromise to its sealing capacity.

The cross-linked molecular structure of Expand-A-Lock makes it one of the most resistant types of fastener adhesive available. Fully cured, Expand-A-Lock’s locking and sealing power is unaffected by exposure to foreign substances, including: oil, gasoline, salt-spray, acids, solvents, water and more.

ND’s pre-applied process ensures that Expand-A-Lock is more cost effective and less hassle than bottled threadlockers applied at the point of assembly. Since Expand-A-Lock coated fasteners remain inactive until assembled, their shelf-life is practically indefinite.

Expand-A-Lock can be used to lock and seal almost any critical application where shock, vibration and fluid or air pressure could cause a fastener to loosen or a joint to leak. Typical applications include: engine pipe plugs, air filtering connectors, compressor fittings, cooling connectors and much more.