Introduction

In the world of manufacturing, daily productivity improvement is a major challenge. Especially in high-mix, low-volume production or during emergency production increases, the single task of fastening a screw can directly impact the entire line’s lead time and is fraught with the risk of producing defective products. In this context, “high-speed fastening screws” are gaining attention. As long-tail keywords like “high-speed fastening screw implementation effects” and “high-speed fastening screw Vietnam” suggest, their implementation effects and case studies in the Vietnamese manufacturing industry are increasing. Compared to conventional bolt and nut fastening, they dramatically improve fastening speed while achieving uniform torque management. They are also expected to be effective as a countermeasure against fastening defects on the manufacturing floor.

This article will first cover the basic knowledge and market background of high-speed fastening screws, then introduce representative technical principles such as friction type and preset type. We will also touch on how to strengthen quality assurance through current-controlled drivers and traceability functions via IoT fastening management and traceability linkage. Finally, let’s decipher the key points for productivity improvement through actual implementation case studies in the automotive industry, electronics assembly, and the Vietnamese manufacturing industry.

The intended audience is everyone in manufacturing responsible for parts procurement, production management, and quality assurance, especially those engaged in low-volume, high-mix production lines in the Vietnamese manufacturing industry. We will provide hints for improving line operating rates, reducing costs, and stabilizing quality by incorporating high-speed fastening screws.

Overview: What are the Effects of Introducing High-Speed Fastening Screws?

High-speed fastening screws are a category of screws that, by employing integral molding or preset methods and工夫した締結具 (innovative fasteners), can complete assembly in a few to a dozen seconds per screw. Previously, bolts and nuts were handled separately, and workers tightened them manually, resulting in long tact times and concerns about quality risks due to torque variations.

Against the backdrop of expanding high-mix, low-volume production and labor shortages, as the need for automation and labor-saving on production lines increases, high-speed fastening screws are gaining attention as a solution that balances torque management and workability. Furthermore, products capable of cloud-based management of fastening history through IoT integration have also appeared, accelerating the move to achieve both precision and visualization simultaneously.

Detailed Explanation

High-Speed Fastening Screws: Technical Principles and Structure

High-speed fastening screws are broadly classified into three types: “friction-type fastening,” “preset-type fastening,” and “Posi-Lock method.” Friction-type fastening is a mechanism that secures parts together by applying appropriate pressure to the screw threads, preventing vibration and loosening. Representative products include Miki Pulley’s ETP-E Plus/ ETP-T, which achieve both man-hour reduction and quality stability through high-precision friction control.

Preset-type fastening incorporates a preset torque control mechanism inside the screw. When a worker applies a tool and tightens it, the tightening automatically completes upon reaching the predetermined torque. This significantly reduces fastening defects without depending on the skill level of the workers on site. The Posi-Lock method is a mechanism that forcibly stops at a predetermined tightening position, suitable for mass production lines that repeatedly process the same product.

Each of these methods complies with international standards such as JIS B 2800 and ISO 2320, and can be selected according to product requirements.

Torque Management and IoT Integration

The latest tightening tools are equipped with current-controlled drivers and torque sensors, which read the motor current during tightening in real-time and control the fastening state by checking it against the torque value. A major feature of this is the ability to prevent torque variations and fastening defects on the line before they occur.

Furthermore, by using a screw-fastening machine with a traceability function, you can centrally manage the fastening history linked to the product serial number on the cloud. By utilizing this for analysis in case of abnormalities or as an indicator for regular maintenance, you can strengthen your quality assurance system.

Practical Application: Case Studies

Adoption Case in the Automotive Industry

A major automotive parts manufacturer switched from conventional bolt and nut fastening to Miki Pulley’s ETP-E Plus, resulting in an 80% reduction in fastening time per screw and about a 20% reduction in overall line man-hours. In addition, by combining it with Japan Technart’s ABL series + TN501, they achieved complete tracing of production number management and torque history. This made it easier to present data during quality audits and earned high praise from customers.

Case in an Electronics Assembly Line

In electronics assembly, where high precision is required, the introduction of HIOS’s Jukurenko (Skilled Worker) reduced the incidence of thread stripping by 50% compared to conventional manual tightening, while also shortening tact time by 10%. Furthermore, by using Estic’s Handy 2000 Lite plus for pulse control, they achieved stable fastening force even in the micro-torque range, contributing to improved product quality.

Local Procurement and Implementation Case in Vietnamese Manufacturing

At GIS Ohta Vietnam, by locally procuring high-speed fastening screws for their Vietnam factory, they shortened the conventional transportation lead time by 30% and reduced procurement costs by about 15%. Before implementation, a specialized field engineer supported the equipment setup, and continuous tuning support was provided after operations began. As a result, the ROI (Return on Investment) was achieved in just 4 months, and annual maintenance costs were also reduced by about 10%. Through these measures, they successfully achieved stable operation quickly and improved the operating rate of their low-volume, high-mix line by 20%.

Summary

High-speed fastening screws are an optimal solution for worksites that require high-mix, low-volume production and short delivery times, as they resolve the issues of slow fastening speeds and torque variations that were challenges in conventional processes. By understanding the technical principles of friction-type, preset-type, and Posi-Lock methods, and by combining them with current-controlled drivers and IoT integration functions, you can achieve both quality assurance and productivity improvement simultaneously.

For implementation, first analyze the current man-hours and tact time, and select the applicable technology. Conduct a trial implementation to measure the effects, and then expand to all lines after IoT setup and network integration. As seen in the Vietnamese manufacturing industry, utilizing local procurement and support systems can lead to even faster implementation and stable operation.

As a next step, verify the fastening quality with a small-scale evaluation test, and formulate quality standards based on the torque management data. Let’s proceed with considerations to shorten procurement lead times in collaboration with local partners.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1. What are high-speed fastening screws? High-speed fastening screws are a general term for screws that have a special structure, such as integral molding or a preset system, and can achieve uniform torque in a shorter time than conventional bolt and nut fastening. They achieve both a significant reduction in assembly time and stabilization of torque quality.

Q2. What is the implementation cost? The implementation cost, including the fastening screws themselves, dedicated tools, and the IoT integration system, is generally around 2 to 5 million yen per line. Although it varies depending on the scale of the line and equipment configuration, many cases report that the ROI can be recovered in 4 to 6 months.

Conclusion

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