PEM Spotfast Provides Permanent Flush Mounting

The latest PEM Spotfast fastener from Penn Engineering permanently joins metal sheets to PC boards or plastic panels and creates a flush-attachment connection without protrusions on either side. These fasteners offer alternatives to riveting or adhesives and their rotational capability extends application potential with the fastener serving as a single flush-mounted pivot point.

The steel fasteners (Type SFK) install smooth with the top metal sheet and flush or sub-flush with the bottom panel. When used as a pivot point, the top metal sheet is captivated between the head of the fastener and the lower (non-rotating) panel, which allows the metal sheet to rotate freely. The fastener's design features two separate clinch and knurl joining profiles that hold the key.

Squeezing the fastener into place using punch and anvil causes a cold flow of the metal sheet material into the fastener's clinch profile and a broaching fit of the knurled end into the PC board or plastic panel. The result is permanent and flush attachment of sheet to board or panel. Standard parts can install with minimal space requirements into metal sheets as thin as 0.031/0.8mm with hardness of 80 or less on the Rockwell B scale. Various head sizes and diameters are available to suit application needs.

Balluff Reveals Flush-Mountable C-Slot Sensor

Balluff has expanded its range of miniature BMF magnetic field sensors with the BMF 204K, a flush- mountable C-slot sensor with integrated holding. With a length of just 20mm, it disappears in the C-slot without protruding. This makes it ideal for use in short-stroke cylinders, mini-grippers and other space-critical applications. Installation of the BMF 204K is easy: the integrated holding element allows you to slide the sensor into the slot, position it and turn a screw to tighten.

It features high accuracy, short over-travel distances and low hysteresis. The sensor is optimised mechanically for the Festo C-slot, but also fits other slot styles such as SMC. It is available in a cable version with IP67 plastic housing and PNP normally-open output, and pigtail versions with M8 connector and cable lengths of 0.3 and 0.5m. BMF sensors detect individual positions, such as end of travel on pneumatic cylinders, wear-free and precisely and can 'see' the permanent magnets installed on the piston rod through the non-magnetisable cylinder wall. As soon as the piston approaches, the output signal jumps to the other state.