Success stories
Jungheinrich
Simplified assembly of rear hatches on materials handling equipment with DST fasteners.
SNAPping instead of bolting
Jungheinrich, a logistics systems specialist, uses DST for faster and easier assembly. The enterprise offers customers tailored solutions to meet the challenges of Industry 4.0 in a comprehensive portfolio of materials handling equipment, logistics systems and services.
Initial situation
Time-intensive locking
Just like every piece of transport equipment, materials handling equipment also requires regular maintenance. Fuses and batteries are two relevant components for the maintenance of Jungheinrich forklifts. A rear hatch protects these components from environmental influences. A mechanic must first dismount the rear hatch to access these components for maintenance. Previously the hatch was mounted with the aid of two compression latches. These were each fixed in place with additional fastening elements – a tooth lock washer and flat nut. All individual components had to be fitted together and fastened. Screw on the thin nut while working through a long screw travel, test the tightening torque, repeat the procedure for the second latch – a time-intensive solution.
Solution
DST for fast and easy assembly
DST is based on the functional principle of a slam lock, commonly used in house doors or room doors. Each DST fastener has bevelled clamp jaws on both sides, with a spring seated behind them. If the fastener is inserted into a cutout, the clamping jaws are first pressed inward, and this tensions the springs. When the fastener is completely inserted, the springs drive the clamping jaws outward – this causes the distinctive "snap" sound. The compression fastener is now wedged into the installation opening and it holds together the components to be connected. The result is a high-strength connection that withstands jolts and vibration.
Result
Easier and faster installation thanks to DST
Jungheinrich relied on Böllhoff's expertise to find an optimal joining solution for this application. The result of the technical application consulting: Today Jungheinrich is using compression latches with snap technology to fasten the rear hatch of its materials handling equipment. These latches lock as reliably as conventional threaded technology, however they can be mounted by simply pressing them into a cutout – fast, easy and without additional tools
Customer benefits
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Process optimization
The installation process for a rear hatch is reduced to simply pushing in the DST latches -
Errors are avoided
Less risk of incorrect installation -
Reduced costs
A shorter installation process and fewer fastening elements
