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  • BUMAX chosen for the Einstein Telescope project

    Posted in Aerospace fasteners, Industry 4.0, Innovation, Manufacturing technology on Nov 21, 2023

    Swedish specialist fastener manufacturer BUMAX has been selected to supply premium fasteners to ETpathfinder, an R&D facility at Maastricht University for testing and prototyping innovative concepts and enabling new technologies for the Einstein Telescope (ET).

    The Einstein Telescope is a next generation underground gravitational wave observatory. The ET is being developed to be 100 times more sensitive than current instruments and is scheduled for completion in 2035. The telescope will enable scientists to study the precise structure of neutron stars, the birth of black holes and the structure of the universe immediately after the Big Bang.

    Regular fasteners not an option

    The ETpathfinder equipment is currently being assembled in a cleanroom that includes a large vacuum vessel containing various optics and seismic attenuation structures to isolate the test setup as much as possible from any noise from the outside world. The test setup resides in a vacuum to further remove vibrations carried through the air, and to also minimize interference of air molecules with the optics and lasers.

    “Because we can’t use any oils or lubricants in our cleanroom, regular fasteners just aren’t an option,” explains Mathijs Baars, Mechanical Engineer at the Dutch National Institute for Subatomic Physics (Nikhef). “We investigated various fastener alternatives, including titanium-nitride coated fasteners, but BUMAX was the only solution that fully met our requirements while still being cost effective.”

    Anti-galling properties crucial

    BUMAX is supplying bolts, washers and nuts in the BUMAX 88 stainless steel grade which offers anti-galling properties. Galling is common with regular stainless steel fasteners and involves the fastener seizing up with the internal threads as a result of cold welding. In the ETpathfinder project, some parts may need to be disassembled and reassembled more than 100 times over the coming couple of decades. Any galling issues would have serious consequences for the project.

    ET2.jpg

    “The worst-case scenario for us would be if a galled fastener were to weld with one of our custom-made vacuum parts as these would be very costly to replace,” says Baars. “This is why choosing fasteners with anti-galling properties is essential risk management for the entire ETpathfinder project – particularly in the vacuum chamber where we will only use BUMAX fasteners.”

    The BUMAX® 88 bolts and nuts delivered to the ETpathfinder project are electro polished, receive kolsterised treatment and are cleanroom packed. This is important to avoid particles from the nuts and bolts in the ETpathfinder cleanroom and Kolsterisation increases surface hardness, which further reduces the risk of galling.

    Cryogenic temperature resistance

    The ETpathfinder mirrors will be cooled to 8K (-265°C) when they are operational to ensure optimum performance. The mirrors are cooled to reduce thermal noise, which is the vibration of atoms that scales with that atom’s temperature.

    ET1.jpg

    Metals typically become brittle at cryogenic temperatures, which makes them prone to sudden failure. However, BUMAX® 88 fasteners provide good resistance to cryogenic temperatures due to their high material quality, low impurities and high-quality finish. Third-party tests have shown that BUMAX® 88 fasteners retain excellent ductility even in temperatures as low as 0K (-273°C).

    BUMAX often chosen for challenging scientific R&D projects and other hi-tech manufacturing industries

    “Our premium fasteners have been chosen for many scientific high-profile projects and products, including CERN and ISS , and this is yet another one,” said Lars Holm, Managing Director of BUMAX. “We are very proud to have been selected to be part of the Einstein Telescope project, which is of course testament to the high quality of our products.”


    Author: BUMAX

  • BUMAX provides reliable stainless steel fastener solution for Swiss high-performance A-Cat catamaran rudder

    Posted in Fasteners manufacturers, Industry 4.0, Innovation on Dec 20, 2021

    Swiss ship builder Scheurer Bootswerft AG has opted for screws from Swedish specialist fastener maker BUMAX to fix its high-performance catamaran rudders where standard fasteners would simply fail.


    BUMAX A-cat.jpg

    High-strength BUMAX 109 screws are being used to fasten the A-Cat catamaran rudders constructed by Scheurer Bootswerft. An A-Cat catamaran has two rudders, and each Scheurer Bootswerft rudder is secured with two BUMAX 109 screws.

    BUMAX 109 fasteners have a high molybdenum content which, coupled with unique BUMAX manufacturing processes and sourcing of the highest quality European raw material, makes it the strongest A4 fastener on the market. It offers high corrosion resistance and strength in demanding applications.

    The BUMAX 109 is used for water jets, sub-sea equipment, pumps, valves, wind turbines, high-pressure equipment, nuclear plants, submarines, particle accelerators and many other applications where commodity A4 fasteners are inadequate. They provide greater safety and will last significantly longer than standard fasteners. “We originally used standard stainless steel A4 screws to fasten the rudders, but as the rudders come under very high tension when turning through the water at speed, we found that these screws were bending and eventually breaking,” said Aron Steinmann, CEO at Scheurer Bootswerft. “Even a small bend in these fasteners can alter the angle of the rudder, which reduces performance. Importantly, the high-strength BUMAX screws can cope with this high tension to keep the rudder at the correct angle while maintaining corrosion resistance in saltwater environments.”

    Scheurer Bootswerft has also found that BUMAX fasteners can cope with sudden impacts, for example when the rudder hits debris in the water.

    “The screws fastening the rudder are a simple but essential part of the catamaran as their failure can be the difference between winning or losing a race,” said Steinmann. “They simply cannot be allowed to fail.”

    BUMAX is a Swedish manufacturer of premium stainless steel fasteners located in the Swedish “steel belt”. BUMAX is known as the strongest stainless steel bolt in the world – providing optimal safety and reliability to fasteners in the most demanding of applications.

    Scheurer Bootswerft AG is a specialist ship builder based in Nidau, northwest Switzerland. The company has built A-Cat catamaran for regatta around the world for around 40 years. The A-Cat sailing class, often abbreviated to A-Cat, is a development class sailing catamaran for singlehanded racing.

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    Author: Nimeka Da Silva BUMAX Development Manager - UK & IRL


  • BUMAX supports innovative Danish offshore wind foundation project.

    Posted in Acquisitions, Innovation, Manufacturing technology on Mar 19, 2021

    Leading Swedish manufacturer of premium stainless steel fasteners BUMAX, and its sister company Bufab Denmark, partnered the Danish CeJacket project to develop...

  • Now part of Lederer GmbH: Takeover of NORMTEC Montage- und Befestigungstechnik GmbH

    Posted in Acquisitions, Fastener distribution, Fastener suppliers on Jan 25, 2021

    With retroactive effect from January 1st, 2021, Lederer GmbH has taken over all shares in NORMTEC Montage- und Befestigungstechnik GmbH from...

  • “Niagara Foot” and “All Terrain Knee” for BUMAX

    Posted in Fastener suppliers, Fasteners manufacturers, Innovation, Medical on Nov 23, 2020

    Swedish premium fastener specialist BUMAX has been picked as sole supplier of screws for advanced and durable prosthetic knees by German manufacturer of a waterproof and submersible prosthesis knee and foot system, WEIGEL+ medical...

  • BUMAX screws hold world’s largest telescope together

    Posted in Aerospace fasteners, Fastener suppliers, Fasteners manufacturers on Oct 14, 2020

    World-leading specialist manufacturer of premium stainless steel fasteners BUMAX has been chosen to supply thousands of high-strength and corrosion resistant fasteners for the ELT, the Extremely Large Telescope...

  • New Lederer Online Shop

    Posted in Fastener suppliers on Oct 04, 2019

    The Lederer Online Shop for stainless steel fasteners, succesfully active for 13 years, has been replaced by a new eBusiness solution...