NORTH AMERICAN NEWS Apple criticized for ‘pentalobular’ screws
Technology bloggers lashed out at Apple in recent weeks over the company’s choice of fasteners for its iconic iPhone.
rare and expensive.” The screw is similar to a TORX®
D C S 28
uring a public forum at DesignCon, iFixit CEO Kyle Weins labeled Apple as “diabolical” for switching from Phillips screws for new tamper-resistant screws on the iPhone 4S, DesignNews reports. “This is not a standard TORX®
, and there are no readily available screwdrivers that can remove it,” he said. “Apple chose this fastener specifically because it was new, guaranteeing repair tools would be both - except that the points have a rounder shape, and the screw has five points
instead of six, according to DesignNews. The company refers to them as “pentalobular” screws. “This screw head clearly has one purpose: to keep you out.”
Cracks found in Airbus A380 wings
The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has ordered the inspection of all Airbus A380 superjumbos following the detection of cracks in the wings of several aircraft, The Conversation reports.
racks were first discovered in December on an A380 that was being repaired after an engine explosion in Singapore. The cracks reportedly are being attributed
to the manufacturing process used at Broughton, UK, where the wings are made. “This manufacturing process may be related to the
combination of the use of “interference-fit” fasteners (where the hole is slightly smaller than the fastener diameter) and the loads being applied when the wing skin is attached to the wing.” “If the high loads being applied to the fasteners during
assembly are not adequately accounted for, they will combine with the stresses arising from the interference fit, potentially leading to cracking. The particular type of aluminum alloy used will also affect this joint behavior where a balance has to be achieved between stiffness, strength and fracture toughness.”
More planes means
more fastener demand A Southern California aerospace manufacturer is expanding due to airlines’ need for more fuel efficient jets.
A
llfast Inc received a new 10-year Boeing company contract, president Jim Randall announced. Allfast acquired an additional 65,000 square foot manufacturing facility adjacent to its existing 150,000 square foot in Southern California.
Allfast will supply rivets for Boeing’s commercial airplane
programs. It has invested US$2 million - US$4 million annually on capital improvements. Randall told
GlobalFastenerNews.com that airlines’ need for fuel
efficient jets is increasing Boeing production. For example the Boeing 737 production schedule has increased from 31 to 47 per month. Boeing 747 and 767 production are increasing two planes per month. “More planes means more fastener demand,” Randall noted,
adding, “We’re hiring.” Last year Allfast employed 184. That is now up to 268, including 24 current trainees. Allfast plans to hire 60 more employees this year. Allfast is training its own hires because of a shortage of skilled mechanics, Randall explained. Founded in 1966 as a solid rivet manufacturer, today privately owned
Allfast manufactures solid and blind rivets, blind bolts, temporary fasteners and installation tooling for the aerospace industry. Allfast is headquartered in the City of Industry, CA, and has a sales office in the UK.
Rice to keynote 2012 STAFDA convention
Former secretary of state Condoleezza Rice will be the keynote speaker at the 2012 Specialty Tools & Fasteners Distributors Association convention.
TAFDA’s 36th annual convention will be 4th – 6th
November 2012 in Orlando. Rice will be speaking at the Monday general session on the eve of the U.S. presidential election.
In the mid-1980s Rice was an international affairs fellow with
the joint chiefs of staff. In 1989 she became director of Soviet and East European affairs with the National Security Council and special assistant to president George H.W. Bush during the dissolution of the Soviet Union and German reunification. In 1997 she was on the Federal Advisory Committee on Gender- Integrated Training in the military. The second president Bush
appointed Rice national security advisor in 2001 and the 66th secretary of state in 2004. Rice, 57, grew up in Birmingham, AL, the only child of a
presbyterian minister and teacher. She holds bachelors and masters degrees from the University of Denver and masters from Notre Dame. Books she has authored include: “No Higher Honor: A Memoir
of My Years in Washington” and “Extraordinary, Ordinary People: A Memoir of a Family.” Currently she is professor of political economy at Stanford
University. For STAFDA information:
www.stafda.org Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 74 March 2012
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