Posted to News on 25th Mar 2013, 00:00
Lighter fasteners for Atom sports car
Where a fastener is needed to be versatile, light and yet strong, plastic is often the optimal solution. A case in point is the automotive sector, where the latest trend is for 'lightweighting' - a lighter car uses less fuel, is more economic and more environmentally friendly. TR Fastenings recently supplied plastic fasteners to Ariel Motors for its latest Atom sports car, to help take weight out of the structure.
>"The Atom is designed with an open structure based on frames," explains Kevin Roger of TR Fastenings. "The use of plastic cable ties is a neat and subtle way of hiding the wiring harness throughout the body of the car. However, where a part was needed near the engine, a stainless steel tie was needed, which we could also provide."
>He continues: "The Atom is just one example of how we are currently approaching to see if we can improve their processes and provide some production benefit. Also, plastic fasteners have the advantage of being multi-functional. Why use a nut, bolt and a washer, when you could use a two-piece plastic rivet that takes less time to apply?"
