Never deal with seized up nuts again 16 April 2013

Flaig + Hommel GmbH Verbindungselemente has been producing nuts and fasteners since 1945.

Apart from complex cold-forged parts, the company can also manufacture a wide variety of its own patented products - one of the most notable being hot-dipped FS-All-Steel Lock-Nuts for wind farms.

Manufacturers of wind farms in Germany and abroad use the FS-Lock-Nut to bolt down the nacelles, with the nuts used for interior and exterior screwed connections. The FS-Lock-Nuts can also be used for the fitting of weather vanes and rain protection, for the assembly of spinner housings, to secure gratings and to attach lighting units.

The key benefits of FS-Lock-Nuts include high security, the ability to apply the nuts without damaging the mating thread, and the corrosion-resistant, hot-dipped surface coating, which is not available with other lock-nuts.

The nut’s resistance to shaking and dynamic stresses, its reusability, and its maintainability, ensure that the FS-Lock-Nut is an investment that pays off.

A new area of application is on tripods, where M42 nuts are used to connect the J-tubes to the stream plates. Many tower manufacturers also use the M42 nut to attach various interior components. One specific example is a plastic stargrip moulded around a lock nut for the fixation and vibration proofing of the manhole.

So far, mainly hot-dip galvanised FS-All-Steel Lock-Nuts have been applied in offshore wind farms, but Flaig + Hommel is also able to manufacture the FS-Nuts from A2 and A4 (INOX) or saltwater-proof steel. The stainless steel nuts are specially coated in order to avoid the erosion of the nut during unscrewing.

The FS-Lock-Nuts for those applications have been CE certified and comply with DIN 15048 regulations.

Claire Aldridge Deputy Editor t: +44 (0) 1727 743 889

Having spent a decade in the fastener industry experiencing every facet – from steel mills, fastener manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, as well as machinery builders and plating + coating companies, Claire has developed an in-depth knowledge of all things fasteners.

Alongside visiting numerous companies, exhibitions and conferences around the world, Claire has also interviewed high profile figures – focusing on key topics impacting the sector and making sure readers stay up to date with the latest developments within the industry.