FALL 2017
Distributor's Link Magazine Fall Issue 2017 / Vol 40 No4
Distributor's Link Magazine Fall Issue 2017 / Vol 40 No4
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
76<br />
THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK<br />
BEACON FASTENERS AND COMPONENTS<br />
198 West Carpenter Avenue, Wheeling, IL 60090<br />
TEL 1-800-669-2658 FAX 847-541-1789 EMAIL customerservice@beaconfasteners.com WEB www.beaconfasteners.com<br />
BEACON’S CUSTOMER PERFORMANCE<br />
NEVER FAILS. YOU CAN TEST US.<br />
At Beacon Fasteners and Components we take<br />
performance testing very seriously and are committed to<br />
maintaining the highest level of quality on every product we<br />
offer. We proactively test every lot before it is accepted into<br />
our inventory, rather than test parts after<br />
a problem develops. Starting with our<br />
supply chain partners and then in our<br />
in-house performance lab, each lot goes<br />
through a multi-level inspection process.<br />
While many suppliers only perform<br />
dimensional inspections, Beacon sets<br />
itself apart with supplemental in-house<br />
testing focused on product performance<br />
for every case-hardened lot for metal<br />
applications. Each lot is reviewed for<br />
compliance according to the four critical<br />
ASME specifications: Drive, Ductility,<br />
Torsional Strength, and Hydrogen Embrittlement.<br />
Beacon is dedicated to building a strong and<br />
successful partnership with you!<br />
We find that the most critical of the four ASME tests is<br />
our hydrogen embrittlement test. Hydrogen embrittlement<br />
can occur when hydrogen is introduced and absorbed<br />
into the metal causing the steel to become brittle and<br />
possibly fail. Although it usually occurs within 24 hours<br />
after installation, it can happen anytime. The most<br />
unpredictable failures result from hydrogen embrittlement<br />
and the effects can be minimal to catastrophic. This is<br />
why it is so important for us to take the extra time and<br />
steps to test parts.<br />
Five years ago we had a customer approach us when<br />
they were at risk of losing business from their largest<br />
customer.<br />
They were supplying a 3/8 x 1 unslotted hex washer<br />
thread forming screw from another source and were faced<br />
with a hydrogen embrittlement issue that was causing the<br />
screw heads to pop off at the end user. The issue quickly<br />
became disastrous and they came to us to learn more<br />
about our testing procedures and to visit our in-house QA<br />
department.<br />
We demonstrated how we test samples from each lot<br />
for 24 hours as part of our inspection process to assure<br />
no evidence of failure. However, we go a step further at<br />
our customer’s request, and perform a 72 hour test as<br />
a preventative measure to help mitigate the risk before<br />
parts go out into the field.<br />
BUSINESS FOCUS ARTICLE<br />
CONTINUED ON PAGE 176
Change language