Cardinal Fastener Hosts Fastener Training Institute
Fastener Training Week attendees toured Cardinal plant July 29.
Cardinal Fastener Inc., a leading manufacturer of large diameter hot forged fasteners, was selected for the second time to host a plant tour on July 29th for students attending the Fastener Training Institute’s “Fastener Training Week”, which teaches fastener manufacturing personnel and distributors about manufacturing processes and quality systems and standards employed at various fastener manufacturing facilities.
The attendees were welcomed by Bill Boak, President of Cardinal Fastener, who provided a brief history of Cardinal Fastener, which was founded in 1983 to provide fastener distributors with quick shipping of high strength, hot forged fasteners, including same-day or next day shipping of pre-forged blanks and 3-5 day turnaround for custom parts and fasteners.
Boak pointed out that that Cardinal Fastener became one of the first fastener manufacturers to receive ISO 9001:2008 certification, and that the company was recently transformed into the “New” Cardinal Fastener through significant capital investments to expand and upgrade its manufacturing capabilities in conjunction with various quality improvement initiatives.
For example, over the past year, Cardinal teamed up with factory representatives to provide training sessions that upgraded the skills of its work force. Cardinal also purchased five new CNC machines, enabling the company to further integrate hot forging and precision machining of components utilizing all grades of steel, as well as other high strength, high temperature, corrosion resistant materials, including various grades of stainless steel as well as exotic alloys such as Inconel, Hastelloy and Monel.
During the factory tour, Bill Walczak, Cardinal’s Eastern Regional Sales Manager, provided a brief overview of the company’s broad manufacturing capabilities, including hex and square head bolts, heavy hex structural bolts, socket head and hex head cap screws, 12 point and hex flange bolts, studs, and specialty parts ranging from 1/2” to 3” dia. (M16 to M72 metric).
After Walczak’s presentation, the group embarked on a walking tour of Cardinal’s 90,000 square foot plant, where they witnessed a newly rebuilt 600-ton Ajax hot forging upsetter making a 2 ¼” hex head. The Ajax upsetter is used to manufacture fasteners and specialty parts in diameters up to 3” (M72) and unlimited lengths.
The group then observed Short-Lead-Time manufacturing cells, where highly trained experienced operators transform pre-forged blanks into finished product, enabling same day or next day shipping for standard products.
Next on the tour was to observe five new HAAS® CNC lathes, as Cardinal has expanded its CNC machining capabilities to include turning, drilling, tapping, ID/OD threading in diameters up to 20” and lengths up to 40”. Cardinal’s expanded CNC machining capability ensures precision quality and quick turnaround for large bolts, cap screws, studs, and other hot-forged fasteners that require secondary machining.
The last stop on the factory tour was Cardinal’s Quality department, where Fastener Training Week attendees observed a FORNY 600,000 pound capacity tensile tester, optical comparators, a Rockwell and Tukon Hardness tester, magnetic particle inspection, hundreds of thread gauges, and other test/measurement equipment.
According to David DiPace of Palmer Bolt & Supply, “The tour itself was very well organized. I like how you had the different stations set up to highlight different types or stages of the forming process. Also walking around the plant we were able to see the various blanks and see the capabilities of Cardinal in terms of size and product type. Everyone at Cardinal was very welcoming and made our group feel comfortable. The operators of the machines were great at taking time to explain what they were doing and their focus on quality was obvious.”
Another attendee, Lisa Gersey, of Hodell-Natco Industries (Cleveland branch), noted how “it was a pleasure touring your facility. Your staff was very friendly and informative. It was a true learning experience. You have a class operation over there.”
Jeannine Christensen, Director of Education for the Fastener Training Institute, was so impressed by the tour that she invited Cardinal Fastener to host an upcoming “Fastener Training Week” tour in the fall of 2014.
Cardinal Fastener Inc. manufactures large diameter hot forged fasteners and specialty products ranging from 1/2” to 3” dia. (M16 to M72 metric), with unlimited lengths, including hex and square head bolts, heavy hex structural bolts, socket head and hex head cap screws, 12 point and hex flange bolts, studs and special configurations to customer designs.
Cardinal employs single-blow open die and two-stroke closed-die hot forging presses, cut and roll-threading, coating and plating and CNC lathes for specialty parts.
Learn more about Cardinal Fastener at www.cardinalfastener.com
CONTRACTOR SUPPLY MAGAZINE
The October/November 2024 of Contractor Supply magazine is here!
Our cover story, A Rewarding Passion - Dale Hahs II, third-generation of Denver's AIS Industrial & Construction Supply, is STAFDA's incoming 2025 president.
A Special STAFDA section featuring a welcome address, an agenda, session previewss by presenters and much more. Also in this issue are our Industry Updates on: Lifting, Moving and Material Handling; Lasers, Levels and Measurement; Hand Tools; Cordless Power Tools; Drill Bits and Cutting Tools; and Toolboxes, Bags and Belts.
This digital edition, sponsored by BECK AMERICA Inc., is fully searchable and contains live links to every advertiser and new product listing. Click away!
| Read the Articles Read the Digital Edition |
