Flex Technology for Cladding Professionals
Self-Tapping Screws, Self-Drilling Screws & Anchors
for Critical Construction Fastening of Metal, Concrete & Aluminum Fastening
for Cladding Professionals
Are you using Standard case-hardened fasteners that are vulnerable to delayed embrittlement?
Welcome to DeWALT's (Elco's) Flex Technology, a solution incorporating high performance and virtual immunity to delayed embrittlement failures.
DeWALT (Elco) Flex Technology self drilling screw fasteners surpass any standard fastening format available, allowing designers and system manufacturers to manage their risk and enhance the performance of critical connections.
Fasteners using Flex Technology are engineered using special alloy materials that received proprietary heat treatments and tempering processes and are finished with the well-known, trusted STALGARD Corrosion Protection coatings. Lastly, they meet strict RoHS compliance and are chrome-free, clearly making them an ideal industrial fastening choice when quality is of the utmost importance.
Why Use and What's the Flex Technology Advantage?
Standard case-hardened fasteners are vulnerable to delayed embrittlement failures. These failures are brought on by the presence of hydrogen, which is generated in dissimilar metal applications.
Galvanic reactions between dissimilar metals such as aluminum and steel, in the presence of moisture (humidity, condensation, exposure to inclement weather or coastal fog, e.g.), reduces detrimental hydrogen.
This can destroy the integrity of fastener grain boundaries, leading to sudden and potentially catastrophic fastener failures. Metallurgically, this phenomenon is known as HASCC (Hydrogen Assisted Stress Corrosion Cracking) and it happens without any visible signs, such as red rust.
Corrosion Avoidance & Prevention
DeWALT (Elco) Flex Technology Fasteners are engineered to prevent corrosion and stress failures. Types of corrosions necessary to avoid are:
• Uniform Corrosion
• Galvanic Corrosion
• Hydrogen assisted stress --corrosion cracking
Typical Flex Technology Applications
- Metals & Dissimilar Metal Fastening
- Solar Panel Racking Support Systems
- Windows, Doors & Skylights
- Blast Protection Systems
- Building Enclosures/Envelope
- Curtain Wall Systems, Stone Facades
- Insulated Metal Panels
Stalgard® Long Life Coatings
Stalgard® High-Performance Protective Coatings
Provide consistent, high corrosion resistance in construction applications
Stalgard® durable, multi-layer, corrosion-resistant coatings are engineered to provide optimal performance in demanding construction applications. These environmentally friendly finishes are free of chromates and silicates and any process, like electroplating, which might induce hydrogen embrittlement, preventing structural failures.
- Stalgard® and Stalgard SUB Coatings provide enhanced galvanic
compatibility in dissimilar metal applications - Fasteners coated with Stalgard SUB finish typically show no red rust or other base metal corrosion on significant surfaces after 2000 hours of 5% neutral
salt spray exposure (per ASTM B117) - Fasteners coated with Stalgard finish typically show no red rust or other base metal corrosion on significant surfaces after 1000 hours of 5% neutral salt spray exposure (per ASTM B117)
- Stalgard GB coating creates greater galvanic compatibility in dissimilar metal applications, including connections involving aluminum
Maximizes fastener performance Salt spray at 1000+ hours with no red rust per ASTM B117
- Uniform thickness
- Low coefficient of friction – eliminates the need for post-coating lubricants to ease installation
- Does not use processes that introduce hydrogen -– will not cause brittle failures like those caused by electroplating
- Durable tough finish – doesn't come off during handling or repeated installations
- Eliminates the plating process, resulting in a more environmentally-friendly product than those with plated zinc or other finishes
- Blue, grey, and white Stalgard are ACQ-compatible
Stalgard® Coating for Induction Heat-Treated Fasteners
Product diameter range:
- #8 and larger
- Salt spray resistance:
- 1000 hours per ASTM B117
- Pantone gray available for ACQ-treated lumber
- Maintains tapping performance.
Stalgard® GB Coating for Induction Heat-Treated Fasteners
All Elco Flex Technology Stainless Steel Fasteners come with Stalgard GB for optimal protection.
- Standard on all Elco stainless steel fasteners
- Prevents a galvanic reaction between the stainless steel and dissimilar application materials, which could lead to fastener and/or joint failure
- Salt spray resistance:
- 1000 hours per ASTM B117Available Pantone color: Silver
- Maintains tapping performance
