Self Clinching vs Welding
Discover the advantage PEM® self clinching fasteners. A strong and versatile alternative to weld nuts and challenging spot weld and tack weld processes.
A savings of at least 40% can be achieved when replacing welded fasteners with self clinching fasteners.
Studies and industry reports have estimated that switching from welding to self-clinching fasteners can lead to cost reductions of 20-40% in some cases, particularly in thin sheet metal applications where welding can be inefficient and time-consuming.
Self clinching fasteners work particularly well in thin sheet metal, aluminum, and other lightweight materials where welding would be challenging.
Self clinching fasteners offer a range of practical and economic benefits over welding, especially for thin metals, high-volume production, and applications where heat damage and aesthetic finish are concern
Key benefits of self clinching:
- Cost savings
- Reduced labor time
- Less skill-dependent
- Stronger, more reliable joints
- Less heat distortion
- Minimal damage to protective coatings
- Cleaner finish and appearance
- Greater flexibility and easy maintenance
- Improved accessibility in tight spaces
- Enhanced environmental safety
Discover the advantages of PEM® self clinching fasteners.
- Strong threads/attachment in metal as thin as 0.20 mm / .008″
- Installs into a plain, round hole
- Installed using any parallel acting squeezing force
- High pushout and torque-out resistance
- Requires no special hole preparation
- Reverse side of metal sheet remains flush
- No retapping necessary after application
- Low total installed cost
- In-die installation for high volume applications
Welding
Self Clinching
Benefits of Self Clinching
Self clinching (also called press-fit or captive fasteners) offers several advantages over welding for fastening components, especially in metal assembly. Here’s a look at some of the key benefits:
| Cost Savings | Due to reduced labor, shorter installation time, and less need for post-processing, self-clinching fasteners can reduce costs significantly in assembly processes. This makes them a cost-effective choice for many applications, especially in large-scale production |
| Reduced Labor and Time | Self clinching fasteners are often quicker to install than welding, as they only require a press tool, not the complex, multi-step welding process. This makes them ideal for high-volume production, where time efficiency is crucial |
| Less Skill-Dependent | Welding requires skilled labor and certification to achieve reliable joints, especially for structural or load-bearing applications. Self clinching fasteners can be installed by workers with minimal training, as the process is straightforward and less prone to variability |
| Stronger, More Reliable Joints | Self-clinching fasteners are designed to displace the material around the hole to create a strong, threaded attachment point. This process creates a reliable and durable joint that can often withstand higher loads than welds, particularly on thin sheets of metal |
| Less Heat and Distortion | Welding involves high heat, which can cause warping, distortion, or discoloration, particularly on thin or sensitive materials. Self clinching fasteners are cold-formed, which means there’s no heat introduced to the metal, preserving the integrity, shape, and appearance of the base material |
| Minimal Damage to Protective Coatings | When welding, coatings like paint, powder coatings, and anodization are typically damaged by the heat and must be reapplied after welding. Self clinching fasteners, however, can be applied after coatings are applied without harming the surface or requiring additional steps |
| Cleaner Finish and Appearance | Self clinching fasteners create a smooth, finished look without the need for post-processing. Welded joints, on the other hand, may require grinding, filling, and finishing to achieve a polished look |
| Greater Flexibility and Easy Maintenance | With self clinching fasteners, components can be disassembled and reassembled more easily. Welding creates a permanent joint that cannot be disassembled without cutting or damaging the material, making repairs or upgrades more difficult |
| Improved Accessibility in Tight Places | Self clinching fasteners can be installed in areas where welding tools or machinery might be hard to reach, allowing for more design flexibility and better use of space |
| Enhanced Environmental Safety | Self clinching fasteners avoid the fumes and sparks associated with welding, which improves safety for workers and reduces the need for specialized ventilation or protective equipment |
Self clinching fasteners are strong, versatile and design-engineered for a broad range of fastening applications – a smart alternative to conventional spot weld fasteners.
Self clinching is the idea that revolutionized production fastening and put PennEngineering® on the map as a global industry leader. As demand for holding together thinner and lighter metals grew, so did the line of innovative products.
Our original self clinch design has evolved to meet hundreds of new applications across many industries. Self clinching nuts (commonly referred to as clinch nuts or press nuts), studs, spacers, standoffs, access hardware, and other components are used worldwide in automotive, consumer electronics, datacom/telecom, industrial, and others.
why self clinch?
Why Choose Self Clinching Fasteners?
Clean Process
Self clinching fasteners are cleaner and more environmentally friendly than weld – with no weld splatter and less energy consumption.
In-Process Installation
Self clinching fasteners are easily and efficiently installed into a plain round hole, with no secondary operations needed.
Design Flexibility
Able to be fastened into dissimilar materials – common steel, HSS, and many others.
Cost Reduction
Achieve decreased installation cycle times for both medium-volume and high-volume applications. In-die capability available.
self clinch installation
Self Clinching in Action
Featured and Related Resources
Installing Self Clinching Fasteners
Whether you have a medium-volume or high-volume application, there are cost-effective and energy-saving solutions available for self clinching fastener installation. Learn more about Haeger® robotic/manual installation and PEMSERTER® in-die installation.
Issues with Welding
The Challenges with Weld
- Time-consuming and labor-intensive process
- Increased energy consumption from secondary operations
- Weakened joint strength from spot weld heat
- Cannot weld dissimilar materials
- Process can add additional weight to product
- Difficult to achieve water-tight seals on weld nuts
- Welding process requires technical skillset
- Opportunities for corrosion from coatings burning off
PEM® Self Clinching Stud vs. Weld Fastener
- Reduced energy consumption of installation system
- Reduced logistics costs
- Increased thread strength
- No thread contamination
- No introduction of thermal stresses
- Reduced environmental concerns
- Fastener rationalization
- Panel and/or fastener can be pre-finished
Application Examples
Converting from Weld Nuts to Self Clinching Nuts
Consumer Electronics
Application
Mobile Phone
PEM® Solution
MSO4™ Standoffs
Following the switch from weld fasteners to MSO4™ standoffs, this next-gen phone used a lighter 0.3mm aluminum chassis as they no longer needed to use similar materials for welding.
Datacom/Telecom
Application
Network Storage Chassis
PEM® Solution
SO™ Standoffs
The customer previously used weld standoffs but experienced challenging weld marks on the customer-facing side of the product. Switching to a self clinching standoff eliminated the issue and improved cosmetics.
Industrial
Application
Heat Exchanger
PEM® Solution
Multiple FH4™ Studs
Over two million weld studs per year were replaced with FH4™ studs in M4, M5 and M6 sizes.
Medical
Application
X-Ray Image Processor
PEM® Solution
SFP™ SpotFast® Fasteners
This customer was already using other PEM® fasteners in this application. They learned they could eliminate costly weld splatter repairs by switching from spot-welding to self clinching with the SFP™ SpotFast® fastener.
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