Over the last decade, biodegradable screws and plates have received wide acceptance over metallic fasteners for orthopedic fracture fixation. A biodegradable fastener would gradually "disappear" during healing of a fractured bone or tissues, therefore avoiding a secondary operation to remove that fastener. When using a metal fastener, the current approach requires manual threading on a large bone fragment for fixation. This technique is difficult when it is required to fixate a small bone fragment. This study puts forth the development of a threadless, polymer based orthopedic fastener for small fragment fixation which would provide stability and interfragmental compression to the fracture site. The fastener was designed with ratchets on its surface, which deflect during insertion into the drilled hole in the bone and subsequently stiffen to hold the bone fragments in place due to interference. The head of the fastener was developed analogous to a Belleville washer which deflects during insertion of the fastener and subjects the bone fragments to interfragmental compression. Finite element analysis (FEA) was conducted to design the fastener profile and assess its performance. The push-in and pull-out forces predicted by FEA were comparable to the experimental results for the prototype of the microfasteners. The push-in force was found to increase with increasing insertion depth and radial interference. The force required to initiate pull-out was maximum and was reduced with reducing fastener bone contact. An analytical model was proposed to explain the fastener bone interaction. It was found to be in good agreement with the FEA and experimental results at low levels of interference.

ABSTRACTION This thesis is focus on discussion of how automobile fastener manufacturer in Taiwan practice QS9000-PPAP and what is different between domestic and foreign automobile fastener suppliers. Chapter 1 makes a brief introduction in this thesis, including research purpose¡Bresearch motive¡Bresearch method and research structure. Chapter 2 describes QS9000 history and discusses some relational writings. Automobile fastener is getting popular in Taiwan fastener industry, because the unit profit is much better than regular parts. Almost automobile parts suppliers in Taiwan only make OEM parts, and because of this reason, it is no need to process fully QS9000 system, however, it is absolute to practice PPAP before mass production. Customers require PPAP based on protection reason, and PPAP can protect customers and OEM factory from any error. At present, there are only few factories in Taiwan can meet standard PPAP requirements, so Chapter 3 will make questionnaires to 50 automobile factories and distributors in the world. The main purpose of questionnaires is to compare main differences of PPAP processes between domestic factories and foreign suppliers and this will greatly help on domestic suppliers production in the future. Chapter 4 and 5 describes standard PPAP procedure and discusses correct FMEA and Measurement system actions, and there are also some examples in this chapter. Chapter 6 accords to the questionnaires results in chapter 3 and analysis the main problem existed in domestic suppliers. Due to many differences between domestic suppliers and foreign suppliers, this chapter will also discuss how to improve the existent differences and try to build a correct concept in PPAP form them. Chapter 7 will summarize this thesis and make some suggestions to domestic automobile suppliers. I hope this thesis will contribute domestic fastener industry a little, and there will be no any claims from customers in the future. Future researchers can continue focus on how to practice QS9000 system in domestic factories without heavy investment.

No description available.

Abstract Driven by shifting external environments, the fastener industry in Taiwan, the renowned ¡§Kingdom of Bolts and Nuts¡¨, has to move to the production of high value-added fasteners. Auto fastener, which comprises 40% of all fasteners used globally, is just one of the major high value-added products. As auto parts are highly related to human safety with most strict quality requirement, auto fastener usually belongs to the high price product. Taiwan¡¦s fastener industry, avoid being attacked front and rear, has started to transfer production from standard fastener to auto fastener four or five years ago, but fallen short of a successful across-the-board transition. A few successful fastener producers on an adequate scale include SANSHING FASTECH Corp., CHU HUA Industrial Co., YING MING Industrial Co., BOLTUN Corp. and etc. The subject of this paper is to identify the problems confronted by the industry in transition, whether upgrading needs to tackle very high threshold or the post-transition will lose competitiveness so how. The paper is to study the competing strategies of auto fastener industry in Taiwan through in-depth interview with professionals, academics, entrepreneurs and employees of the industrial to collect their viewpoints and experiences. Assisted by current competition theories, the paper also survey secondary information and relevant papers to analyze the following topics: 1. Current development of the auto fastener industry in Taiwan and its competing strength and weakness. 2. The predicaments confronted by Taiwan¡¦s auto fastener industry while going through upgrading and key factors for success 3. A trio support from industry, government, and academic to assist the collective development of auto fastener industry. The findings of the paper: 1. Through further study of relevant data and theory paper, it is surprising to find that the competitive analysis of fastener industry in Taiwan fits in with the Diamond System and Clustering Theory of Michael E. Porter, and it is of wide application. Also, it is mentioned in the Diamond theory that the influence of role play between industry and vi government is reciprocal. It is difficult to judge which side has more influence on the other. Different time and environment will stimulate and exercise various functions and growths for both sides. 2. The fastener industry in Taiwan has developed well in to a geographical cluster with firm base for development, but it must go on with industry upgrading and producing high value-added products. Although auto fastener is not the sole choice, it leaves a great deal of space for growth. The members in the industry should assess their capability and core competitiveness to choose among auto fastener, speciality fastener, 3C electronic, aerospace fastener,and etc. for a transitional development. 3. There is ample room for the development of the auto fastener industry in Taiwan. The surface coating treatment, production process certification, and sales channel connection are three major topics to discuss. However, being the upstream raw material supplier and the largest interrelated industry, China Steel Corporation assumes the most important role in material supply, R&D, and vertical industry integration. Therefore, it is firmly believed that CSC possesses the capability to supplement and prosper the fastener industry in Taiwan Keyword: Auto Fastener, Competing Strategy, Diamond Theory .

Fastener industry has developed for forty years in Taiwan, and it created significant contribution to so-called "Economic Miracle". This research was operated via grounded theory, and we practically visited seven firms in South Taiwan to trace the track on development of fastener industry in Taiwan, investigating the industrial features influenced by interaction of strategy and resource accumulation. The research revealed that the process of resource accumulation and the changes of industry surroundings stimulated the mechanism of industry differentiation, forming two directions of industry development mass production style and delicate production style. Two kinds of firms took different strategic actions and formed divergent features of development. This research also forecasts future development of fastener industry, and offers some suggestions to the participant in the industry.

This work follows the design, prototyping and implementation of an automatic part loading and unloading system for use in thread rolling of aerospace fasteners. The thread rolling automation system is designed to function as part of a multi-process workcell, which emphasizes adaptability and ease of implementation. Design of the thread rolling automation facilitates the development of a universal gripping system, which is designed to grasp a large variety of fastener styles and sizes with a minimum of tooling changeover. A novel grasping model is developed to predict the error tolerance of the proposed gripping system design, which is validated experimentally. The proposed gripper and automation system are prototyped and tested, and shown to perform reliably with a wide range of fastener types.

This paper presents the development of a finite element method for modeling fastener joints in aircraft structures. By using connector element in commercial software Abaqus, the finite element method can handle multi-bolt joints and secondary bending. The plates in the joints are modeled with shell elements or solid elements. First, a pre-study with linear elastic analyses is performed. The study is focused on the influence of using different connector element stiffness predicted by semi-empirical flexibility equations from the aircraft industry. The influence of using a surface coupling tool is also investigated, and proved to work well for solid models and not so well for shell models, according to a comparison with a benchmark model. Second, also in the pre-study, an elasto-plastic analysis and a damage analysis are performed. The elasto-plastic analysis is compared to experiment, but the damage analysis is not compared to any experiment. The damage analysis is only performed to gain more knowledge of the method of modeling finite element damage behavior. Finally, the best working FE method developed in the pre-study is used in an analysis of an I-beam with multi-bolt structure and compared to experiments to prove the abilities with the method. One global and one local model of the I-beam structure are used in the analysis, and with the advantage that force-displacement characteristic are taken from the experiment of the local model and assigned as a constitutive behavior to connector elements in the analysis of the global model.

Within a highly competitive business environment of globalization, Taiwan's traditional manufacturing OEM based mode of operation is gradually coming under threat. With the convenience and rapid spread of information, the cost of the manufacturing sector is gradually transparent. As a result, distributors and brands continue to review the cost and using price comparison to get the low cost products. Lead to domestic manufactures¡¦ price competition in order to gain the business. Except the profits has been reduced and the trend of diversified products. The manufacturers had to give way to foreign buyers, a highly customized products is sold for affordable, not only have to increase production costs, must also be a compromise in low profit environment. Therefore, aim for running own brand business is one of options of way out; Own brand business is popular now. Running own brand business is becoming increasingly important; many manufacturers attempt to get rid of the OEM image and replace it with the brand strategy planning and execution of the mode. How to develop a global branding has become the focus of one of many Taiwanese business objectives. Therefore, this dissertation will see Company X as a case study, to discuss the own brand strategy planning and execution of the traditional industries. In this dissertation, brand definition as the start then using five forces analysis and competitive analysis to identify the so-called competitive advantage and core competencies, and then to develop the own brand strategy. The results of this study will be able to reference and basis for future implementation of own brand in company X.

Adapting from System Dynamics methodology for model building and simulation, this paper provides a structural and systematic approach toward analyzing the actual operations of Vendor Managed Inventory in fastener supply chain and constructs application steps for implementation. Optimum replenishment parameters of VMI model are established through scenario designs, dynamic simulations, parameters tuning and key performance index measuring. Four key findings are: (1) VMI model is able to reinvent the competitive advantage of an enterprise and enhance the competitiveness of the entire industry; (2) the key success factor of VMI is acquisition and integration of the dynamic information over the supply chain; (3) the efficiency and effectiveness of VMI operation can be enhanced through dynamic modeling and parameter tuning; (4) Systematic modeling approach provide feasible methodology in solving real world VMI problems.

No description available.