Month: July 2024

Tesla’s USD 100,000 Cybertruck Needs a Rivet Drilled through the Pedal for Safety

Posted on by admin

Tsamouris, the Fastener Specialists©

In April 2024, Tesla faced a significant setback when a viral video revealed that the accelerator pedal pad on
its highly anticipated Cybertruck could slip off and get stuck in the interior trim, causing the vehicle to
accelerate uncontrollably. In response, the company temporarily halted deliveries and issued a recall for
every Cybertruck on the road.

The solution to this potentially dangerous issue turned out to be surprisingly simple: a single rivet installed to
secure the pedal pad in place. At a “Cyber Takeover” event in Long Beach, California, Tesla demonstrated the
quick fix, which takes just 35 seconds to complete once the required drilling jig is in place.

The process, as outlined in Tesla’s Service Bulletin, involves measuring the distance between the bottom of
the aluminum accelerator pedal pad and the bottom of the pedal backing before beginning the work. If the
bottom of the pad is 5mm or further from the bottom of the pedal, the entire pedal assembly must be
replaced.

Once the measurement is confirmed to be within the acceptable range, a hole is drilled using the jig, and a
rivet is installed to secure the pedal pad, preventing it from coming off due to an “unapproved change”
during manufacturing that made it slipperier than intended.

After the installation, Tesla’s workers inspect the work with a mirror and clean up any debris left in the
customer’s USD 100,000 (EUR 90,000) plus truck, ensuring that the vehicle is returned in pristine condition.
At Tsamouris, we recognize the importance of fasteners in preventing potentially life-threatening accidents.

When Montrealers Flocked to Collect Rivets from Old Champlain Bridge

Posted on by admin

Tsamouris, the Fastener Specialists©

In September 2023, thousands of Montrealers lined up in Brossard and on Nuns’ Island to receive a piece of
history — a souvenir rivet from the old Champlain Bridge. The bridge, which connected Montreal and its
suburbs for nearly 60 years, was decommissioned in 2019 and replaced by a new USD 4.4 billion (EUR 4
billion) span.

Despite the pouring rain, people eagerly waited to get their hands on one of the 4,000 rivets being given
away as keepsakes. The giveaway proved immensely popular, with some individuals lining up as early as 7
a.m. on the previous day in Brossard.

The original Champlain Bridge, opened in 1962, was the most-travelled bridge in Canada, with 50 million
trips per year. It played a significant role in the economic development of both Montreal and its surrounding
areas. However, the bridge was also plagued with problems, including a lack of drainage that led to rapid
corrosion, ultimately leading to the decision to replace it when it was less than 50 years old.

Nathalie Lessard, a spokeswoman for Jacques Cartier and Champlain Bridges Inc., the federal Crown
corporation managing the old bridge, emphasized the importance of the rivets: ”Rivets are not used to build
bridges anymore; now they use nuts and bolts,” she explained, highlighting the historical significance of
these fasteners.

The rivets were removed as part of a USD 400 million (EUR 370 million), multi-year effort to dismantle the old
bridge, which is on schedule to be completed in early 2024. The giveaway is part of the corporation’s effort to
recycle some 90% of all the bridge materials, including 25,000 tonnes of steel. Other pieces of the bridge
have been repurposed into various projects, such as a bicycle, a footbridge for a scout camp, school
furniture, and even watches.

Tsamouris is a leading supplier of high-quality bolts, committed to providing fasteners that ensure the safety
and longevity of the public infrastructure they are used in.

Boeing Finds Missdrilled Rivet Holes on 50 Undelivered 737 Max

Posted on by admin

Tsamouris, the Fastener Specialists©

Back in February 2024, Boeing announced that it has discovered incorrectly drilled holes in the fuselages of
approximately 50 undelivered 737 Max jets. This setback was expected to cause rework and potentially delay
the delivery of these planes, raising further concerns about quality control at the manufacturer and its
suppliers.

Stan Deal, the CEO of Boeing’s commercial plane unit, stated in a memo to employees that a supplier had
identified two holes that may not have been drilled according to the company’s requirements. While Deal
emphasized that this issue is not an immediate flight safety concern and that the 737s currently in use can
continue flying, it underscores the ongoing challenges faced by Boeing and its suppliers in maintaining high
standards of quality and safety.

The latest problems come on the heels of a January 5th, 2024, incident involving a 737 Max 9 jet operated by
Alaska Airlines, in which a panel blew out mid-flight due to missing bolts, forcing an emergency landing and
the grounding of some Max 9s in the United States. Reports have suggested that Boeing workers had
previously opened and reinstalled the panel that blew off the Alaska Airlines plane, raising further questions
about quality control practices.

In response to these issues, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has stated that it will limit Boeing’s
output until it is confident in the company’s quality control processes. The regulator is also investigating
Boeing’s manufacturing practices and production lines, including those involving Spirit AeroSystems,
Boeing’s fuselage supplier.

At Tsamouris, we understand the critical importance of quality control and precision in the manufacturing
process, particularly when it comes to fasteners and components that play a vital role in ensuring the safety
and reliability of aircrafts.

Why Jeans Have Rivets

Posted on by admin

Tsamouris, the Fastener Specialists©

In the late 1800s, the American West was a hive of activity, with men toiling on farms, ranches, railroads, and
gold mines in harsh and dirty conditions. The grueling work often led to “blowouts” — the splitting of pants
at pockets and other stress points. J.W. Davis, a Latvian tailor and inventor based in Reno, Nevada, who
specialized in making tents and wagon covers, devised a solution: placing rivets on work pants at these
points of strain, including the crotch.

He reached out to his fabric supplier, Levi Strauss in San Francisco, proposing a patent partnership. On May
20th, 1873, Jacob Davis and Levi Strauss & Co. obtained U.S. patent No. 139,121 for “an Improvement in
Fastening Pocket Openings,” marking the birth of the riveted blue jean. The near-indestructibility of Levi’s®
made them the go-to choice for the diverse, rugged individuals — workers, outcasts, entrepreneurs, and
outlaws — who were shaping America’s future.

Over a century later, these tiny rivets continue to serve their original purpose, ensuring that your jeans’
pockets remain securely attached and ready to handle whatever you throw their way.

Rhapsody in Rivets

Posted on by admin

Tsamouris, the Fastener Specialists©

“Rhapsody in Rivets,” a 1941 Warner Bros’ Merrie Melodies cartoon, is a must-watch for anyone who
appreciates the art of animation and the important role of rivets in construction.

In this short, a foreman (a caricature of conductor Leopold Stokowski) conducts a crew of animal workers in
a lively rendition of Franz Liszt’s “Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2.” The construction site becomes a symphony of
riveting, hammering, sawing, and more, with elevators, picks, and a steam shovel serving as unconventional
instruments.

As the clock ticks towards 5:00 p.m., the crew works at a frenzied pace, and the building rises to dizzying
heights. But in a twist of fate, the overly hasty construction leads to a hilarious and catastrophic collapse,
leaving the foreman to face the consequences.

The cartoon showcases the precision and skill required in construction, with rivets playing a central role in
bringing the building to life. As the crew works furiously to complete the project, the riveting takes center
stage, driving the music and the action forward.

Just like in the movie “Rhapsody in Rivets,” at Tsamouris, we spotlight the unsung heroes of construction, the
bolts and nuts.

Texas Company Unveils World’s Largest Hex Nut

Posted on by admin

Tsamouris, the Fastener Specialists©

Patriot Bolt and Fastener in Humble, Texas, has claimed the title for the world’s largest hex nut with the
installation of “Big Tex the Incredible Hex” on their property. The massive 16 feet (4.9 meters) tall, 19 feet (5.8
meters) wide nut, crafted by Houston-based JK Welding, dethrones the previous record holder in Komenda,
Slovenia.

CEO and founder Kris Kolb decided to pursue the record, stating, “No better place to have that record in than
Texas because everything is bigger in Texas.” The silver-painted nut, weighing approximately 8,500 pounds
(3,855 kilos), features “Patriot Bolt” and “Made in Texas” inscriptions and boasts a 10-foot (3 meters)
diameter opening, making it theoretically functional if ever needed.

JK Welding owner and founder John King embraced the challenge, with his team investing over 450 man
hours across six weeks to complete the project. Eduardo Hinojosa, a JK Welding employee, expressed his
satisfaction with the outcome, saying, “I have never been a part of anything of this magnitude. This concept
was pretty fun.”

While a Guinness World Records verifier could not attend the installation, Kolb expects the record to be
officially recognized soon. The hex nut’s size significantly surpasses the Slovenian record, which measures
approximately 11.8 feet (3.6 meters) by 13.6 feet (41 meters).

As a leading provider of fasteners, at Tsamouris, we understand the importance of pushing boundaries and
showcasing the vital role bolts play in our world.

How Metal Bolts Save Old Brick Buildings from Earthquakes

Posted on by admin

Tsamouris, the Fastener Specialists©

Those metal stars adorning old brick buildings in cities like Philadelphia, New York, and St. Louis, United
States, are not just patriotic decor — they are vital structural components called star bolts, designed to
prevent catastrophic collapses.

In many older brick row houses, floor and roof joists run parallel to the front and rear facades, leaving these
walls connected only at the edges and roof. The problem is that sometimes these end-walls can start to
bulge outwards, since they’re only connected to the rest of the house at their edges.

Star bolts and other shaped plates are a common engineering retrofit, running through the brick and
connecting facades to the joists behind to stabilize the structure. The star shape effectively distributes
tension loads across multiple bricks while looking intentional from any angle.

These tie rods come in various shapes, including diamonds, circles, and squares, with the latter being a
cost-effective choice often found in the Bay Area for seismic reinforcement. In Europe, more sophisticated
and stylized shapes made of cast or wrought iron are also common.

Retrofitting structures with star bolts can be costly, but it’s often cheaper than rebuilding a brick wall.

Tokyo’s Boundary House Built Using Only Nuts and Bolts

Posted on by admin

Tsamouris, the Fastener Specialists©

“Boundary House” in Tokyo, is a residential construction designed by Niji Architects, built exclusively with
lightweight steel and assembled using only nuts and bolts. This prefabricated home showcases the potential
of modular and sustainable construction.

The steel frame, made from light gauged section (LGS) lipped channels, was cut, drilled, and fitted with joint
hardware in a factory before being transported to the site. Once the foundation was ready, the prefabricated
components were simply bolted together, significantly reducing construction time and labor costs.

The home’s lightweight steel frame eliminated the need for pile foundations, further reducing build costs.
The floor, walls, and roof consist of panels strong enough to be directly fastened, eliminating the need for
backing materials.

To ensure privacy in an area flanked by empty lots, Niji Architects strategically placed windows above and
below, creating a comfortable and rhythmic living space with a tranquil, secluded bedroom.

At Tsamouris, we support the growing need of modular and sustainable building practices.

Dutch Bank’s Office Built with 165,312 Screws for Easy Disassembly and Reuse

Posted on by admin

Tsamouris, the Fastener Specialists©

In a groundbreaking example of circular design, the Netherlands-based Triodos Bank has constructed an
office building that can be fully disassembled and reused at the end of its life. The building, designed by
Dutch firm Rau Architects, was constructed using an astonishing 165,312 screws, allowing for easy
dismantling and repurposing of its components.

The primarily wooden structure, with towers ranging from two to five stories, stands in stark contrast to
traditional steel and concrete buildings that are welded together and are difficult to disassemble.
Beyond its innovative use of screws, the building boasts several other sustainable features. The wood used
in construction is carbon neutral, and the design maximizes natural daylight to reduce the need for artificial
lighting. The building’s shape was carefully considered to minimize its impact on local wildlife, and the
landscaping includes a pond for animals to drink from.

The office also incorporates renewable energy technologies, such as solar panels and geothermal heating
and cooling, while encouraging eco-friendly commuting with bike facilities and proximity to public
transportation.

Perhaps most unique is the building’s status as the first “temporary materials bank.” All materials used in the
design are logged on a public platform called “Madaster,” which tracks materials in the built environment to
eliminate waste. Each component, from wooden beams to glass panels, has a “materials passport” detailing
its specifications and origins.

At Tsamouris, we recognize the importance of innovative fastening solutions in enabling circular design and
sustainable construction.