The new LiteFit plastic threaded insert has been specified as a ‘metal replacement’ part for an ‘in-cockpit’ application on the Eurofighter Typhoon.
In 2017 Fitsco developed its patent-pending new range of plastic threaded inserts specified for use at 50,000 feet and Mach 2+ on a front-line fighter aircraft.
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LiteFit plastic inserts take off with the Eurofighter Typhoon
Many modern military aerospace designs are moving away from metallic parts to achieve reduced overall platform conductivity and deliver a diminished radar signature and LiteFit says it helps achieve this on the Eurofighter application.
Philip Schofield, Fitsco Founder and CEO, explained: “It opens up interesting new possibilities for design and production engineering teams in many market sectors by bringing a number of key advantages over standard metal inserts.”
Fitsco says that compared to brass, steel or stainless steel threaded inserts, LiteFit, delivers an individual-item weight saving of up to 80 per cent.
‘Standard’ moulding operations usually involve the moulding of a blind hole followed by the installation of metal inserts.
By installing the new LiteFit threaded inserts into the mould tool itself, a technical benefit can be gained by achieving better material-flow integrity around the area of the insert itself and OEMs don’t need additional installation equipment, time and labour to install metal threaded inserts after the moulded part has been made, reducing assembly costs.
Schofield added: “This increase in integrity has the potential to make a big difference in some cases.”
LiteFit plastic inserts can be colour matched to blend with the ‘parent’ material into which the inserts are being installed.
The LiteFit range of plastic inserts have been conceived and developed in-house by the Fitsco R&D team at the company’s headquarters in Shropshire.