Through cutting, bending, and assembling, sheet metal fabrication produces machinery and structures of all types for a wide variety of industries, including aerospace, automotive, construction, and jewelry.
While fabricating individual elements for a sheet metal product can be a relatively simple process, primarily involving bends performed by a press brake or similar machinery, assembling multiple components into a completed assembly can be much more complex.
Southco offers various assembly solutions to simplify this process.
About Southco
Southco was founded in 1899 as a manufacturer of specialty pipes for the oil industry. By the end of World War II, the company had begun to focus on the manufacture of latches and other fasteners. In the intervening 70 years, Southco has continued to evolve; today, they are a global leader in the manufacture of engineered access hardware and assembly solutions.
Southco’s extensive product catalog now includes various assembly solutions particularly useful for sheet metal fabrication.
EAS
Electronic Access Systems (EASs) are the future of security for industrial facilities and machinery alike, allowing users to track when and by whom machinery is accessed and enabling segregation of sensitive areas. This ensures that only qualified employees with granted permission can access the control panels and other sensitive areas of machinery and also allows for complete quality control — especially important in food or pharmaceutical industries. EASs can be used for a wide range of applications, including medical dispensing and storage, electronic enclosures, and transportation. Southco manufactures a range of EASs and EAS components, including electronic cam, rotary, and swinghandle latches.
Latches
Depending on the specific application, various types of latches — all with different benefits and unique characteristics — are available for use in industrial machinery access panels. Thanks to their consistent pull-up and smooth operation, compression latches, in particular, are ideal for scenarios that require environmental sealing in gasketed applications. Southco’s Vice Action® compression latches are available in a variety of styles that resist noise, vibration, and shock- or vibration-caused accidental opening. Southco also offers draw latches — available in fixed grip, flexible, adjustable, rotary, and concealed styles — which provide a low-profile secure grip and easy actuation. Optional spring-loaded versions easily accommodate misalignment.
Hinges
Hinges allow users to easily to define and adjust the operating effort required to move or position panels. Southco provides a range of hinges, all suitable for use in high-stress applications. Among the most durable and versatile are the adjustable torque position control hinges; corrosion resistant and concealable, they feature easily adjustable torque for optimal door-positioning control. External, embedded, and concealed models are available, as well as door stays.
Learn More
Founded in 1984, Assembly Fasteners, Inc. (AFI) has become an industry-leading fastener and assembly solution distributor with global reach. We partner with well-regarded, innovative manufacturers to provide our customers with the strongest, highest-quality products available.
To learn more about fasteners and assembly solutions for the sheet metal fabrication industry, download our free eBook, “13 of the Best Fastening Solutions for Sheet Metal Fabrication.”
