PEM® brand fasteners by PennEngineering leverage self-clinching, broaching, flaring, surface mount, or weld technology to offer robust, reusable, and permanent threads and mounting points in thin sheet metal, printed circuit board (P.C. board) materials, and other ductile or non-ductile thin materials. As pioneers of self-clinching technology, PEM is globally recognized by OEMs for its innovative, high-quality manufacturing.
For over 75 years, PEM® self-clinching fasteners have led the market in thin sheet fastening across various industries, including electronics, data/telecom, medical, automotive, marine, aerospace, and avionics. These fasteners have enabled the development of thinner and lighter end-product designs, providing a reliable alternative to spot welding or riveting. They offer labor savings and eliminate quality concerns from welding spatter by providing a permanent, stress-resistant attachment in sheet metal as thin as 0.20mm (0.008″).
PEM® Fastener Technologies and Types
PEM® fasteners include:
- Nuts for sheet metal
- Cable tie-mounts and hooks for sheet metal
- Studs and pins for sheet metal
- Fasteners for printed circuit boards
- Standoffs for sheet metal
- microPEM fasteners
- Captive panel screws and hardware
- Weld nuts
- Sheet-to-sheet attachment
- VariMount bonding fasteners
PEM® has built its reputation on the excellence of its hardware, components, and service, making long-lasting and reliable products preferred by companies worldwide.
What is a PEM® Fastener?
If you work with sheet metal fabrication, you’ve likely encountered the term “PEM® fastener.” These fasteners, designed and manufactured by PennEngineering, utilize self-clinching technology to attach to thin sheet metal. A self-clinching fastener is typically threaded and, when pressed into ductile metal, displaces the host material around the mounting hole, causing it to cold flow into an annular recess in the fastener’s shank or pilot.
Why Choose PEM® Fasteners?
PEM® brand self-clinching fasteners offer several advantages:
- They provide strong, permanent attachment in metal as thin as 0.20mm (0.008”).
- Installation involves any parallel acting squeezing force.
- They exhibit high push-out and torque-out performance.
- No special mounting hole preparation, such as chamfering or deburring, is needed.
- The reverse side remains flush with no swaged rim protrusion.
- Low installed cost, with hardware installation occurring during the fabrication process, reducing assembly steps and saving time and money.
- They are ideal when components need to be readily replaceable and when loose nuts and hardware are inaccessible during the final assembly process.
Featured PEM Catalogs and Brochures:
PEM® Fastener Products Include:
- microPEM Fasteners
- Nuts for Sheet Metal
- Cable Tie-Mounts and Hooks for Sheet Metal
- Studs and Pins for Sheet Metal
- Standoffs for Sheet Metal
- Captive Panel Screws and Hardware
- Weld Nuts
- Sheet-to-Sheet Attachment
- VariMount Bonding Fasteners
