Hello, everyone.

This is Enta.

It's May!

The rainy season is about to start, isn't it!

But we're already short on spray teams around this time of year, aren't we? lol

Even though the numbers are going to keep rising from this point on, we're already running short at this stage...

Oh, this is a problem...

Every day, I find myself thinking, “I wish they’d think more about work-life balance” (lol).

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But that's beside the point.

Recently, more and more NEXCO locations have stopped using caps for head protection.

Did you know that?

Considering the lifespan of the plating, that makes sense.

However, lately there’s been a problem that’s even more troublesome than the plating issue.

Some of you may be familiar with the project managers working on NEXCO projects.

 

That means the nut comes loose.

When using nuts in parts subject to vibration, you typically use what are called spring washers.

A spring washer uses spring force to prevent a part from loosening against the force that causes it to loosen.

If you have any experience with mechanical maintenance, you'll probably understand.

As a general rule, the nuts used in rebar installation and rock bolt installation should be tightened to a degree that prevents them from loosening.

There are reasons on-site that are causing this to loosen.

 

First of all,Freezing and ThawingThat's it.

I think there was a head treatment product for that, too. (I can't quite remember, though...)

Frost and freezing cause tension in the natural ground.

When it gets warm, I lose my enthusiasm.

Over a long period of time, as it goes up and down, there is a possibility that it will loosen.

 

Second isVibrationThat's it.

This vibration occurs when a vehicle is passing by.

Even if it's not a large truck, vibrations occur whenever a vehicle is in motion.

Especially if there's a bump nearby, it vibrates so hard you can actually hear a "thud."

This vibration is really bad for the nut, isn't it?

I remembered that I had once thought about making this anti-vibration nut and had designed it using 3D CAD.

We canceled development before we could unveil it lol

 

These two issues are usually what cause things to start coming loose, but it’s actually pretty easy to fix them.

 

When tightening a nut, apply light pressure to the inside of the nutWeather-Resistant CaulkingYou put it in.

Just doing that will make it less likely to come loose.

Since it's caulk, it can withstand some expansion and contraction, and it also fills the gaps around the screw threads, making it less likely to come loose.

Moreover, since it’s on the inside of the nut, it’s unlikely to be exposed to direct sunlight, so it’s highly likely that it won’t deteriorate easily.

 

Getting creative with solutions to prevent looseningI feel like it would work just fine if we were to do that. (I haven't actually tried it myself.)

Or maybe use a double nut to prevent it from coming loose?

Still, I do think it’s better to apply caulk so it doesn’t come loose.

 

See you later.