Quote:
Originally Posted by Seabear
Helicoils are common in aerospace applications. Used in aluminum and magnesium castings to enable a stronger more durable thread.
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And in medical production equipment applications where plastic (Delrin) and anodized aluminum (esp. 2024-T4 & -T351) are common. They are especially useful with smaller thread sizes in relatively soft materials. They are also used in strong but brittle plastics, like high % filled polycarbonate.
Not to mention a real life saver when threads cannot be re-tapped to the previous size because the bolt had to be drilled out and it couldn't be done all that precisely.
PEM inserts (our generic name for press-in threaded inserts) certainly have their place, especially for sheet metal, but our tooling fabrication & repair machine shop was always well stocked with various Helicoil sizes.