Fastener Training Institute®

Fastener Training Institute and IFI Offer Advanced Fastener Technical Training Program

The Fastener Training Institute® and the Industrial Fasteners Institute have partnered to offer a week-long intensive version of FTI’s Certified Fastener Specialist™ advanced technical training program. This partnership is in response to requests by fastener distributors and manufacturers to offer FTI’s Certified Fastener Specialist™ seven-course training program in an intensive 5-day version. Click Here to view details of the course content.

Held in Cleveland, Ohio, Fastener Training Institute®/IFI includes everything that a student would experience in the regular seven-course CFS™ training, but all on consecutive days. Midwest fastener companies save on travel expenses and days missed by sending attendees to Cleveland instead of Los Angeles for technical training. Students finish the program in five days instead of seven days spread out over several months. And fastener association members receive substantial discounts on registration fees. Click Here to register for this event.

The Fastener Training Institute®/IFI program features learning labs taught by leading industry experts, Joe Greenslade (IFI), Carmen Vertullo CFS (Simply Better Inc.), and Salim Brahimi (IBECA Technologies), interactive exercises, quizzes to reinforce learning, and plant tours of manufacturing, secondary processes and testing facilities. Upon completion of this training and passing a final exam, attendees are eligible to receive the Certified Fastener Specialist™ (CFS) designation.

Training like this can be the difference between you and your competition. People going through this program make fewer costly mistakes that result from ignorance. The return on investment from this training:

  • Added value to your company and your customers, enhanced company image
  • Increased efficiencies in processes, resulting in financial gain and sustainability
  • Increased innovation in strategies and products, risk management

The curriculum for the week-long training includes:

  • Thread specifications, material specifications, process specifications
  • Dimensional specifications, quality systems and specifications
  • Lot traceability, test reports, print reading and tolerances
  • Thread gaging and dimensional inspection, torque tension

The 2010 program was endorsed by:

  • Canadian Fasteners Institute
  • Industrial Fasteners Institute
  • Mid-West Fastener Association
  • National Fastener Distributors Association
  • Pacific-West Fastener Association
  • North Coast Fastener Association

What our students have to say:

  • “Great. Well worth my time and money. The instructors are very dedicated to the improvement and education of the industry. I have always worked in management. I can now look up specs and know where to go for information.”
  • “The CFS program drastically shortened my learning curve regarding fastener specifications… The program materials were well organized and professional. Each instructor was very knowledgeable and infused the lesson topics with real world examples. CFS is a great program taught by excellent instructors.”
  • "I feel this course really helped me gain a more solid understanding of mechanical engineering and develop the technical knowledge important to this field. It also makes me realize the complexities and challenges we face, and that makes the work even more interesting. I’m really happy with this and look forward to continue learning in this industry."

Program organizers from FTI and IFI are very excited about the future of fastener training in North America.

"The state of the economy and industry strained our event, but company leaders’ belief in training our human resources prevailed and allowed for the event to be an enormous success. This further demonstrates the significance of endorsing the Fastener Training Institute’s CFS program to the entire fastener community," said Kelly Cole (WCL Company, City of Industry, California), FTI co-chair.

Joe Greenslade, IFI director of engineering technology commented, "I have worked in the fastener industry for 39 years. I have felt strongly throughout that time that the fastener industry is in dire need of more and better training. Finally it looks like the Fastener Training Institute (FTI) is in the process of filling that critical need.

"Every new sales, engineering, and quality person in the fastener industry should go through this program to develop a good technology foundation. Even those with many years experience can gain a much broader view of the technology of the fastener industry. As Francis Bacon said, ‘Knowledge is power.’ I hope the fastener industry will take advantage of the evolving knowledge building resources of the FTI to gain strength and power to assure future prosperity for our industry."

FTI co-chair John Wachman (Desert Distribution, Scottsdale, Arizona) added, "The recent success of the Fastener Training Institute Chicago event confirms that there is a continuing need for in-depth product training in our industry. It is our plan to build on this success and offer more programs like Chicago and also add to the Certified Fastener Specialist curriculum. We appreciate the continued support of the Industrial Fasteners Institute which co-sponsored the Chicago event."

The Fastener Training Institute™ offers technical training for the entire fastener industry. The Certified Fastener Specialist™ program was founded in 1998 by the Los Angeles Fastener Association, with more than 600 participants and more than 200 graduates. FTI’s core purpose is to enhance fastener use, reliability and safety.

FTI has the following classes scheduled for 2010:

  • Product Training Program Part #1, January 19, in La Mirada, California
  • Product Training Program Part #2, February 16, in La Mirada, California
  • Product Training Program Part #3, March 9, in La Mirada, California
  • Fastener Manufacturing Plant Tours (a CFS class), April 20, in La Mirada, California
  • Fastener Secondary Processes Plant Tours (a CFS class), May 11, in La Mirada, California
  • Print Reading for Fastener Industry Professionals class, May 25, in conjunction with the National Industrial Fastener Show-East, Columbus, Ohio
  • Solid Modeling & Computer Aided Design for Fasteners & Assembly Components class, May 25, in conjunction with the National Industrial Fastener Show-East, Columbus, Ohio
  • Fastener Specifications & Terminology (a CFS class), June 15, in La Mirada, California
  • Understanding the Bolted Joint (a CFS class), July 6, in La Mirada, California
  • Fastener Training Institute-Cleveland (complete CFS program), July 19-23 in Cleveland, Ohio
  • Dimensional and Material Specifications (a CFS class), August 10, in La Mirada, California
  • Fastener Basics, August 24, in La Mirada, California
  • Fastener Quality Assurance (a CFS class), September 14, in La Mirada, California
  • Fastener Testing (a CFS class), October 19, in La Mirada, California
  • Print Reading for Fastener Industry Professionals class, November 8, in conjunction with the National Industrial Fastener Show-West, Las Vegas, Nevada
  • Solid Modeling & Computer Aided Design for Fasteners & Assembly Components class, November 8, in conjunction with the National Industrial Fastener Show-West, Las Vegas, Nevada

Founded in 1931, the Industrial Fasteners Institute is an association of the leading American manufacturers of bolts, nuts, screws, rivets, and all types of special formed parts. IFI is responsible for the original development of many of the fastener standards in use today. Associate members include suppliers of equipment, materials, and services commonly used in fastener manufacturing. For more information visit www.indfast.org