The PEM® VariMount® fastening system from PennEngineering® enables the use of PEM® self-clinching fasteners for attachment applications in composites, plastics, metal, and any rigid material or panel. The system integrates a self-clinching nut, stud, or standoff pre-installed permanently into a steel or stainless steel base plate. The base plate with multiple radial holes effectively becomes a mounting platform, which can be bonded or mechanically attached to virtually any rigid material. Once mounted, the pre-installed PEM self-clinching fastener ultimately is positioned where designed to accept mating hardware.

A variety of standard PEM self-clinching fasteners can be specified for installation into the base plate. These include steel and stainless steel nuts, steel blind nuts, steel standoffs, and steel and stainless steel threaded studs in a range of metric and unified thread sizes and lengths. Custom designs to meet specific needs also can be provided. As an option, base plates can be supplied with or without a pre-installed self-clinching fastener.

Among value-added system features, the assembly can be mounted using a variety of methods, including mold-in, laminate with composite layers, adhesives, standard fasteners or rivets, or spot welding. When mounting the assembly with hardware, the radial holes easily accommodate, since they are specifically sized to accept universally standard diameters of rivets, self-clinching fasteners, and loose hardware such as nuts, bolts, and screws.