Stanley Black & Decker and the Aerospace Industry

  • June 28, 2022

In August 1940, the Battle of Britain raged in the skies over the English countryside, and the future of democracy in Europe hung in the balance.

As a wave of German bombers approached the white cliffs of Dover, air raid sirens sounded, and pilots of the Royal Air Force’s 41st Squadron at Hornchurch scrambled to their aircraft.1

Fortunately, the RAF had a plane capable of outperforming that of the Germans – the Supermarine Spitfire.2 Integral to the construction of the Spitfire was the Chobert® fastener, developed by Jacque Chobert of Aviation Developments (later Avdel), and now part of STANLEY Engineered Fastening.3

Avdel’s innovative rivet systems have become standard in the aerospace industry, with notable applications ranging from the Concorde to the Harrier Jump Jet, the first plane capable of taking off without a runway.4

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Black & Decker Screw Drivers and Aviation, 1930. Toggle this button to get more information about this image.

Across the Stanley Black & Decker family of companies are numerous examples of tools designed to perform within the aerospace industry. In the 1960s, Black & Decker worked with NASA to develop space tools on the Gemini and Apollo programs, including a zero-torque minimum reaction space wrench and the Apollo Lunar Surface Drill, which took core samples of the moon on the Apollo 15 mission.5

Spiralock, now part of STANLEY Engineered Fastening, also has a longstanding partnership with NASA. The screw-thread fastening system was first patented in 1979 but did not become widely used until the mid-’80s, when NASA tested the system for use in the space shuttle program. The system performed well in tests, which found that it was capable of withstanding intense vibrations without coming loose.6 It was used on various missions, including a 2004 trip to Huygens, one of Saturn’s moons.7

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Stanley Black & Decker continues its affiliation with the aerospace industry through the French subsidiary FACOM, which has a longstanding relationship with Air France.8 Since France’s national carrier was founded in 1933, it has relied on FACOM for tools specifically designed for aircraft maintenance.9 Today, many other airlines and airplane and parts manufacturers – including British Airways, Emirates Airline, Rolls Royce and Embraer – use FACOM tools for their high-end performance.10

Boeing, the largest aerospace company in the world, relies on Stanley Black & Decker brands for the manufacture of commercial jetliners and related products.11 Boeing engineers and technicians use PROTO, the producer of high-performance cadmium-free tools,12 as well as CribMaster, maker of inventory management systems.13

From the dawn of the modern aviation era to the jet age and exploration of the outer reaches of our solar system, Stanley Black & Decker businesses continue to hold innovation and performance among their highest values – leading the way for future generations of makers and visionaries.

[1] “The Few: June to December 1940.” The RAF Hornchurch Project. Accessed February 07, 2018. http://www.rafhornchurch.thehumanjourney.net/History/the_few.htm.

[2] Holland, James. “Why do we love the Spitfire?” BBC iWonder. Accessed February 07, 2018. http://www.bbc.co.uk/guides/z3jkwmn.

[3] Avdel Blind Fastening Systems: 75 years of value-based fastening and assembly solutions. Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire: Avdel UK Limited, 2011. 3,7; http://www.stanleyengineeredfastening.com/news/avdel-celebrate-75-years-innovation

[4] Avdel Blind Fastening Systems: 75 years of value-based fastening and assembly solutions. Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire: Avdel UK Limited, 2011. 10, 14; Davies, Alex. “The Exhilarating, Exasperating Life of the Harrier Jump Jet.” Wired. June 06, 2014. Accessed February 07, 2018. https://www.wired.com/2014/06/why-harrier-jets-crash/.

[5] Black & Decker Cordless Tools Growth Through Innovation. Timeline. Hampstead, MD: Black & Decker Archives; Black & Decker. Public Relations Department. “Apollo 15 Moon Drilling.” News release, Towson, MD, 1971. The Black & Decker Manufacturing Company.

[6] “Novel Threading Enables New Approach to Golf Clubs.” NASA. Accessed February 07, 2018. https://spinoff.nasa.gov/Spinoff2017/cg_2.html.

[7] Williams, Del. “Spiralock Fasteners Make Descent to Saturn’s Largest Moon.” Manufacturing Innovation Insider Newsletter. http://www.stanleyengineeredfastening.com/sites/www.emhartamericas.com/files/documents/Spiralock_-_Cassini_Update.pdf

[8] “1920 - 1930.” FACOM. Accessed February 07, 2018. https://www.facom.com/our-brand/History-of-FACOM-1920-1930.html.

[9] “1990 - 1993.” FACOM. Accessed February 07, 2018. https://www.facom.com/our-brand/History-of-FACOM-1990-1993.html.

[10] FACOM. Aerospace Global Solutions. Evry: FACOM SAS, 2015. Accessed February 7, 2018. https://www.facom.de/partage/brochures-en/Facom-Catalogue-Aerospace-2015-EN.pdf.

[11] “Boeing.” Boeing: Our Company. Accessed March 29, 2018. http://www.boeing.com/company/.

[12] Industry Built America, We Built Industry: Proto Tools 100th Anniversary. The Stanley Works, 2007. 67.

[13] “Aerospace Inventory Management.” Aerospace Inventory Management Solutions | CribMaster. Accessed March 29, 2018