Manufacturing industries spent an estimated $83.34 billion in 2018 on fasteners and the demand for these products is expected to expand at 4% annually. Currently, the U.S. market consumes more than 200 billion fasteners yearly. There are a wide range of fasteners (including miniature screws found in your phone!). With the ever=evolving technology, it would be difficult for electronic industries to go micro without the small screws. But what differentiates these screws from one another? We’ll talk about the different types in today’s post.
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Miniature screws can be either permanent or removable. Permanent micro fasteners are designed for parts expected to hold together for a long period. On the other hand, removable screws allow you to separate two parts with ease when need arises.
All micro screws were traditionally threaded. However, the need for captive fasteners resulted in the invention of self-clinching screws. Both threaded and unthreaded miniature screws require high precision engineering to manufacture.
The functionality of the parts being joined dictates whether to use permanent or removable fasteners. Likewise, threaded and unthreaded have varying uses.
There is a wide range of screws you can choose from depending with application. For instance, thread forming tiny screws for plastics. The plastic tiny screws include plastite screws, TRILOBULAR screws, PT screws, Delta PT screws, REMFORM screws, and Hi-Low screws.
Similarly, screwing points, such as tapping screws, thread forming machine screws, and thread cutting machine screws can be used as the classifying factor. Tapping screws are type A, AB, and B. While the thread screws include type 1, 17, 23, 25, and F, the thread cutting machine screws are tri-round, C, CA, and Lo-Driv.
Lastly, some captive screws are colored and others non-colored. The color code is used to differentiate various types of micro screws.
Tiny screws have found application in automotive, agricultural, space, electronics, and many more industries. All these fields have all manner of gadgets with different functionalities. As such, any abnormality in any of the components can hamper the performance as they require custom captive fasteners for optimal performance.
You can also find custom fasteners made of specialized materials, such as aluminum, or stainless steel coated with nickel, black oxide or zinc at www.custom-fasteners.com. Both aluminum and stainless are known for their high quality. The outer coating protects the screw from harsh weather.
The shoulder bolt is a good example of a custom screw. This type of captive fasteners has thread on the lower end that is smaller in diameter than the unthreaded shoulder on the upper part. The thread is for proper fastening.
Fastening screws can give disastrous results if not perfected properly, as each kind of screw requires a certain value of force. If excess torque is applied, it breaks. If the force is too little, the captive screws loosen within a short time. Unless minor repair is performed through automation, engineers must ensure that the correct value is applied. Failure to adhere leads to wastage when breakage of screws is massive and numerous breakdowns in case of loosening.
Washer and screw usually come together in most instances. They are separate components that secure the structural integrity together. The manner in which they are assembled determines the efficiency of the assembly.
SEMS is a good example of pre-assembled screw and washer. The pre-assembled micro fastener has a free-spinning permanent lock washer. Since the threaded diameter of the screw has a larger diameter than the upper part, the washer cannot be removed.
There are often different packages to choose from. The miniature screws have threads as small as 0.2mm. This allows you to get what you need any time you need it. The 100 piece package of screws is one of the most popular packages.
We hope this brief overview of micro screws proves helpful, but there’s no way to cover all of the ins and outs in just one post. If you have any further questions or concerns, we’re here to ensure you’re able to get the right products to fit your needs. Contact us today to learn more.