TR Fastenings (TR), the global engineer, manufacturer and distributor of industrial fasteners, has designed, developed and patented a new fastening solution, the EPW thread-forming screw for thin sheet metal.
The EPW screw is a self-extruding, high strength thread-form fastener which creates its own female thread in punched sheet metal, thereby dramatically reducing assembly times and costs. The screw works by being aligned to the pilot hole in the sheet metal, where it then forms the extruded collar, combining the forming of the thread and the creation of a strong extruded profile, before finally tightening and clamping into the metal.
The key benefits of the EPW screw include:
- Removable and re-usable strong screw joint
- High stripping torque
- High break loose and prevailing torque
- Excellent vibration resistance.
- Combined thread forming and creation of strong extruded profile
- Very high radial compression on screw shank
- Standard machine screws can be used in the thread created by the EPW screw
- Can be used for electrical earth connections
- Suitable for both manual and automated assembly
The screw is designed to function best in thin sheet materials, typically Steel (0.4-1mm thick) and Aluminium (0.4-1.5mm thick). They are available in a variety of surface coatings from standard Zinc plating to Zinc Nickel and organic Zinc flake for higher corrosion resistance. The screw is suitable for use in a variety of applications for home appliances, automotive,electronics, technology, energy, medical, telecoms and general industry sectors.
Depending on size, the minimum economical manufacturing quantity is approx. 20,000 pieces. A fully interactive animation of the EPW and how it works can be viewed on the dedicated product page on the TR website. Download EPW brochure here
Karol Gregorczyk, TR VIC Sales and Development Director, comments:
“We are committed to providing the highest possible service to our customers, both in terms of the quality products we manufacture and how we deliver and distribute those products. The development and launch of the new EPW screw is a culmination of the hard work and talent of our TR VIC Italy design team, as well as the significant investment TR has made in the factory.
“The EPW screw will allow our customers to make significant improvements to their manufacturing processes, reducing production times, increasing efficiency and cost-effectiveness.”
