Global manufacturer and distributor of industrial fasteners, TR Fastenings, has designed and developed 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, which significantly reduces assembly times and costs.
The screw works through 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.
Removable and re-usable, the screw features high stripping and prevailing torque, along with vibration resistance and high radial compression on the screw shank. Standard machine screws can also be used in the thread created by the EPW, which is suitable for both manual and automated assembly and can also be used for electrical earth connections.
Designed to function optimally in thin sheet materials, the screw is available in a variety of surface coatings, ranging from Zinc plating to Zinc Nickel to organic Zinc flake for higher corrosion resistance. The screw is suitable for use in applications for: home appliances, automotive, electronics, technology, energy, medical, telecoms and general industry sectors.
Karol Gregorczyk, TR VIC Sales and Development Director, said: "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."
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 product page on the TR website. You can download the EPW brochure here.
Six months ago, TR Fastenings opened a new Technical and Innovation Centre in Gothenburg, in the Lindhoven Science Park – a hub for automotive innovation.
