The Little Screw's Big History: The Evolution of Fasteners

The screw, this tiny mechanical marvel, is a masterpiece whose inventor can be hailed as a genius! Utilizing the principle of the inclined plane, the screw converts rotational motion into linear motion, fastening objects securely. Though small, the screw is a product that has been gradually developed and evolved during the process of humans understanding, transforming, and conquering nature, and it is a direct product of human production and living practices.

01 The Ancestry of the Small Screw

According to relevant information, around the 3rd century BC, to solve the problem of using the Nile River to irrigate land, the Greek scientist Archimedes invented the cylindrical spiral water lifting device, which was the first to describe the spiral line, later known as the "Archimedes' screw."

Archimedes' Screw

However, the journey from the spiral to the screw, this small and simple step, took humanity nearly 1800 years.

During the medieval period, carpenters used wooden pegs or metal nails to connect furniture and wooden structures. It was not until the 15th century that nail makers began to produce nails with spiral lines, which could provide a more secure connection. Around 1780, the screwdriver (threaded screwdriver) appeared in London. Craftsmen found that using a screwdriver to tighten screws was better than using a hammer to drive them in, especially when dealing with fine-threaded screws.

In 1797, Henry Maudslay, known as the "father of the lathe," invented a precision thread-cutting lathe made entirely of metal in the UK; the following year, Wilkinson in the United States created a machine for making nuts and bolts. Both machines were capable of producing standard nuts and bolts, indicating that bolts and nuts as fasteners were quite common at the time.

In 1936, Henry M. Phillips of the United States patented the cross-head screw. This marked a significant advancement in fastener technology. Unlike traditional slotted screw heads, the cross-slot screw head features a cross-shaped edge recess. This design allows the screwdriver to center automatically and is less likely to slip out, making it very popular.

02 The Present and Past of the Small Screw

Would you believe that the history of the tiny screw can be traced back thousands of years?

Fasteners are among the earliest building materials used by humans and are widely used in construction, furniture, and other products. With the progress of the times and the rapid development of the economy, people are increasingly focusing on engineering design in areas such as housing, automobiles, and aerospace. Moreover, fasteners also play a significant role in various sectors of the national economy, such as agricultural machinery, transportation, household appliances, medical instruments, and electrical equipment. As China's economy continues to develop, fasteners will gradually move towards the international market.

Currently, fasteners have become one of China's important industrial materials, with wide applications in industry, mainly used in construction, machinery, automotive, aerospace, and other fields. Fasteners are also used in the production processes of the chemical, electronic, and metallurgical industries. Analyzing the application of fasteners in different industries reveals their advantages such as high strength, durability, corrosion resistance, and design flexibility, which is why they are widely used in various industrial equipment.

With the advancement of industrial technology, new materials such as aluminum alloys, stainless steel, high-strength steel plates, composite materials, and plastics are being used in actual production. These new materials not only possess excellent properties but also effectively extend the service life of traditional materials. In summary, both domestically and internationally, there is an ongoing development of more advanced and environmentally friendly new fastener products, which is of great significance for improving product quality and environmental conditions.

03 The Future Development of the Small Screw

With the progress of science and technology, fasteners are no longer just traditional metal products. They are now permeating every aspect of our industry and daily life, and due to their unique advantages, they are gradually becoming an indispensable basic component.