What Fastener Drive Should You Use?

Picking a fastener drive may not seem like a big decision to make, but if you choose the wrong one it can have a significant effect on the assembly of your project and the time it takes to complete your project. It is important to make sure you have the right one, and we can help you come to that decision!

The best fastener drive is always the one that is most effective in transferring torque to the fastener to achieve clamp load.

There are many different types of fastener drives and you will want to use the one that best holds your project together and also achieves a good assembly speed. Some of the types of drives are slotted, Phillips, Frearson, combination, hex, one way, square, and six lobe.

The slotted screw and drive were the first to come about because they were very simple. The problem was that fastener drives can more easily slip out of the slot and damage the screw head or product, so cross drives like the Phillips, Frearson, and combination were created. These drives allow for higher torque because they have greater bit engagement. This leads to quicker assembly, so cross drives such as these should be considered if you are trying to speed up your assembly process. Cross drives are also good for screws with low torque because the cross allows the drives to more easily maintain bit engagement to achieve more torque.

Other types of drives include the square, hex, or six lobe recess. These were designed to be used when high torque is required to achieve maximum clamp load. Most high volume production fasteners will use these types of drive recesses. They also require little effort to maintain bit engagement minimizing drive strip out issues.

It can be frustrating trying to fasten something on a project because you may feel like you aren’t making any headway. Picking the correct fastener drive for the job can make your project go a lot more smoothly. Contact Bossard at ProvenProductivity@bossard.com if you have any questions about fastener drives and choosing the best one for your job.