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If you want to boost the speed and efficiency of your assembly processes, you should look into SEMS, or “pre-asSEMbled” fasteners. These handy devices combine the screw and the washer into a single component, eliminating the need to match the right items up and slip the washer into place by hand. It also simplifies your inventory by giving you one part to track and purchase instead of two. SEMs have been around since the 1930s and come in inch-measure or metric varieties. (Looking for a source…Mr. Metric)

SEMs typically come with some form of lockwasher to prevent slippage once the screw is firmly secured. Two popular choices include internal-tooth and external-tooth lockwashers. Internal-tooth SEMs have teeth have ring the inside diameter of the lockwasher to bite into the substrate and hold the washer in place, while external-tooth SEMs perform the same task with teeth extending from the outside diameter of the washer.

Double SEMs contain two washers instead of just one. In addition to a lockwasher, a double SEM also has a flat washer that sits on top of the locking washer. The lockwasher may have internal or external teeth, but more commonly it comes in the form of a split lockwasher. Split lockwasher see lots of use in automotive and aerospace manufacturing due to their ability to fit into narrow holes. Double SEMS come in brass, steel and stainless steel in sizes ranging from narrow to wide.

Of course, sometimes all these options can get a little confusing. Which SEM is right for your needs? Do you need more than one kind? If you want to make sure you’re ordering the right products, don’t just order blindly — contact us and we’ll be glad to discuss it with you and help you with your purchase.

You’ve probably heard a lot about stainless steel this and that. But what’s the big deal about stainless steel — and when do you need to choose stainless steel fasteners for your project?

First let’s examine what goes into stainless steel that makes it, well, stainless. Ordinary carbon steel met the world’s steel needs for centuries, finding its way into everything from building projects to swords, but it was by no means a perfect metal. Before you could say “Taste my steel!” the exposure of the steel’s surface to oxygen would lead to oxidation, which would show itself in the form of iron oxide — in short, it would rust. The more corrosive your environment, the faster oxidation would take place. If you lived by the seaside, forget about it.

Stainless steel solves that problem by containing at least 11 percent chromium. When this metal is mixed into the steel, it oxidizes too — but it oxidizes into a super-strong, corrosion-resistant film of chromium oxide. This outer layer of chromium oxide acts as a kind of protective sealant that prevents rust from penetrating the steel.

Stainless steel fasteners are an industry standard for other reasons as well. These screws maintain their strength under extreme temperatures (hot or cold), they’re easy to clean, and their anti-corrosive qualities give them a longer lifespan than fasteners made of other metals. Stainless steel is largely resistant to magnetic forces as well. And of course they look great — after all, they’re stainless!

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