The Tapping Screw—A Look at Its Past, Present and Future

As automotive body-building techniques changed from the use of wood to steel as a prime material, there developed a need for a quick, inexpensive and strong means of attaching sheet metal parts. The self-tapping screw met these needs. This SAE Landmark Paper traces the history of this vitally important fastening device from its roots as a wood screw to the highly sophisticated systems in use today and predicts its future.