Pre-plated Spline Fastener for Corrosion Resistance and Holding Power
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Solution Overview
Problem
Galvanizing of grooved fasteners, such as nails, can reduce their holding power due to zinc coating accumulating in grooves and spaces between rings, especially in smaller gauge nails.
Innovation Solution
A method of pre-plating a wire with a corrosion-resistant material before forming grooved nails, allowing the grooves and ring shanks to be formed without overcoating, which maintains the nail's holding power and reduces material usage while maintaining bending yield strength.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If galvanizing is applied to grooved fasteners after forming, then corrosion resistance is improved, but holding power deteriorates due to zinc accumulation in grooves
Solution Approach 1:
The wire is plated with corrosion-resistant material before the grooves are formed. This preliminary plating action ensures that the coating is applied to the smooth wire surface, and subsequent groove formation exposes the plated surface without trapping excess coating material, thereby maintaining both corrosion resistance and holding power
2Strength
If grooves are formed in the fastener, then holding power is improved, but material usage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The shank is segmented into multiple longitudinal grooves that divide the original cylindrical form into distinct segments. This segmentation increases the surface area and creates mechanical interlocking features that enhance holding power while the grooves are formed by displacement rather than material removal
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method results in a corrosion-resistant grooved nail with increased holding power and reduced material usage, maintaining pull-through resistance and bending yield strength, and allowing for the use of smaller tools or more nails per charge in cordless tools.
Implementation Method 1
One commonly used coating or plating is a zinc coating applied in a galvanizing process
Data Source
AI summary
A method for making a plated spline nail includes plating an elongated wire with a corrosion resistant material, passing the wire through a forming machine having rollers configured with protrusions formed thereon and extending outwardly therefrom to form grooves in the wire. cutting the wire to a desired length and forming a head, and a point on the wire to form the nail. The nail may have ring shanks formed therein after the head and point are formed. A lubricant may be applied to the nail and/or the forming machine prior to forming the ring shanks and/or prior to passing the wire through the forming machine to form the grooves in the wire. A nail formed by pre-plating the wire, and a nail formed by the method are also disclosed.