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Step 42Lotus Head
[[br]]The Shuenn Chang Fa Enterprise Co of Taiwan, possibly also other companies, make this unique cross-slot drive head type.
Fellow Instructable contributor ironsmiter further explains: The Lotus Head Drive is basically a standard cross-slot screw, as it looks the slots are produced by a "much cheaper process". Basically, the screw head is split by a chisel type tool.
The theory is that, by not removing any material, the head retains the full material strength. This is a similar theory as to how a hole that was been punched and drifted, by a blacksmith, is stronger than one that has been drilled out. The Lotus head can also be formed by a machine that costs significantly less to buy and to operate than a recessed head.
The use for these screws is mainly for machine assembly. The constant pressure of the machine driver spindle prevents "skipping" of the bit (that would cause a stripped head, if using hand tools to drive the screw). There is a slightly modified Phillips bit that is used to drive them. It has a matching taper and flat bottom.
As ironsmiter also noted, the example shown is a "quickthread" allowing it to be driven at twice the depth per turn, as compared to a normal screw. It is also a self-drilling model. Primarily designed for use in plastics. You will find similar threads holding almost any cheap plastic radio, light fixture, toy, together. These are all "improvements" to speed up manufacture, and use of the screw. How successful it is at that, I do not know. Just hope you never have to remove one of these. Trying to get a standard Phillips bit, even if you modify it for the flat bottom profile, to grip on these screws is a Royal Pain (frowning) See end-load in Glossary.
According to LennyNero also of Instructables: This style of head is not designed for driving but to be encased in an injection molded plastic or die cast metal part. The odd head shape promotes good grip into the casting and prevents the screw portion from pulling away. He sees these a lot on the stud portions of multi post terminal strips.[[br]]
Fellow Instructable contributor ironsmiter further explains: The Lotus Head Drive is basically a standard cross-slot screw, as it looks the slots are produced by a "much cheaper process". Basically, the screw head is split by a chisel type tool.
The theory is that, by not removing any material, the head retains the full material strength. This is a similar theory as to how a hole that was been punched and drifted, by a blacksmith, is stronger than one that has been drilled out. The Lotus head can also be formed by a machine that costs significantly less to buy and to operate than a recessed head.
The use for these screws is mainly for machine assembly. The constant pressure of the machine driver spindle prevents "skipping" of the bit (that would cause a stripped head, if using hand tools to drive the screw). There is a slightly modified Phillips bit that is used to drive them. It has a matching taper and flat bottom.
As ironsmiter also noted, the example shown is a "quickthread" allowing it to be driven at twice the depth per turn, as compared to a normal screw. It is also a self-drilling model. Primarily designed for use in plastics. You will find similar threads holding almost any cheap plastic radio, light fixture, toy, together. These are all "improvements" to speed up manufacture, and use of the screw. How successful it is at that, I do not know. Just hope you never have to remove one of these. Trying to get a standard Phillips bit, even if you modify it for the flat bottom profile, to grip on these screws is a Royal Pain (frowning) See end-load in Glossary.
According to LennyNero also of Instructables: This style of head is not designed for driving but to be encased in an injection molded plastic or die cast metal part. The odd head shape promotes good grip into the casting and prevents the screw portion from pulling away. He sees these a lot on the stud portions of multi post terminal strips.[[br]]
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