The name "electronic screw" directly indicates its application scenario defined by the word "electronic". Compared with ordinary mechanical screws, it is not only smaller in size (with a diameter mostly between 1-5 millimeters) but also has special requirements for precision, materials, and anti-loosening performance. Compared with micro screws, although electronic screws also belong to the category of small fasteners, they emphasize more on adaptability to electronic components. For example, they need to avoid electromagnetic interference to circuits and often adopt insulation coating treatment, which makes them irreplaceable in electronic devices.
Structurally, electronic screws are a perfect combination of functionality and precision. Its basic structure includes three parts: head, screw rod, and thread, but each part has been targeted and optimized. The head comes in various shapes, commonly round head, flat head, and countersunk head. Among them, the countersunk head design can minimize the protruding height to adapt to the compact space inside electronic devices; the slot types on the head are mainly cross slot, slotted, and hexagon socket. The hexagon socket, due to its uniform force and not easy to slip, is widely used in high-end electronic products. The screw rod part requires extremely high straightness to ensure that it will not damage the circuit board or precision components when screwed in. The thread is the core of the electronic screw, with a pitch usually between 0.25-1 mm, and the thread profile accuracy needs to be controlled at the micrometer level to ensure a perfect fit with the nut or prefabricated threaded hole.
Material selection is crucial to the performance of electronic screws. Stainless steel (such as 304 and 316 models) is a commonly used material, which has good corrosion resistance and conductivity, suitable for fixing in humid or slightly corrosive environments; brass is an ideal choice for occasions requiring grounding or conductive connection due to its excellent conductivity; for lightweight requirements, titanium alloy electronic screws can significantly reduce weight, suitable for portable devices such as laptops and drones. Some electronic screws will also undergo surface treatment, such as galvanizing, nickel plating, or applying insulating coatings, to enhance corrosion resistance and avoid short circuits caused by metal contact.
The working principle of electronic screws is based on the mechanical engagement of threads. During installation, the screw passes through the through hole of the connected part and is screwed into the prefabricated threaded hole of the base, fixing two or more parts as a whole through the pressing force between the head and the surface of the connected part and the friction between the threads. What is different from ordinary screws is that the design of electronic screws makes the pressure distribution on the surface of the connected part more uniform during the fastening process. Due to the larger ratio of head diameter to height, the force per unit area is smaller, which can effectively avoid deformation of thin workpieces due to excessive local force. This characteristic makes it perform well in the connection of thin-walled components such as mobile phone casings and tablet computer frames.
The characteristics of electronic screws make them occupy an important position in many fastening methods. Strong bearing capacity is its core advantage. Depending on the specification, a single electronic screw can bear tens to hundreds of Newtons of tension or shear force, and with the increase of the screwing depth, the bearing capacity increases accordingly. Wide application range is also its prominent feature. It is not only suitable for rigid substrates such as circuit boards and metal frames but also can be used for connection of plastic and rubber parts (special models need to be selected), and can play a role in fields such as consumer electronics, communication equipment, and medical electronics. Easy installation is also worth mentioning. No complex tools or professional skills are needed, and ordinary screwdrivers can complete the installation. Moreover, the requirements for the cleanliness of the threaded holes are not high. Even if there is a small amount of dust in the holes, it will not affect the fastening effect.
The specification system of electronic screws is diverse to meet different needs. According to the diameter, common specifications range from M1.0 to M5.0, among which M1.6-M3.0 are most commonly used in consumer electronics and industrial fields; the length ranges from 2 millimeters to 20 millimeters, which can be flexibly selected according to the thickness of the fixed object and the depth of the base material. According to the functional classification, there are onboard screws for fixing circuit boards, assembly screws for connecting the shell and internal components, and conductive screws for grounding. Each type is optimized for specific scenarios.
The application fields of electronic screws cover the entire electronics industry. In the field of consumer electronics, they are used to fix screens, batteries, and cameras and ensure the accurate alignment of various components, such as the connection between the middle frame and the screen of smartphones and the fastening of the main board and the shell of tablet computers; in computer hardware, the connection of laptop keyboards, the fixing of motherboards and shells, and the installation of graphics cards and memory all rely on electronic screws; in medical electronic equipment (such as electrocardiographs and ultrasonic equipment), electronic screws need to meet the requirements of biocompatibility and stability to ensure the long-term reliable operation of the equipment; the industrial electronics field, including sensors and controllers, also relies on electronic screws to achieve stable connection of various components.
Installing electronic screws requires following strict specifications to ensure safety. When drilling, it is necessary to use a drill bit matching the specification of the screw to ensure the accuracy of the hole diameter and depth, avoiding fastening failure due to too large a hole or substrate cracking due to too small a hole. Before inserting the screw, the debris in the hole must be cleaned to ensure that the expansion sleeve can fully expand. When tightening the nut, force should be applied evenly to avoid excessive tightening leading to screw rod breakage or sleeve deformation. Usually, it is recommended to tighten until the expansion sleeve is fully expanded and then moderately reinforce. For the fixing of important parts, a tension test should be carried out after installation to ensure that it meets the design bearing requirements.
With the development of electronic devices towards miniaturization, lightweight, and intelligence, electronic screws are also constantly innovating. The application of new materials such as carbon fiber composites further reduces the weight of screws; the introduction of nano-coating technology improves corrosion resistance and wear resistance; in terms of intelligent design, some high-end electronic screws have built-in RFID chips, enabling installation traceability and quality monitoring. These technological advancements allow electronic screws to continue to ensure the stable operation of electronic devices in the micro world, becoming an indispensable "invisible hero" in the development of the electronics industry.