The origin of the unique, self-tapping Bumax ® Hard screws is at one of Europe's large manufacturers of domestic appliances – Asko Cylinda in Vara, Sweden. The screws were developed to solve an assembly-problem at the dishwasher production unit.

Asko had problems with the self-tapping, stainless screws that was used earlier. The screws went in tilted, got stuck, the srewthreads got deformed et cetera. The cassation of screws and hinges and the wear to assemby-equipment was more and more distressing, costly and time-consuming.

The assembly work also became a work-environment problem; the screwing-in got heavy for the staff – with many sickdays as a direct result.

– The staff mainly concisted of women and they got problems with wear injurys, Ole Carlsson, materials quality technician at Asko Cylinda, tells us.

– We tried many different methods to solve the problem, we greades the bolts, adjusted the screwdrivers and so on. Finally we called Bulten Stainless.

Another dishwasher on its way from Asko Cylinda in Vara, Sweden. Ole Carlsson, quality technician, can contentedly state that Bulten Stainless solved a large assembly problem by developing a new and unique stainless, self-tapping screw – Bumax® Hard Taptite.

Staff relieved
The assembly staff see the difference.
– The old screw didn't go in; the troubles made people drop the screws and that made us very irritated in the end. Many also had problems with their wrists. There was a big difference when the new screw got here, Birgitta Wernebratt, one of the staff of the assembly line for dishwashers tells us.
The department of purchase is also pleased with the solution. And with Bulten Stainless as a supplier.
– A nasty problem has been solved and that is the way one wants a supplier to work. We have a good relationship, Per Nyhlén of the department of purchase says.

High quality in every screw
Asko Cylinda are using the screw type Bumax® Hard Taptite (of dimension M5x10 mm) for the mentioned hinge fastenings. Four suchs screws are used for every diswasher. With a production of approx 600 machines a day the estimated sales result is about 600 000 screws yearly.
Asko Cylinda is one of the branches' most well-knowned and well-reputed brands and the company quality policy requires that every machine that leaves the factory is carefully tested.

Bulten Stainless delivers all the stainless fasteners for Asko Cylinda and has been doing so since 1980.

The assemblying of hingefastenings on Asko Cylindas dishwashers now goes without pain, in all senses of the word. The self-tapping screw used earlier was hard to get affixed, which resulted in wrist problems and many sick leave days for the staff. The cassation and wear of the assemblying equipment has decreased since Asko Cylinda started using Bumax® Hard Taptite.