Fastener for use in space may have big impact on earth

Problem: Is there a fast way to tighten a fastener in harsh environments without all that tedious twisting?

Solution: A specially designed nut--invented for quick and easy assembly of components in the harsh environment of space--is now being licensed by NASA to a manufacturer in a step that could result in saving lives on earth.

The design permits nuts to be installed simply by pushing them onto standard bolts, then giving a quick twist. To remove, they are unscrewed like conventional nuts.

M&A Screw & Machine Works, Philadelphia, PA, which specializes in standard fasteners, has the licensing agreement for the quick-connect nut. Sometimes, speed of assembly can even make the difference between life and death, according to Norman Morse, vice-president of M&A. "The mining industry is constantly erecting support barriers to shore up loose shale and rock," Morse said. "The longer it takes to erect those safety barriers, the more risk is placed on the people doing the work. This technology would help them do it much quicker."

Quick-connect nut simply pushes on to standard bolts. It could speed work like erecting safety barriers at mining sites.

The nut evolved from technology used in Pathfinder, a NASA project dedicated to space assembly techniques. Its licensing is an example of how NASA brings technology into the private sector, according to Sammy Nabors of the Technology Transfer Department of the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala.

Technology transfer is the process of developing, transferring, and commercializing technology for the benefit of people, businesses, universities and government agencies. "We offered this fastener for licensing to help improve assembly processes on earth," Nabors said. "In situations where seconds count, having to make 10 or 20 turns on a nut before it starts to tighten wastes time--usually meaning money, too."

Bruce Weddendorf, the engineer who invented the fastener, sees possibilities for using quick-connect technology undersea. "This could be used for assembling oil drilling platforms," he says. "Space and undersea have a lot of common problems. Time is really critical, because both environments are dangerous, and it's very expensive to keep someone in either one."

Other potential applications include assembly of underwater salvage equipment, fire-fighting equipment, scaffolding, assembly-line machinery, industrial cranes, and even to change lug nuts on race cars. "The guys in the pit stops are already really fast, but this would help greatly in that world of competition where time is so critical," Weddendorf says.

Quick-connect nuts typically are more than three times the size of common nuts and custom-made to each specific application. Their cost can range from $35 to more than $200 each (US dollars), depending on size, material specifications and quantity needed. But they fill a critical need when time and safety are more important than cost, Morse says.