baier & michels GmbH & Co. KG

Screws are the most important fasteners in automotive engineering. Experts estimate that there are 250 safety-related screw connections in a modern vehicle alone. In addition, there are countless other screw connections for the assembly of other vehicle components. Alternative joining methods such as gluing have not been able to change the still high value of screw connections in vehicle construction. On the contrary, due to the unique selling point of being easy to reverse, screw connections are even gaining new importance when considering CO2 emissions and energy requirements over the product life cycle “from production to recycling”.  

However, conventional directly threaded connections in the automotive sector are increasingly reaching their limits. baier & michels has therefore moved away from the standard concept of trilobular direct screwing and, in cooperation with the Mercedes-Benz Group, has developed a new, groundbreaking screw geometry with a circular thread cross-section for direct screwing systems. Thanks to the load-bearing flank overlap along the entire circumference, the new approach enables a particularly high transmission of force compared to conventional direct screwing systems. In addition, the concept offers an enhanced sealing effect, low risk of corrosion, process reliability during screw installation as well as a low installation torque and at the same time high failure torque. The system is already being used successfully in several Mercedes-Benz series, including the C, E, G and S classes. I wish you an exciting read of the following technical paper on the innovative direct screwing concept:

In coolant and lubrication circuits, the interaction between quality, cost-efficiency and eco-balance can be noticeably improved – with fastener technology by baier & michels. Developers Eugen Kraus and Michael Lendle talk about the art of simplicity and a unique closing and sealing system: the b&m-KL PLUG®.