History of Screws Timeline

Canadian inventor Peter L. Robertson patented a square recess and matching driver. The Robertson drive resisted cam-out better than a straight slot and became especially important in Canadian woodworking and construction.

Robertson's company developed machinery for manufacturing his recessed-head screws at scale. Their ability to hold a driver on the screw helped accelerate assembly with portable and production tools.

Henry F. Phillips patented a cruciform recess designed to center a driver and permit controlled cam-out during powered assembly. The design addressed the needs of rapidly expanding automobile and appliance production.

The Phillips Screw Company was established to commercialize the cruciform drive. Its licensing and tooling work helped spread Phillips screws through American industrial manufacturing.

General Motors adopted Phillips screws for automobile assembly, providing a major industrial breakthrough for the design. Powered drivers could seat the screws quickly and consistently on moving production lines.

The Pozidriv recess was developed in the United Kingdom as an improvement on the Phillips design. Additional radial features increased engagement and reduced cam-out, particularly when higher torque was applied.

Camcar Textron patented the six-lobed Torx drive. Its star-shaped geometry distributed torque across broad contact surfaces, reduced driver wear and cam-out, and became popular in automotive, electronics, and machinery.

Tamper-resistant drives such as the Tri-Wing were developed for applications where ordinary tools should not permit easy disassembly. Security screws became common in electronics, aerospace equipment, public fixtures, and consumer products.

Torx and related hexalobular drives spread widely through automotive manufacturing during the 1980s. Their high torque capacity and resistance to stripping suited automated assembly and compact engine-compartment fasteners.

Self-tapping screws, whose hardened threads form or cut mating threads in a workpiece, became common in sheet metal, electrical equipment, and appliances. They reduced the need for pre-threaded holes and separate nuts.

The expansion of gypsum-board construction popularized specialized drywall screws with sharp points, deep threads, and bugle-shaped heads. Their geometry secured panels while reducing tearing of the paper facing.

Improved production of corrosion-resistant stainless steels made stainless screws increasingly practical for marine, chemical, food-processing, and outdoor applications. Their cost was higher, but their resistance to rust extended service life.

Image source: Stainless steel

Specialized thread-forming screws became important in plastic housings and lightweight materials. Their lobed or asymmetric profiles displaced material rather than cutting it, improving pull-out resistance and reducing cracking.

Self-drilling screws, often called tek screws, incorporated drill-like points that penetrate sheet metal without a separate pilot hole. They accelerated metal-building, HVAC, roofing, and appliance assembly.

Aerospace manufacturers increasingly used high-strength titanium, nickel-based, and corrosion-resistant steel screws alongside advanced coatings. These fasteners were engineered for extreme loads, vibration, temperature changes, and weight constraints.

The growth of mobile phones, laptops, cameras, and other compact electronics drove demand for miniature screws with specialized heads, fine pitches, corrosion-resistant coatings, and tightly controlled lengths.

Environmental restrictions on hexavalent chromium encouraged wider use of zinc-flake, trivalent-chromium, organic, and other lower-impact coatings. These finishes sought to preserve corrosion protection while reducing hazardous processing chemicals.

Additive manufacturing made it practical to print threaded holes, captive nuts, and custom screw interfaces directly into prototypes and low-volume parts. Designers also developed thread geometries tailored to printed plastics and metals.

Image source: 3D printing

Connected torque tools and digital fastening systems began recording torque, angle, operator, and part data. Although the screw itself remained passive, these systems improved traceability and quality control in automotive and aerospace assembly.

Fastener manufacturers increasingly investigated recycled steel, lower-carbon production, recyclable coatings, and bio-based polymer screws. These efforts reflect pressure to reduce the environmental footprint of high-volume screw production.