Assembling thin metal sheets presents unique challenges: risk of stripping, low pull-out and vibration loosening resistance. These issues often lead to rework, inconsistent assembly quality, and increase the total cost of assembly.

When selecting a fastener for thin sheet applications, it's tempting to compare unit prices alone. But the purchase price of the fastener is only a fraction of what a joint costs. The total cost of assembly is the full cost of creating a reliable joint.  It typically includes:
 

  • The fastener itself

  • Process steps: such as drilling, hole extrusion, tapping, welding a nut, or adding a thread-locking element. Each added step means more equipment, cycle time, and labour.

  • Process reliability: The cost of failures during assembly: stripped threads, cross-threading, loose joints. These drive rework, scrap and line stoppages, and are often the largest hidden cost in thin-sheet applications.

  • Inventory and logistics: The number of components and SKUs to purchase, store and manage (e.g. a screw plus a separate nut or insert versus a single fastener).

  • In-service risk: The cost of joints that loosen or fail in the field: warranty claims, returns and reputational impact.

Why conventional solutions struggle in thin sheet metal?

Thin sheet materials provide very limited thread engagement. The result is a higher risk of stripped threads, poor clamp load retention, and inconsistent assembly quality.
 

 

Standard self-tapping (Type AB) screws

 

When the sheet is thinner than the thread pitch, less than one full thread can be captured by the material. Rather than forming continuous engaged threads, the screw "clips" through the sheet, leaving no continuous helical contact to react the axial load.

 

Standard DIN 7500 thread forming screws (single-lead thread)

 

DIN 7500 screws have an unthreaded run-out length near the head. When the sheets are thinner than this run-out, the sheet engages only these incomplete threads, making only partial thread contact.

Additionally, the point geometry makes it harder for the screw to engage in smaller holes — which are precisely the ones that would provide better engagement.

Therefore, manufacturers often resort to hole extrusion, which raises the engagement length and helps guide the screw into the hole. However, this increases total assembly cost. 

 

Why FASTITE® 2000™ screws stand out as the most efficient solution?

FASTITE® 2000™ maximizes stripping resistance while reducing total assembly cost. Its performance is driven by the following key features:

  • The Twin-lead thread centers the fastener in the hole, allowing it to start and finish straight for proper head seating, ensuring a secure, tight assembly.

  • The Twin-lead thread creates opposing threads in thin material, increasing thread contact and providing higher loosening resistance.

  • The CA point allows entry into small holes to create self-extrusion of the sheet metal and increase resistance to stripping.

  • TRILOBULAR™ body provides low threading torque and high resistance to vibrational loosening.

  • Underhead serrations further increase resistance to stripping and loosening.

FASTITE® 2000™ screws solve thin-sheet assembly challenges while reducing complexity and cost:

  • ✔ Fast installation reduces assembly time.
  • ✔ Stable and safe assembly process (low threading torque and high stripping torque).
  • ✔ No stripping, eliminating rework and scrap.
  • ✔ No additional elements required to prevent loosening.

FASTITE® 2000™ vs other solutions

Seen this way, the cheapest fastener can become the most expensive solution. The table below compares each option through this lens:

Fastening solutions Fastener cost Total cost of
assembly 		Disadvantages ✘ Advantages ✔
FASTITE® 2000™ screw ●● ● Thread in nut member not
compatible with metric screw 		Stripping resistance
Loosening resistance
Fast assembly
Safe and tight assembly
Versatile solution
Self-tapping screw
(Type AB) 		● ●● Risk of stripping
Loosening
Low clamping
Unstable threading process 		Widely available
Low unit cost
Blind rivet ●● ●●● Loosening
Low clamping
Debris and noisy process
Non-removable, non-reusable 		Widely available
simple joining method
DIN 7500
thread-forming screw 		● ●● Limited stripping resistance
Alignment issue
Loosening 		Widely available
Compatible with metric screw
Metric + insert or
clinched nut 		●●● ●●● Loosening
Cross threading 		Widely available
Removable joint
●   Low
●●   Medium
●●●   High
FASTITE® 2000™ screw
Fastener cost
●●
Total cost of assembly
●
Disadvantages ✘
Thread in nut member not compatible with metric screw
Advantages ✔
Stripping resistance Loosening resistance Fast assembly Safe and tight assembly Versatile solution
Self-tapping screw (Type AB)
Fastener cost
●
Total cost of assembly
●●
Disadvantages ✘
Risk of stripping Loosening Low clamping Unstable threading process
Advantages ✔
Widely available Low unit cost
Blind rivet
Fastener cost
●●
Total cost of assembly
●●●
Disadvantages ✘
Loosening Low clamping Debris and noisy process Non-removable, non-reusable
Advantages ✔
Widely available Simple joining method
DIN 7500 thread-forming screw
Fastener cost
●
Total cost of assembly
●●
Disadvantages ✘
Limited stripping resistance Alignment issue Loosening
Advantages ✔
Widely available Compatible with metric screw
Metric + insert or clinched nut
Fastener cost
●●●
Total cost of assembly
●●●
Disadvantages ✘
Loosening Cross threading
Advantages ✔
Widely available Removable joint
●   Low
●●   Medium
●●●   High