SEMS

[Enzo]

SO now and then some minor mystery captivates me. I have seen the term "SEMS" applied to machine screws with captive washers for years and years. I'd se them in catalogs or parts lists. I know what they are, but where did the name come from. I'd get a screw catalog and in reading it, I;d find a page or two of SEMS, but other than to describe them, the history of the name was never there.

Now I am sure if I had made a tiny effort I could have solved the mystery, but I never went beyond scanning the catalogs. So tonight I looked the damned things up. So in case there is anyone out there who did not know where the term SEMS came from, and gives a damn, I found out.



"The SEMS in SEMS Screws is a registered trademark of Illinois Tool Works (ITW). They were originally developed and patented by E.C. Crowther in the 1930's for the company. The name is not an acronym, but instead comes from "pre-asSEMbled washers and screws." The last 's' is added at the end to denote the plural version (since these are commonly purchased in bulk)."


So there you go.

[olddawg]

Thank you for the trivia. Makes you wonder why they weren't called ASS?

[Mark Black]

Thanks Enzo - I too have occasionally wondered what the term meant over the years, but never researched it. A very American form of name-slang in my opinion.

[Enzo]

At least it isn't redundant like "ATM Machine" or "PIN Number."

[Jazz P Bass]

Which begs the question: What does PEM stand for?
You know, those press in threaded inserts.

[defaced]

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