| Copyright ZipNut Technology, LLC, 2008 |
News
So Easy Even a Child Can Do It 10/29/2004
If you've ever struggled to thread a nut onto a bolt in an
awkward spot, you know how frustrating and time
consuming it can be. But imagine trying the same task
wearing heavy work gloves and the ultimate in "coveralls"
-- a space suit -- while you and your tools float weightlessly.
Working in space isn't easy.
While ZipNuts® may sound like a new breakfast cereal,
they're actually a Space Age answer to some nuts-and-
bolts assembly problems. Now this same technology used
by astronauts for assembly and repair jobs in space is
offering many down-to-earth solutions, as well.
Image at Right: Astronaut Steven L. Smith, payload
commander on STS-103, stands on the mobile foot
restraint at the end of the remote manipulator system
(RMS). ZipNuts® were used to service the Hubble Space
Telescope during this December 1999 mission. Image
credit: NASA
The technology works like this: A ZipNut® can be installed
by simply pushing it onto a bolt in one motion, eliminating
the difficulty of threading a traditional nut. When the
ZipNut™ reaches the end of the bolt's threads, it can then
be tightened by simply twisting it.
This innovation improves both the speed and accuracy of
the task. That translates into a big savings in many work
environments, not only in dollars, but sometimes even in
lives. One such live-saving use is in mechanisms for
extracting victims of auto crashes, building collapses, cave-
ins and construction accidents. When time is of the
essence, the quick connect and release can mean the
difference between life and death.
Image at Left: ZipNuts® like these are designed for
construction and repair work in space. Image credit:
ZipNut Technology, LLC.
ZipNut Technology, LLC, of Falls Church, Va, is the creator
of this innovation, which was first developed to NASA's
requirements for a Space Shuttle flight in 1989. Since then,
ZipNuts® have been used not only aboard the Shuttle, but
in construction of the International Space Station and
during repair of the Hubble Space Telescope.
Now produced in a number of different sizes and materials
-- such as stainless steel, aluminum, titanium, brass and
even plastic -- the earth-bound industries that benefit from
them are as diverse as the materials themselves.
ZipNuts® can be found in medical equipment,
tiremanufacturing machines, deep-water pipe laying
equipment, power plants and fire hoses, just to name a few.
Image at Right: ZipNuts® in a variety of materials and
sizes are utilized in diverse industries. Image credit: ZipNut
Technology, LLC.
These fastening mechanisms are used in the same ways
as their traditional counterparts, but with the added
flexibility of speedy installation and removal, and in some
cases, even added strength. One such strength benefit is
in high-pressure connections, where the pressure actually
works with the connector to make it more secure.
Image at Left: Quick connections for firehoses not only
save time when time counts, but also perform well under
high pressure. Image credit: ZipNut Technology, LLC.
Another big advantage ZipNuts® have over traditional
threaded fasteners is their ability to work in spite of
problems like rust, paint and damage that would normally
prevent traditional connections from being made.
So while you may go through your day without giving much
thought to the nuts and bolts that hold together our
mechanical world, a little piece of Space Age technology
is playing its part in making work easier here on Earth, as
well as beyond.
For more information visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/missions/science/zipnuts.html
So Easy Even a Child Can Do It 10/29/2004
If you've ever struggled to thread a nut onto a bolt in an
awkward spot, you know how frustrating and time
consuming it can be. But imagine trying the same task
wearing heavy work gloves and the ultimate in "coveralls"
-- a space suit -- while you and your tools float weightlessly.
Working in space isn't easy.
While ZipNuts® may sound like a new breakfast cereal,
they're actually a Space Age answer to some nuts-and-
bolts assembly problems. Now this same technology used
by astronauts for assembly and repair jobs in space is
offering many down-to-earth solutions, as well.
Image at Right: Astronaut Steven L. Smith, payload
commander on STS-103, stands on the mobile foot
restraint at the end of the remote manipulator system
(RMS). ZipNuts® were used to service the Hubble Space
Telescope during this December 1999 mission. Image
credit: NASA
The technology works like this: A ZipNut® can be installed
by simply pushing it onto a bolt in one motion, eliminating
the difficulty of threading a traditional nut. When the
ZipNut™ reaches the end of the bolt's threads, it can then
be tightened by simply twisting it.
This innovation improves both the speed and accuracy of
the task. That translates into a big savings in many work
environments, not only in dollars, but sometimes even in
lives. One such live-saving use is in mechanisms for
extracting victims of auto crashes, building collapses, cave-
ins and construction accidents. When time is of the
essence, the quick connect and release can mean the
difference between life and death.
Image at Left: ZipNuts® like these are designed for
construction and repair work in space. Image credit:
ZipNut Technology, LLC.
ZipNut Technology, LLC, of Falls Church, Va, is the creator
of this innovation, which was first developed to NASA's
requirements for a Space Shuttle flight in 1989. Since then,
ZipNuts® have been used not only aboard the Shuttle, but
in construction of the International Space Station and
during repair of the Hubble Space Telescope.
Now produced in a number of different sizes and materials
-- such as stainless steel, aluminum, titanium, brass and
even plastic -- the earth-bound industries that benefit from
them are as diverse as the materials themselves.
ZipNuts® can be found in medical equipment,
tiremanufacturing machines, deep-water pipe laying
equipment, power plants and fire hoses, just to name a few.
Image at Right: ZipNuts® in a variety of materials and
sizes are utilized in diverse industries. Image credit: ZipNut
Technology, LLC.
These fastening mechanisms are used in the same ways
as their traditional counterparts, but with the added
flexibility of speedy installation and removal, and in some
cases, even added strength. One such strength benefit is
in high-pressure connections, where the pressure actually
works with the connector to make it more secure.
Image at Left: Quick connections for firehoses not only
save time when time counts, but also perform well under
high pressure. Image credit: ZipNut Technology, LLC.
Another big advantage ZipNuts® have over traditional
threaded fasteners is their ability to work in spite of
problems like rust, paint and damage that would normally
prevent traditional connections from being made.
So while you may go through your day without giving much
thought to the nuts and bolts that hold together our
mechanical world, a little piece of Space Age technology
is playing its part in making work easier here on Earth, as
well as beyond.
For more information visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/missions/science/zipnuts.html
ZipNut Technology, LLC
Phone: (703) 442-7339
Toll free: (888) 894-7688
E-mail info@zipnut.com
Phone: (703) 442-7339
Toll free: (888) 894-7688
E-mail info@zipnut.com
ZipNut Technology, LLC
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