BUMAX

BUMAX fasteners have previously been used in a system to monitor air quality for astronauts

OHB System AG, a subsidiary of the European space and technology group OHB SE and under contract by the European Space Agency (ESA), has chosen BUMAX 88 fasteners to secure a new payload going to the ISS to measure the speed of sound.

Fulfilling demanding applications

BUMAX’s premium fasteners range includes some of the strongest in the world, and as such are being used in a variety of extremely demanding and cutting­edge scientific applications. For instance, the fasteners are currently deployed at the scientific research institute CERN in Switzerland and for the world’s largest optical telescope in northern Chile.

BUMAX also has a rich history in the space sector, and its latest contract will see its extra strong and fatigue resistant model 88 fasteners used to securely fasten the housing of the new ISS payload called Granular Sound.

What is Granular Sound?

Granular Sound is an experiment in space to measure the speed of sound, using a cube filled with glass balls in microgravity at different package pressures. The experiment uses thousands of glass balls to simulate granular media like sand or concrete.

“The housing of this package will be securely fastened by BUMAX 88 fasteners to avoid the balls from flying around the ISS,” explains Lukas Pfeiffer, Project Manager and Systems Engineer at OHB System. “The microgravity experiment will provide valuable data for various terrestrial and space applications –from more effective concrete processing to 3D printing in space or on the moon.”

”BUMAX HAS A RICH HISTORY IN THE SPACE SECTOR.“

The BUMAX 88 fasteners were selected for the job due to their enhanced strength and fatigue resistance properties, achieved through a combination of the company’s unique manufacturing processes and high quality European steel.

Monitoring air quality

This isn’t the first collaboration between BUMAX and OHB System, with the former’s 88 screws having also been used for the ANITA­2 trace gas monitoring system on the ISS since January 2022. Designed to ensure good air quality for the ISS astronauts, the system has been simultaneously measuring more than 40 gases every six minutes on the space station. The BUMAX 88 screws were used for the ANITA­2 payload to securely seal a safety containment and fasten crucial optical components.

“Being trusted with supplying fasteners for projects such as CERN and ISS, which are essential to the evolution of mankind, is of course a source of immense pride and a testament to the quality of our products and BUMAX as a whole,” says Lars Holm, Managing Director of BUMAX. Being chosen again and again for the most demanding applications means that all our existing and new customers can rest assured that they are getting the best of the best.” www.bumax-fasteners.com