BUMAX, a specialist fastener manufacturer, has been selected as the supplier of key fasteners for the International Space Station (SS). The BUMAX 88 series fasteners will be used to secure a new space station installation for measuring the speed of sound.

BUMAX's high-end fasteners include some of the strongest known fasteners and are used in various and demanding cutting-edge scientific applications, such as the Swiss-based scientific institute CERN and the world's largest optical telescope in northern Chile.

The space sector continues to benefit from BUMAX fasteners for a variety of applications. BUMAX Super Fatigue Resistant Type 88 has been selected to securely fasten the housing of a new sound measurement device on the International Space Station.

The device is a space experiment designed to measure the speed of sound through a cube filled with glass spheres under microgravity conditions and at different packing pressures. The experiment uses thousands of glass spheres to simulate a granular medium such as sand or concrete.

The device housing will be held securely in place by BUMAX 88 fasteners to prevent the spheres from flying around on the International Space Station, said Lukas Pfeiffer, project manager and systems engineer for OHB System AG. The microgravity experiment will provide valuable data for a variety of ground and space applications, like more efficient concrete processing to space or 3D printing on the moon.

The reinforcing properties of BUMAX Type 88 fasteners are made possible by BUMAX's unique manufacturing process and the use of the highest quality European steel.

Being trusted as a fastener supplier for projects such as CERN in Switzerland and the International Space Station is a huge source of pride and a testament to the overall quality of our products and BUMAX," said Lars Holm, Managing Director of BUMAX. The fact that we have been selected time and time again for the most demanding applications means that our customers, old and new, can rest assured that they are getting the best product available.