Why do manufacturers use Allen wrench screws for self assembled furniture instead of Phillips or flathead?
In: 1849
Have you ever stripped an allen head bolt? It’s such a great secure way that does not require grip strength, great for consumers. Also, allen wrenches have built in mechanical advantage, and if the product needs more force, you include a longer wrench.
A better question is why don’t multihead screwdrivers include the most common Allen wrench bits? How many times I need a long Allen wrench to reach an awkward spot… so annoying.
Here in UK, they provide the actual Allen wrench as well. Presumably, if they used screws, they’d be expected to provide screwdrivers instead. This would be disadvantageous because: some member of the British public would find a way to stab themselves with it; you get a lot less torque with a screwdriver; screwdrivers have a tendency to jump out and/or scrape surfaces; screwdrivers need a handle of some sort, so are more expensive
Easier to use. Even an old lady with pissweak wrists and zero experience can figure out Allen keys and use them.
Allen screws are much more popular than Phillips or Flat head screws.
Because of this, there are a lot more of them made.
Because of this, they are less expensive to put into a kit. It is actually cheaper to put socket head screws in a kit and provide the wrench than it would be to put Phillips heads in and provide a screwdriver.
If you want the real eli5 give a 5 year old one of each and see which causes less meltdowns and issues.
Ultimately it comes down to end user, it’s easy to say people are stupid but there’s a whole subset of people who have mobility issues in which a Allen wrench is considerably easier to use. It’s easy to forget that things that are designed need to be used by everyone no matter their capabilities.
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