Different Types of Fasteners Used In Manufacturing: Screws, Bolts, & Beyond

Bolts and nuts are central fasteners for machines. Consumer electronics and automotive sectors require fasteners for the proper functioning of parts. In addition, key technological products such as mobile phones, televisions, automobiles, and refrigerators cannot be manufactured without mechanical fasteners. Nowadays, several types of fasteners are available, each for certain types of use. Some common examples include; wood screws, socket head bolts, lock washers, cap screws, and flat washers.

In this article, you get in-depth insights about fasteners, what are they, their function, and the different types used in manufacturing.

What Is a Fastener?

First, let’s understand what a fastener is before going further into its types and applications. A fastener can be a screw, washer, nuts and bolts. All these components’ main function is to provide physical fastening of two or more objects. Fasteners are not to be confused with adhesives, as the first can connect materials such as metal, plastic, wood, or concrete. They are effective at maintaining resilient connections under stress.

Various Types of Fasteners and How They Are Used

Fasteners are categorized into two primary types: permanent and non-permanent. Sustainable fasteners produce permanent joints while non-sustainable fasteners are meant for creating temporary joints only. Mechanical fasteners come in various sizes and types in the market today. Common examples include:

• Screws: Screw fasteners with external threads are highly appreciated for their exceptional holding power.
• Bolts: An incomplete screw employed to join two products or components assembly.
• Nuts: Screw-like elements that hold bolts and prevent them from coming off.
• Rivets: A rivet fastener used to create a permanent joint between two or more materials.
• Washers: Washers hold a flat and disc-like shape and are used in combination with nuts and bolts to spread forces.
• Nails: Foils are used in the process of joining materials.
• Anchors: Hardware used for fastening objects on concrete substrates.

Screws

Screw fasteners are the most popular kind. Thanks to their flexibility and sturdiness, they represent indispensable parts. Socket screws are fully threaded and possess different grooved heads along their length. Internal threads are crucial for screws to hold an object firmly. When used, they form male threads in the material without needing pre-tapping.

Types of Screws

There are different kinds of screws such as machine screws, deck screws, and sheet metal screws among others. Let’s discuss each:

• Machine Screws: Intended for the connection of two metal parts, these screws are used when there are threaded holes made in advance. They are categorized as screw Fasteners.
• Deck Screws: Also referred to as wood screws, deck screws have sharp, progressively reducing spiral threads and cone-shaped heads. These screws are suitable for outdoor decks and wooden uses since they are made with corrosion characteristics.
• Sheet Metal Screws: These are screws with cutting threads to hold metal to different substances with great force. Their notched points make them ideal for use with sheet metal, plastic, and wood.
• Drywall Screws: Also referred to as stud screws, they have large diameter threads and flat countersunk heads. It allows for fastening of the drywall without having to cut too much on the material.
• Hex Lag Screws: These are large wood screws to be tightened by a wrench, not a screwdriver. Their heads are hexagonal and they can offer high torque, therefore they fit for many purposes.

Nuts

Bolts are fasteners that are used in conjunction with nuts. They are self-tapping, which means they are recessed inside the fixture to match the bolt thread to get better traction and gripping ability as well as to cushion the torque. Lock nuts are intended for use with defined nuts or tapped holes only. Below are various types of nuts:

• Wheel Nuts: These nuts are used to lock the wheels of vehicles in place.
• Cap Nuts: Popularly called socket cap nuts. They are used to cover internally threaded anchors to reduce protrusion.
• Flange Nuts: Pronounced on car assemblages, flange nut has a wide flange that helps to spread the load and lock components.
• Coupling Nuts: In essence, coupling nuts are employed to join threaded rods; an extended jam nut is applied in their construction.

Nails

Nails are among the oldest types of fasteners still in use today. In many ways, they share characteristics with screws, but there are differences. Screws do not have a thread, made by a machine, and as such, screws are stronger than nails. However, nails offer greater shear strength than comparable threaded fasteners. Here are some major types of nails:

• Common Nails: These nails have a larger diameter body shank, which gives a strong union between the two materials. A disadvantage is that their exposed shank may reduce the joint’s beauty.
• Box Nails: Having diamond-point tips and heads, the box nails are employed in construction practices involving steel.
• Finishing Nails: It has flat square heads and has been designed to be concealed in materials. This makes it easy to achieve a neat finish, especially for refined designs.
• Flooring Nails: These nails are named for their special use in flooring.
• Roofing Nails: Roofing nails are used to securely fasten roofing materials
• Framing Nails: Framing nails are optimal for flush applications and can meticulously blend in structures.

Material Types Used in the Manufacture of Sheet Metal Screws

Here are some commonly used materials for fasteners in industry:

Steel Fasteners

Steel is the most common material for fasteners. It is accounting for about 90 percent use of the market. This has made it popular since it is hard-wearing and imparts strength to the finished product. Fasteners may be plain steel and coated with a variety of metals such as zinc plating and galvanization. Industries often opt for carbon-infused steel, which includes four standard grades:

Fastener Grades and Materials

• Grade 2: These fasteners are inexpensive and widely used. But they are not as hard-wearing as the higher grades.
• Grade 5: This type, called F grade, is mainly utilized in the automotive sector.
• Grade 8: Grade 8 fasteners have higher tensile strength than Grade 5, making them ideal for car suspensions.
• Alloy Steel: Heat treatment is applied to the alloy steel fasteners to increase their strength though they may develop some weakness.

Stainless Steel Fasteners

Stainless steel is made by the addition of chromium to ordinary steel containing very low carbon content; it is resistant to corrosion. It has a low carbon content which makes it strong enough.

The main groups of stainless steel include:

• 18-8 chrome nickel steel
• Stainless Steel 410
• Stainless Steel 316

Aluminum Fasteners

Although, aluminum is a lightweight material, relatively soft, and can be deformed/bent easily. They are usually combined with additives such as zinc, silicon, magnesium, iron, and copper to improve their properties.

Choosing the Right Fasteners for Your Needs

Selecting the right fastener for the particular application is therefore very crucial. Keep these critical questions in mind during your selection process:

• What kind of fastener do you require?
• What application do these specific fasteners have?
• Which properties your fastener should have?
• What is the main purpose of the fastener?
• What must your manufactured part contain?

Answering these questions leads to the definition of the most suitable fasteners for a particular job. Choosing the right characteristics also helps in getting the maximum performance for your application. For example, if you have to intersect the joined parts under a right angle, internal thread fasteners are more optimal. This emphasizes the importance of exercising caution when selecting fasteners.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it can be said that even though mechanical fasteners might appear insignificant, they are critically important to join components of any product being manufactured. There are numerous types of fasteners which include lock nuts and screws which are several threaded bolts and hex nuts. As a result, the choice of fasteners should be based on individual characteristics of the produced part.

Furthermore, various fasteners are fitted with coatings, specific to a certain use. If you are looking for customized solutions, Tops Precision is a prototyping and rapid manufacturing firm to serve you. So upload your design, and get a quote today!