We are all familiar with the term fasteners and how great their part is in the industry and economy across the world. They are essential and vital and we simply can’t imagine our lives without them. Thinking on this subject, made us realize how important they are in our everyday lives. So what are fasteners?
Not being a part of the industry or the construction jobs, you think that the fasteners are not really important to modern living. But, you are wrong.
They literally surround us, just look around you. You will see that they are the ones that hold everything together. From doors, to windows, to frames, outlets, even in the computer you’re now sitting on.
What Are Fasteners and Why Are They Important?
Fasteners are universal components, hardware devices that are used for non-permanent joining of two or more objects together.
When we say a non-permanent joint, we mean that it can be removed or dismantled, without destroying and damaging the fasteners. Removing permanent joint does damage to the joining elements and the joint itself.
The fasteners take place in our regular households. They hold the chair you sit on, the table you eat on, the automobile you travel with. Literally every inch of what you see and use is held by the fasteners.
A fastener is basically built like a screw thread, with a screw (male, external part) and a hole (female, internal part). The female part can be nut, as well.
There are many materials that are used for manufacturing the fasteners. Such as carbon steel, alloy steel, stainless steel, aluminum and plastic too. On the main material coating is being added. It may be cadmium plating, zinc plating, phosphate plating, silver plating, black oxidizing, chromium plating, nickel plating, etc.
Types of Fasteners
There are many types of fasteners, more than you can imagine. For anyone who has worked with fasteners, each of them are very distinctive and can be easily identified and then used.
So, here are the most commonly used fasteners in our everyday life: nails, screws, bolts, clamps, anchors, pins, rings, clips, staples, rods, flats, tapping screws, set screws, studs, nuts, washers, etc.
Externally threaded fastener is called a screw, nails are the easiest fasteners to use, and the bolts offer better bonding.
The bolts are closely related and often confused with the screws. One of the most common used fasteners are the hex bolts. They are created with a hexagonal heads and machine threads with a nut or in a tapped hole.
The grub screws are generally used for joining two objects together and securing them not using a nut. Also, one of the most used hexagonal fasteners with internal threads and with hex cap is called a hex nut.
The Bottom Line
In conclusion it doesn’t matter if you can’t remember all of these new terms. It is very important you realize the importance of the fasteners in our everyday life.
If there wasn’t for them, everything around you would fall apart. They are the key to holding everything together, from your desk, to your computer, chair, door, table, bed, doors, windows. Literally anything you can see right now.
References:
- Albany County Fasteners. (2018). What Are Fasteners? [online] Available at: https://www.albanycountyfasteners.com/Fastener-Education-and-Information-s/1128.htm [Accessed 8 Dec. 2018].