What are fasteners and what are the various types of fasteners to look for?

Fasteners are basic tools that are used to join two objects together. They are used in almost all industrial scenarios and their use isn’t limited to a single product. You can find screws and bolts being used in numerous manufactured goods. A single glance around your work desk will give you an idea of how screws are used to hold things together. Apart from their universal use, screws are also available in a variety of specifications, which cater to specific purposes.

Why do we use Fasteners?

Regardless of their visibility, fasteners play an essential role in our life. From general household appliances that we use on a daily basis, to high tech machinery and construction panels, all use some kind of a fastener to hold all of their parts together. People often make use of fasteners for non-permanent joints, which could be dismantled or removed without inflicting any harm to the joining components.

Types of Fasteners

Different types of fasteners have different uses. Some of the commonly used fasteners are:

• Wood screws: These screws have a smooth shank and come with a tapered point for easy woodwork.

• Machine screws: These screws come with threads and are mainly used with a tapped hole.

• Thread cutting machine screws: These are a form of machine screws with a self-tapping point.

• Sheet metal screws (SMS): These screws are fully threaded and come with a pointed tip. These are mainly used in metal sheets.

• Self-drilling screws: These screws come with a drilling point at the tip that resembles a drill bit. These are also commonly used as roofing screws on metal sheets.

• Hex bolts: These bolts have a hexagonal head. They also have a machine thread and are generally used with a nut. These screws are also used in a tapped hole.

• Carriage bolts: These fasteners have a rounded head and feature a square section underneath.

• Lag bolts: These are large wood screws that come with hexagonal heads.

How to choose the right fastener?

In terms of choosing the right fastener, it all boils down to its physical characteristics, which include things like:

• Coating: Most screws are covered with a chemical coating. Zinc, ceramic and copper are some of the most popular coating options out there, and are also used to give fasteners extra strength and resistance against corrosion.

• Length and diameter: There is a chance that different diameters are used in a single screw, such as thread diameter, shank diameter and root diameter. In terms of length of a fastener, the measurement is taken from the point where the head of the screw sits flush with the surface to the end of the screw.

• Head type: Nowadays, screws come in all sorts of head types. Popular choices include – slotted, phillips, square and star.

• Thread type: Screws are also available in a variety of thread options. The choice of a screw’s thread depends on the operation. Coarse threads cater to quicker assembly, but they lack in terms of thread engagement when compared to fine threads.

A few things that people should consider whilst choosing a fastener are:

• Materials being joined together: Materials that are being joined together play a big role in decided the type of fastener. Some scenarios require fasteners to work under heavy load, so screws made of hardened metal are recommended. Some situations require fasteners with increased corrosion resistance.

• Ease of installation: Common flat slotted screws are almost never used in construction today, since power drills are used to install most screws. Torx bit screws, square drive screws, and phillips screws are better suited for using a power driver as they don’t slip and deform as easily.

• Cost consideration: The cheapest fastener isn’t always a bargain, the cost of potential failure, the ease of installation and the finished appearance must be considered as well.

What are Fasteners made of?

Fasteners are made from numerous types of materials, and the choice of material mainly depends on the intended use. Some of the popular materials used to manufacture fasteners are:

Copper: Due to their malleability and corrosion resistance, copper screws have become a popular choice in situations where risk of corrosion is higher. Copper is also comparatively lighter than many metals.

Aluminium: Aluminium isn’t suitable for high stress situations, but aluminium screws are just about the lightest out there.
Titanium: Titanium has a perfect blend of strength and weight, but it is costly, and thus it is mainly used in scenarios where design and performance trump cost.
Steel: Reasonable cost of steel is one of the main reasons why it is such a popular choice amongst screw manufacturers. But steel screws may not be the best choice as they are heavier compared to other metals and aren’t ideal for projects where weight is a discerning factor.

Where to get Fasteners from?

If you are looking for screws that will stand the test of time, then look no further than BDN Fasteners, which is one of the leading nut bolt manufacturer in the country. They offer some of the best fastening solutions, with a wide range of products that are crafted to meet all of the requirements of modern day industries. Fully equipped with a high tech facility, with advanced machinery and technology, BDN Fasteners provides highest quality products, and aims to consistently improve their offerings.

Conclusion

Getting the right fastener for the right job is crucial to ensure the longevity of the project and the screw itself. The quality of the fastener plays an important role specially in the case of roof fasteners. The search for the right fastener should always start by determining its intended use. Once you decide what you want to use the screws for, then you can start looking for the best fastener by taking into consideration things like materials, gauge, length, diameter, head type and thread count.