There are quite a number of industrial applications for fasteners particularly in the manufacturing sector such as aerospace, heavy machinery, automotive, building and construction industries. But as manufacturing processes become more specific, the demand for custom fasteners is increasing. Custom captive fastener options are available in a range of forms including bolts, screws and nuts that comes in different types for various industrial applications.
Knowing the different types of fasteners available will help you determine the ideal type for your application especially when assembling sensitive equipment like automobiles — which uses micro fasteners and tiny screws to secure its parts.
Captive fastener, micro fasteners, miniature screws all play an important safety role in a vehicle, machine, or equipment. When using a fastener of any form, you’re advised to apply the right amount of torque to ensure metallic parts secure properly and also avoid over-tensioning that can potentially damage the bolts, screws or nuts.
The manufacturing industry is constantly growing and more innovative solutions are being explored to improve efficiency and reduce the cost of productions. As a result, more micro fasteners options are introduced to offer users plenty of choices for consideration.
Despite the options though knowing the right type to of fasteners for your specific application is the biggest challenge even for manufacturing and assembling experts.
The most common forms of fasteners are screws and highly considered because they work with different materials such as metal, wood and plastic. Screws are available in five types:
- Deck screws
- Hex lag screws
- Self-drilling screws
- Sheet metal screws
- Wood screws
All these types of screws are also categorized into either vibration-resistant, standard duty and threadlocker screws. In phone assembly, micro fasteners are commonly used but how far they can be used depends on the products being assembled. Now manufacturers can request custom fasteners built with specific parameters in mind to suit unique design, torque and size.
Consider customizing existing miniature fasteners instead of design one from scratch which happens to be expensive. Tiny as they are, miniature screws, bolts and nuts are known to perform best as their large counterparts. And the fact that they can be used in multiple applications makes them a suitable option. Additionally, using undersized fasteners like miniature captive fastener allows quick fastening and removal when necessary.
Because they are small in size, they take less time to remove than it would take to remove a standard-size screw, bolt or nuts. Lastly, keep in mind that the type of fastener to use will depend on your assembly project. Heavy industrial applications will require high-quality fasteners and screws than can withstand intense pressure underweight.
