Make sure that you are choosing the right materials. High-quality fasteners can be made from any number of different metal materials.

Common types of metals and alloys to be used for fasteners include brass, bronze, copper, stainless steel, alloy steels, and titanium.

The right one is critical to making sure that the fastener can withstand the heat and work holding ability of the job for which it is intended.

Just as important are the drives at the top portion (head) of the fastener. Without the right type of drive in place, you risk accidentally stripping the fastener.

Additionally, you need to make sure that the fastener is actually of the right size, lest it fails to fasten into place and do the job it is intended to do.

Common types of drives include:

Slotted – one slot line running completely across the head

Phillips – slotted  into crosses

Sockets – hexagonal sockets in their heads.

Squares – four even lines

Star Drives – star-shaped recess in the fastener with six rounded points

In addition to these drive types, it is also possible to create your own custom fasteners.

In addition to the drives, you’ll want to consider the heads. The head and the fastener as a whole can either sit shallowly atop the part to which it has been fastened or further down and more deeply.

The most common types of fastener heads are the hexagon socket hex head, cap, button, dome, flat, oval, and pan.

The thread of a fastener is important to fit into place. Consider if you need your fastener threading to be coarser or more fine.

Coarse threads have fewer threads down the length of the fastener meaning they will be less likely to strip when you screw them in.

Fine threads have more threads down the length of the fastener. They are typically stronger as it is harder to shake loose from the item to which they have been fastened.

One important factor when making your determination is size.

Make sure your fastener is fixed firmly in place.

Make sure it is the right size for your joint, hole, or other fastening points.

Custom fasteners can be made to any size necessary.

When ordering fasteners, consider if  they are male or female parts.

Male parts have external sections that fit into place with female parts

Male fastener types include bolts, nails, pins, rivets, rods, and screws.

Female fasteners include nuts, washers.

The most common method of forming these is through the Cold heading process. The threads on these can be formed either by cutting the threads on a lathe, cutting threads using a screw machine, or roll forming which is the process of squeezing the shaft, rolling it through a die with pressure to from the threads, this is the most consistent and accurate process of manufacturing threads.

These are also formed using the cold heading process. Rivets can be made from Steel, Aluminum and even Brass. Care must be taken in the grade of the metal chosen for the application. Too hard of a grade and the rivet will not be able to be flattened in the tool to properly attach the two parts. Too soft and the rivet may stress fracture or even pull through the hole when from the movement of the two parts.

Finally, you need to think about the finishing applied to your fastener. The finishing you choose can have a profound impact on the degree to which the fastener is protected against corrosion and other types of issues. Some of the most popular types of finishing include aluminum hot-dip galvanizing, black oxide, and zinc.

The strength of the fasteners depends not only on the material that is used to manufacture but also on what finishing has been applied. The finish provides a protective layer on the fasteners that helps prevent corrosion.

We can supply your fasteners with a variety of different plating. This includes different colors of zinc, black oxide, black anodizing, nickel, brass, chrome, and much more.

The best fasteners bring everything together, and that’s what we do in our work with clients every day. If you’re interested in getting a quote for custom fasteners contact us today.

Bolt Agencies is your go-to business for all of your industrial hardware needs.

Not only can we create custom and standard bolts, rivets, spikes, and more, but we are always upgrading our capabilities to serve our customer’s needs better.

We also have an extensive research and development team that can work with our customers to create hardware solutions for their specific applications.