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    The Austin Hardware® Fastener Blog Series: Your Guide to Structural Fasteners.

    Posted by Rob Dell'Elmo on Aug 19, 2020 11:30:00 AM

     

    The meaning of the term "structural fastener" is somewhat ambiguous. Here's what it used to mean:

    As recently as a January 2020 article by ITA Fasteners, structural fasteners are described as being, "… characterized by strong, heavy-duty materials that facilitate the construction of structures employing steel to steel connections. They are an ideal choice … for connecting one metal structure to another." 

     

    While not inaccurate, according to Steave Klein, National Sales Manager for Fasteners at Austin Hardware®, "That phrasing comes from a time when steel was the strongest material available for construction and structural applications. In the modern world of today, while steel is still commonly used in all types of manufacturing, we also have many other materials, some of which are stronger than steel, and due to some of their other characteristics, better suited to certain load-bearing applications." 

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    Topics: fasteners

    The Austin Hardware® Fastener Blog Series: Your Guide to Solid Rivets.

    Posted by Rob Dell'Elmo on Aug 13, 2020 11:30:00 AM

    A Wikipedia citing notes that, “Solid rivets are one of the oldest and most reliable types of fasteners, having been found in archaeological findings dating back to the Bronze Age.” According to ThomasNet, Solid rivets “With their full-bodied design, solid rivets represent the strongest of the rivet varieties and, installed red-hot, were the rivets employed in structural-steel buildings and the like before bolted- and welded-joint techniques supplanted them.” Solid rivets are one of the strongest permanent fasteners and are commonly used in applications where safety and reliability are of the utmost importance. This is why they are used frequently in the aircraft and auto industries.

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    Topics: fasteners

    The Austin Hardware® Fastener Blog Series: Using Bolts for a Variety of Applications.

    Posted by Rob Dell'Elmo on Aug 7, 2020 10:30:00 AM

    Like most fasteners, bolts are available in a wide variety of styles and materials to meet the needs of a world of applications. In the industrial world, carbon and alloy steel bolts are used most often. Steel bolts can be divided into two major categories: High Strength Structural and Common.

    Steel bolts are rated and specified by numerous certifying bodies, but the two primary associations in the United States are ASTM International (formerly American Society for Testing and Materials) and the SAE International (formerly Society for Automotive Engineers). ASTM standards for bolts and fasteners pertain primarily to construction applications, while SAE deals with machinery and automotive applications as well as those for original equipment manufacturing.

    High Strength Structural Steel Bolts are typically used to join steel structures in construction. They’re mostly composed of quenched or tempered steel and have a minimum tensile strength of 120 ksi for use in structural connections. Examples are ASTM rated A325 and A490, Types 1 and 3 structural hex bolts.

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    Topics: Innovative Solutions, fasteners

    The Austin Hardware® Fastener Blog Series: Learn More About Retaining Rings and Clips

    Posted by Rob Dell'Elmo on Jul 28, 2020 11:30:00 AM

    Retaining rings can be an alternative to traditional threaded fasteners for holding components in a housing or on a shaft. They’re installed inside a housing or bore, or into a groove on a shaft to create a shoulder which retains an assembly.

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    Topics: fasteners

    The Austin Hardware® Fastener Blog Series: An Overview of Washer Hardware Options.

    Posted by Rob Dell'Elmo on Jul 13, 2020 11:30:00 AM

    Washers are another critical member of the wide world of fasteners. They’re certainly not sexy and can be overlooked at times. However, they play a crucial role in the function and longevity of the majority of products using mechanical fasteners. Like most fasteners, there are many different types and sub-types, with the application ultimately driving the appropriate selection.

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    Topics: Products (General), fasteners

    The Austin Hardware® Fasteners Series Blogs: Pins & Their Uses.

    Posted by Rob Dell'Elmo on Jun 30, 2020 12:00:00 PM

    Industrial Pins are an essential type of fastener with many uses. They are designed to resist shear and torsional forces. 

    Engineering360 defines industrial pins as “… varieties of fastening hardware meant to couple, align, mount, assemble or penetrate two workpieces. The operation of the pin depends on design and employment…” 

    Roll-formed metal is commonly used in the manufacture of industrial pins for purposes of strength, precision, and functionality. The types of metal used run the gamut- hardened and unhardened steel, stainless steel, brass, Monel®, aluminum, and titanium are all fashioned into industrial pins. Plastic, as well as wood, typically used in furniture because they can be sanded, stained, and painted for decorative purposes, are also common materials used in the production of fastening pins. 

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    Topics: Innovative Solutions, fasteners

    The Austin Hardware® Fastener Blog Series: Learn More About Using Nails

    Posted by Rob Dell'Elmo on Jun 23, 2020 11:30:00 AM

    If you’re in the construction or woodworking business, you’re using nails every day. Homeowners often find themselves looking for just the right nail for their DIY projects. Even the core customers of Austin Hardware®, which are in the transportation and metal fabrication businesses, industries in which nails are not a predominant fastener, find the occasional need for nails for different projects such as constructing shipping containers for their products. 

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    Topics: Vendor Managed Inventory, inventory management, fasteners

    The Austin Hardware® Fasteners Series Blogs: All About Clinch Fasteners

    Posted by Rob Dell'Elmo on Jun 18, 2020 11:30:00 AM

    Clinch or self-clinching fasteners are typically used for metal assemblies that may be too thin for tapping or in applications where it’s not feasible to employ stamped or extruded threads.

    Self-clinching fasteners are found in household appliances, electronics, medical equipment, telecom equipment, automotive and transportation markets, and many other industrial applications.

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    Topics: Products (General), fasteners