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If you are interested in reliable fastening solutions, one of the options you can look at is the use of plastic in order to achieve this. The fact that plastic is cheap and easy to use means that using it in most applications makes a lot of sense, and is something that you should not […]

If you are interested in reliable fastening solutions, one of the options you can look at is the use of plastic in order to achieve this. The fact that plastic is cheap and easy to use means that using it in most applications makes a lot of sense, and is something that you should not take for granted.
plastic fasteners

Understanding plastic fasteners
Plastic fasteners can be made from a huge variety of materials including nylon, PVC and even polypropylene. They are most useful in instances where the fasteners needed are not required to bear a lot of weight. The construction industry is one of the largest consumers of such fasteners, and they are often used with materials such as concrete and stone. Ideally, the type of plastic fastener used should be chosen based on the application it’s going to be used for in order for it to be any good.

 
Common types of plastic fasteners you are likely to come across
Whenever you go shopping for plastic fasteners, it’s always a good idea to have an idea of exactly what you want. The reason for this is that there are many different types of such fasteners available, and you would need to choose one based on the function it’s going to serve. The most common of these include:

  • Rivets: Though it’s hard to imagine the idea of using a plastic item as a rivet, these actually do exist. They are made of a very strong piece of plastic, which means that they can offer just as much structural integrity as a metal rivet. One of the benefits of using this type of rivet is that you don’t have to weld the material together as part of fastening it.
  • Plugs: Plugs are mostly used in masonry. They are essentially used to provide grip on cases where one needs to use a screw in masonry, since it enables it to bear more weight.
  • Bushes: This can be described as a bearing that is used to reduce any wear and tear between two structures. It is most ideal for use when one needs a lightweight non corrosive material in such an application.
  • Clips: These are a very versatile form of plastic fastener. They are usually used to keep things organized, such as when there are many cables running to and fro and one needs to keep them from becoming tangled. They can also be used to organize other materials including paper and even boards.
  • Cable ties: These are manly used to fasten wires into organized bundles.
  • Grommets: These are fasteners that are placed around eyelets, and are mainly used to prevent them from fraying or becoming weak. They are often made of plastic.
  • Plastic screws: As the name suggests, these look and work just like regular screws but are made of plastic. They are normally used in scenarios where a metal screw would not be a good idea.
  • Nuts: Nuts can also be made of plastic and this type is used in situations where the application of a metal one would be unhelpful to its function. For example, when you need to prevent corrosion, plastic nuts will make a better choice.

About the Author

Larry Melone
By Larry Melone
President

Started my career in the fastener world in 1969 at, Parker Kalon Corp. a NJ based screw manufacturer located in Clifton, NJ working in inventory control, scheduling secondary production and concluding there in purchasing. In 1971 I accepted a sales position at Star Stainless Screw Co., Totowa, NJ working in inside sales and later as an outside salesman, having a successful career at Star I had the desire with a friend to start our own fastener distribution company in 1980 named: Divspec, Kenilworth, NJ. This was a successful adventure but ended in 1985 with me starting Melfast in August 1985 and have stayed competitive and successful to date. Melfast serves the OEM market with approximately 400 accounts nationally.

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