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When doing any type of design, it’s usually necessary to decide on which types of fasteners you will use for the job. It’s important that you get this right from the word go, since it will determine the quality of the outcome. There are many different types of fasteners out there, so it’s easy for […]

When doing any type of design, it’s usually necessary to decide on which types of fasteners you will use for the job. It’s important that you get this right from the word go, since it will determine the quality of the outcome. There are many different types of fasteners out there, so it’s easy for you to choose the wrong type if you are not very keen on what you are doing. The key to getting it right is by first understanding the reasons why you need the fasteners for a particular job, and then getting ones that are meant to fulfill this role.

The machine screw is one type of fastener different from others such as nitronic 50 Phillips screws or Inconel hex lag bolts. The differences between these types of fasteners are significant, so interchanging them would not be a good idea. Some of the differences between the machine screws and other types include:

They are usually threaded through preexisting holes

One of the major differences between machine screws and other types of screws is the fact that they are usually used in threaded holes. With most other types of screws, the screw itself creates the hole as you drive it into the material. One of the benefits of having a threaded hole through which you can drive the screw is that you are likely to end up with a stronger joint. This will translate to higher product quality, something that is important in a market where competition is high.

 

Their application

Most machine screws are usually designed to hold together parts of electronics, engines and industrial equipment. For this reason, they are typically much stronger compared to other types of fasteners.
Machine Screw

The threading

There are a number of notable differences between machine screws and other types of screws when it comes to threading. For one, they don’t usually have a thread throughout the length of the screw shaft. In addition to that, the vast majority of machine screws are usually designed to have two types of thread: coarse thread and fine thread. The coarse thread machine screws usually have 24 threads per inch, and the fine thread ones usually have 32 threads per inch. It’s possible to have machine screws that have different thread counts, but these are rare and are usually custom made.

The heads

The heads of machine screws are similar to all other types of screws. When choosing them, you need to consider the application of the screw and to make sure that this matches the type of screw head you get. For instance, if you want to put a tamper proof screw in place, you might need to get a machine screw that has a custom made head.
In summary, there are many differences between machine screws and other types of screws you need to keep in mind when thinking about which ones to use. This will make it easier for you to make a decision about the types of fasteners to use for any particular application.

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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