A typical construction site involves the usage of heavy pieces of machinery. The parts of the said machines are glued together through fasteners. Depending upon the workload, fasteners are installed. For instance, if a machine is designed to carry a heavy load, then it needs tightened and reliable fasteners. However, loosely attached fasteners are a nightmare on any construction site.
Building and construction industries use fasteners for successfully fulfilling industrial operations such as rigging and lifting, etc. For such operations, it is essential that machines are designed to sustain the heavy load as well as withstand the stress of the construction environment.
The use of fasteners is subjected to the nature of the construction project. Some projects tend to be complex in nature and require maximum use of machinery. It is mandatory for different projects to use fasteners that can sustain the extreme load.
The kind of construction fastener required at any site primarily depends on criteria such as the kind of material you are dealing with and the environment that the fasteners will be used in. Thus, it suffices to say different construction projects require different types of fasteners.
Here are some common types of construction fasteners:
Bolts
Bolt is a threaded fastener with an external male thread. It is supposed to be used with a nut that is tightened around the female thread.
Nuts
Like bolts, nuts are also threaded fasteners with external male threads requiring a matching pre-formed female thread such as a nut.
Screws
Screws are externally threaded fasteners that are used in various applications. These are used to be inserted in holes to join two or more machine parts together.
Washers
Washers are not like screws or bolts; instead, these are shaped like a thin plate with a hole carved in the middle. Washers are used to uniformly distribute the load in different domestic and commercial applications.
Rivets
Rivets are a type of permanent fasteners that are used in applications where there's a need for rigid material. Rivets are cylindrical in shape with a head-on top; rivets have a smooth cylindrical shaft.
Here are some of the industrial applications that use fasteners.
Decking
Decking requires the use of fasteners to tighten the floorboards together and keep them intact.
Sub-flooring
Sub-flooring fasteners are used to prevent wooden floors from squeaking over time.
Furniture production
Good furniture is one that is durable and can sustain a heavy load. The latter is only achievable through the use of fasteners.
Metal Roofing
Metal roofing requires the use of specially designed fasteners that prevent the roofs from undergoing defection.
Drywall
The screws inserted in the dry walls have to have a stronger tensile strength and last longer than the regular nails.
Fasteners can be manufactured from different materials such as aluminum, silicon bronze, brass, and stainless steel. They are also manufactured using different aluminum alloys with magnesium, silicon, zinc, copper, iron, and magnesium. These alloys provide added tensile strength and raise the melting point. Although fasteners come in a variety of materials, yet it is advisable to keep certain factors in mind while purchasing them. Selecting a material for fasteners should be based on weather conditions at the construction site, for instance, in winter corrosion double folds. Temperature condition is yet another to keep in mind. Apart from these, you are also required to keep in mind factors like tensile strength, stress-strain, and expected life.
