Latest News & Industry Articles
Holding It All Together: The Rise of the Threaded Fastener
12-06-16 08:19
The threaded fastener was invented in approximately 400 BCE, by a Greek philosopher named Archytas Tarentum. Fast forward a few thousand years, and fasteners are a part of nearly all of our daily functions. So, what exactly are these fasteners holding our world together, and how did they rise to hold this position
It’s pretty simple! Fasteners are any devices or tool that hold two or more parts together. The screw principle, which addresses this function, was created by Archimedes, who used it to invent a wooden screw that raised water for irrigation and ship maintenance. If you like olive oil, you owe some thanks to the screw principle as well. In the first century BCE, screws were used in presses to extract oil from olives and juice from grapes.
While the screw in general was making traction in Europe, before the 1400’s, the use of metal screws was not. It was during the fifteenth century that Johann Gutenberg utilized them to fasten his printing presses. After this, the frequency of their use grew gradually, incorporated into such endeavors as the construction of clocks and armor. Around this same time, Leonardo da Vinci was in Italy, sketching designs for screw-cutting machines in his notebooks.
The screw kept moving forward in 1568 when Jacques Besson developed a screw making machine and again when he released a screw-cutting lathe attachment plate.
The screw machine became official in 1760 when the Wyatt brothers of Staffordshire, England registered its first patent. By 1786, in the thick of the Industrial Revolution, they were producing screws in mass. Other notable eighteenth century milestones for the fastener included the 1777 invention of a working screw-cutting lathe and the fine-tuning and popularization of screw-cutting lathes between 1797 and 1800.
After these advancements, only one major industry hurdle remained: standardization. Standardization would increase compatibility, allowing for a greater and faster rate of exchange between screw manufacturers and their customers. Such standards were put into practice in the UK in the 1860s, and in the United States followed suit in a decade later, with the implementation of the U.S. Standard Thread, followed by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) standard. Unfortunately, to this day, UK and U.S. standards don’t quite line up, making exchange a challenge.
So there you have it! From rare to so prevalent that you don’t even notice it, thread screw technology has made quite the journey. Today, fasteners serve automobiles, airplanes, aerospace technology, electronics and even your coffee machine. Where would we be without the fastener? Take a moment to thank Archytas, and be glad we don’t have to find out.
It’s pretty simple! Fasteners are any devices or tool that hold two or more parts together. The screw principle, which addresses this function, was created by Archimedes, who used it to invent a wooden screw that raised water for irrigation and ship maintenance. If you like olive oil, you owe some thanks to the screw principle as well. In the first century BCE, screws were used in presses to extract oil from olives and juice from grapes.
While the screw in general was making traction in Europe, before the 1400’s, the use of metal screws was not. It was during the fifteenth century that Johann Gutenberg utilized them to fasten his printing presses. After this, the frequency of their use grew gradually, incorporated into such endeavors as the construction of clocks and armor. Around this same time, Leonardo da Vinci was in Italy, sketching designs for screw-cutting machines in his notebooks.
The screw kept moving forward in 1568 when Jacques Besson developed a screw making machine and again when he released a screw-cutting lathe attachment plate.
The screw machine became official in 1760 when the Wyatt brothers of Staffordshire, England registered its first patent. By 1786, in the thick of the Industrial Revolution, they were producing screws in mass. Other notable eighteenth century milestones for the fastener included the 1777 invention of a working screw-cutting lathe and the fine-tuning and popularization of screw-cutting lathes between 1797 and 1800.
After these advancements, only one major industry hurdle remained: standardization. Standardization would increase compatibility, allowing for a greater and faster rate of exchange between screw manufacturers and their customers. Such standards were put into practice in the UK in the 1860s, and in the United States followed suit in a decade later, with the implementation of the U.S. Standard Thread, followed by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) standard. Unfortunately, to this day, UK and U.S. standards don’t quite line up, making exchange a challenge.
So there you have it! From rare to so prevalent that you don’t even notice it, thread screw technology has made quite the journey. Today, fasteners serve automobiles, airplanes, aerospace technology, electronics and even your coffee machine. Where would we be without the fastener? Take a moment to thank Archytas, and be glad we don’t have to find out.
A Few Advantages of Using Stainless Steel Fasteners
11-17-16 01:01
Fasteners, like screws and bolts, are simply defined as tools that securely bind parts, and for any construction project, you need them. By far, the best kind you can use are stainless steel. Stainless steel fasteners offer a myriad of advantages; today, we have listed those by subject, below. Enjoy!
Affordability: Stainless steel fasteners are massed produced using relatively simple manufacturing processes, and have low input costs. While still somewhat more expensive than other fasteners, the quality of stainless steel fasteners make them a worthwhile investment.
Recyclability: Stainless steel is 100% recyclable! This is a wildly appealing statistic, both in terms of economics and the environment. When the time comes for your fasteners to retire, you can recycle them and recover their valuable alloying elements like nickel, chromium and molybdenum. In addition to monetary gain, this practice creates notable energy savings and reduces CO2 emissions.
Corrosion Resistance: Stainless steel is a champion corrosion fighter. Its coating makes it strong and durable, resistant to blackening, rusting and tarnishing. Its also holds up against a variety of environments, gracefully withstanding anything from extremely high heat to extremely cold temperatures. This flexibility lends stainless steel fasteners a unique universality.
Ductility and Strength: Stainless steel fasteners are extremely strong. Because stainless steel alloy is so much tougher than regular steel, stainless steel fasteners have a much higher tensile strength and durability. In addition, as they are immune to fatigue brought on by cyclic loading, they are the perfect candidates for tension load design.
Lifecycle Costs: Thanks to the extreme durability of stainless steel fasteners, they are unlikely to require expensive maintenance or repairs. You can safely predict that they will have very low lifecycle costs. Furthermore, as alloy technology advances, manufacturers will see their fasteners’ service life and cost-effectiveness increase.
Assembly and Disassembly: You can assemble and disassemble stainless steel fasteners quickly and easily. Fasteners like nuts, bolts and screws are especially easy to install; rotate your screwdriver or twist your wrench a few times, and the job is done.
Aesthetic Appeal: Stainless steel is has a natural shine, and stainless steel fasteners aren’t easily scratched. They can be coated with a variety of finishes, allowing for design choices and creative expression. What’s more, they’re easy to clean.
Affordability: Stainless steel fasteners are massed produced using relatively simple manufacturing processes, and have low input costs. While still somewhat more expensive than other fasteners, the quality of stainless steel fasteners make them a worthwhile investment.
Recyclability: Stainless steel is 100% recyclable! This is a wildly appealing statistic, both in terms of economics and the environment. When the time comes for your fasteners to retire, you can recycle them and recover their valuable alloying elements like nickel, chromium and molybdenum. In addition to monetary gain, this practice creates notable energy savings and reduces CO2 emissions.
Corrosion Resistance: Stainless steel is a champion corrosion fighter. Its coating makes it strong and durable, resistant to blackening, rusting and tarnishing. Its also holds up against a variety of environments, gracefully withstanding anything from extremely high heat to extremely cold temperatures. This flexibility lends stainless steel fasteners a unique universality.
Ductility and Strength: Stainless steel fasteners are extremely strong. Because stainless steel alloy is so much tougher than regular steel, stainless steel fasteners have a much higher tensile strength and durability. In addition, as they are immune to fatigue brought on by cyclic loading, they are the perfect candidates for tension load design.
Lifecycle Costs: Thanks to the extreme durability of stainless steel fasteners, they are unlikely to require expensive maintenance or repairs. You can safely predict that they will have very low lifecycle costs. Furthermore, as alloy technology advances, manufacturers will see their fasteners’ service life and cost-effectiveness increase.
Assembly and Disassembly: You can assemble and disassemble stainless steel fasteners quickly and easily. Fasteners like nuts, bolts and screws are especially easy to install; rotate your screwdriver or twist your wrench a few times, and the job is done.
Aesthetic Appeal: Stainless steel is has a natural shine, and stainless steel fasteners aren’t easily scratched. They can be coated with a variety of finishes, allowing for design choices and creative expression. What’s more, they’re easy to clean.
Star Washers from Hercules Fasteners
10-06-16 08:53
Are you looking for a company that you can trust to supply you with all of the fastening products that you need for your business? Hercules Fasteners can help you hold it together! We’re an ISO certified fastener supplier, with a huge inventory of everything from self-tapping screws to drill bits and washers. If you need adhesive products too, Hercules is also an official 3M authorized dealer of industrial parts. All of our products can be finished in one of several coatings for added durability and functionality for your application, including copper, chrome and teflon. Our central location in Ohio makes it easy to ship our fastening products to customers across the country and even internationally. We will quickly fill your order, large or small, so that you have the fasteners you need to get the job done in your business.
Washers are a very important part of many assemblies, which is why we sell many different types of washers to our customers. A fastener may hold things together, but it does an even better job when it’s used with the right washer. A washer improves performance and helps an assembly to hold together longer by increasing the surface are that the fastener exerts its force upon. One specific type of washer that you will find at Hercules Fasteners is a star washer. A star washer is a ring with a series of tabs on the inside or the outside all of the way around. These tabs increase the locking force of any fastener by resisting any torque applied to the nut. They resist the force because they are pointed out slightly. Over the long term, this added feature will prevent an assembly from unscrewing or separating. Household appliances, devices with electric motors, and other related applications all use star washers to add extra locking power to all of the joints and improve durability.
At Hercules Fasteners, our star washers come in a variety of sizes and styles to meet your needs. You can choose from one of the standard sizes in our large inventory, or request a custom order if you don’t see exactly what you’re looking for.
Washers are a very important part of many assemblies, which is why we sell many different types of washers to our customers. A fastener may hold things together, but it does an even better job when it’s used with the right washer. A washer improves performance and helps an assembly to hold together longer by increasing the surface are that the fastener exerts its force upon. One specific type of washer that you will find at Hercules Fasteners is a star washer. A star washer is a ring with a series of tabs on the inside or the outside all of the way around. These tabs increase the locking force of any fastener by resisting any torque applied to the nut. They resist the force because they are pointed out slightly. Over the long term, this added feature will prevent an assembly from unscrewing or separating. Household appliances, devices with electric motors, and other related applications all use star washers to add extra locking power to all of the joints and improve durability.
At Hercules Fasteners, our star washers come in a variety of sizes and styles to meet your needs. You can choose from one of the standard sizes in our large inventory, or request a custom order if you don’t see exactly what you’re looking for.