All screws are designed with external threading so that they can be driven into an object or surface. On the shaft of a typical screw, you’ll see helical grooves. Known as external threading, these grooves essentially dig material out of … Read More

Have you heard of clinching? It’s used extensively in the metalworking industry to join two or more pieces of sheet metal without the use of fasteners, heat or adhesives. With clinching, special tools are used to lock”multiple pieces of sheet … Read More

Not all steelmaking processes involve heating steel to or above its recrystallization temperature. Cold rolling, for example, is performed at room temperature. Not surprisingly, it requires greater pressure to roll and form steel at room temperature. Because cold-rolled steel is … Read More

There are seven types of fasteners, each with their own unique use. A carriage bolt is also called a coach. The head of this fastener is countersunk, domed. It’s used to keep the bolt still while tightening a nut. A … Read More

Steel is often categorized according to its carbon content. All steel contains at least some amount of carbon. After all, steel is defined as an alloy of iron and carbon. Without the presence of carbon, it would simply be iron. … Read More

Also known as abrasive blasting, sandblasting is a surface finishing process that involves the use of a powered machine — typically an air compressor as well as a sandblasting machine — to spray abrasive particles under high pressure against a … Read More

Consisting of a disc-shaped piece of metal — typically carbon steel or stainless steel — washers are used to distribute the load of a bolt. Before placing a bolt through an object, it’s first placed through a washer. The washer … Read More