One of the most common applications for hinges is doors. Doors are connected to frames by a hinge. With a hinge, you can pull a door open and away from the frame to which it’s connected. Some door hinges, however, … Read More

Washers are commonly used with bolts and nuts. Consisting of a disk-shaped piece of metal, they are designed to distribute the load of a bolt. You can place a washer around a bolt, after which you can drive the bolt … Read More

3D printing has evolved over the years. In addition to fused filament fabrication (FFF), there are now other technologies used to build three-dimensional objects from raw materials. Stereolithography is one such alternative 3D printing technology. Like FFF, it involves the … Read More

Switches play an important role in nearly all electronic devices. From manufacturing equipment and vehicles to lamps, smartphones and more, most electronic devices feature one or more switches. Not all switches are designed the same, however. There are membrane switches … Read More

Wing knobs offer a simple and ergonomic fastening solution for machinery, furniture and other objects. They are known as “wing knobs” because they have a wing-like gripping surface. Like wing nuts, wing knobs are affixed with a perpendicular gripping surface … Read More

Of all the different types of springs, compression is the most common. They consist of a single piece of coiled metal in a helical shape. They are known as “compression springs” because they apply a compressive force. Even if you’ve … Read More

Non-ferrous metals are used in countless manufacturing applications. You can find them in airplane fuselages as well automotive engines, fasteners, wiring kits, building roofs, pipes and more. Unlike ferrous metals, non-ferrous metals contain any meaningful amount of iron. They are … Read More