FASTENING & ADHESIVES | MECHANICAL FASTENERS
FASTENERS SPECIFIER’S GUIDE
& FIXINGS Fasteners and xings are very often either a last-minute
Specifying fasteners and
xings correctly the rst-time
round is critical to ensuring
the fastening system remains
robust throughout the lifetime of the
product. However, fasteners are often
not speci ed until late on, when the
fastening system has already been
determined.
By engaging higher up in the build
process chain, the correct fasteners
are matched to perform with the
fastening system and the material it
is securing as well as the substrate
that the fastener is securing down to,
improving total cost of ownership and
ef ciency of the system.
HOW TO SPECIFY A
FASTENER OR FIXING
The speci cation of the fastener,
despite being such a small
component, is critical if the system
or product is to perform its required
function throughout the full term of its
service and design life.
“There are ve principles
of fasteners: durability,
consideration or left to the contractor’s discretion.
However, when fasteners are correctly speci ed from
the outset, there are huge bene ts down the line.
weathertightness, airtightness,
aesthetics and structural
performance,” says Neil Kirwan,
speci cation manager at SFS. “Each
particular application will need the
fastener to comply with at least two or
three of these functions and often will
need all ve.
“Failure of the fastener to
satisfy these functions may lead
to the inevitable, and sometimes
catastrophic, failure of the system or
very costly remedial works. The key
is to specify on an individual basis,
selecting the appropriate fastener for
the speci c use.”
THE DIFFERENT TYPES AND
CLASSES OF FASTENERS
There are a multitude of fasteners
available on the market, each one
designed for a particular use. These
include self-drilling fasteners, selfcoring
fasteners, self-threading
fasteners and clamping fasteners.
“To avoid failure,” Kirwan adds.
“Both the type of fastener and its
material must be considered early on
in the design phase.
“Coated carbon or austenitic
stainless-steel are the two main
materials used in manufacturing
fasteners and xings. Coated
carbon steel rapidly corrodes upon
exposure to humidity and polluted
environments and whilst surface
coatings with excellent corrosion
resistance can be applied to prolong a
fastener’s life, this will only slow down
the corrosion process.”
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