Fasteners used with plastics and composites are subjected to different forces than ones used in metals and other materials. Plastics respond in a completely different manner than metals when subjected to mechanical loads. They exhibit behaviors such as creep, anisotropy, and variable tensile strength depending on polymer type and fiber
Selecting the coating of a fastener is one of the first and most important decisions that an engineer must make. When making this decision, engineers must consider a myriad of important decisions. These decisions include: environmental conditions, corrosion resistance, temperature resistance, electrical conductivity, durability, and of course, cost of the
Balancing Strength, Speed, and Material Compatibility in Plastics and Carbon Fiber As plastics and composites replace the use of metals in major industries, the question of how best to fasten complex assemblies is more relevant than ever. Self-tapping screws—fasteners that cut their own threads during installation—offer compelling benefits in these
How to Select Fasteners that Match the Properties of Composites and Plastics Arguably, nothing has revolutionized technological advancement and product design in key industries over the last 75 years like plastics and composites. Advancements in plastic and composite assemblies have driven advancements in key arenas such as aerospace, automotive, medical,
When designing a new product, thousands of seemingly minute engineering decisions turn into the final product. One of the most important decisions is choosing the fastener materials. While it may not sound like a big decision to a layman, it can have a profound downstream effect on the build quality,
Threaded inserts are essential in any industry where strong connections are needed, enhancing durability, design flexibility, and load-bearing capacity. Now, the need for the threaded insert is unquestioned. The hard part is deciding the material for the insert. Why? It’s because there are pros and cons for every common threaded
How custom components can help enhance durability in automotive assemblies while helping achieve bigger goals like emission standards for automakers In 2024, the CAFE standards for passenger cars stand at 54.5 MPG and are set to increase at 2% year over year for model year 2027 through 2031. Those kinds
See how the use of exotic materials, plastics and high-stress parts made threaded inserts a vital partner in the Appliance Industry As we move further into the 2020s, every household appliance seems to get more and more complicated. However, one thing remains the same: the need for seemingly simple,
Here at CFI, we’ve been working with components of all kinds for over three decades, including threaded inserts. Typically, inserts are made from brass, due to the material’s versatility thanks to its position in the material science Goldilocks zone of relative strength, cost, corrosion resistance, machinability, thermal conductivity, and lack
In our previous blog, we covered the basics of threaded inserts and more specifically, brass inserts. However, we only touched upon their use in injection molding applications. As we said in our previous blog, injection molding goes hand-in-hand with brass inserts because inserts offer a strengthened connection between plastics and
