Fasteners, Clamps & Straps
A mechanical fastener is a device that is used to mechanically join (or fasten) two or more objects together. There are many different types of mechanical fasteners, but, in general, fasteners can be divided into two main categories; non-permanent and permanent fasteners. Non-permanent fasteners (they enable parts to be assembled and disassembled repeatedly) can further be divided into two groups: General fasteners such as keys, pins, retaining rings, etc. (they are often associated with shafts) Threaded fasteners such as bolts, screws, studs, setscrews, etc. They are the most widely used type of non-permanent fasteners since they can easily be removed then reused. On the other hand, rivets are considered to be permanent fasteners since removing rivets will destroy them.