Mechanical joining methods

Some methods of joining parts together are used throughout the industry, to form either a
complete product or an assembly. The method used depends on the application of the finished
product and whether the parts must be dismantled for maintenance or replacement during
service.
Five methods by which parts may be joined are Mechanical fasteners (screws, bolts, nuts,);
rivets; soldering; brazing; welding; adhesive bonding.

Mechanical Fasteners
Fastening can be classified into three categories, namely: Temporary fastening, Semi-
permanent fastening, Permanent fastening.
1. Temporary Fastening
When parts of a machine are joined in such a way that these can be disjointed or joined again
easily, it is called temporary fastening. There is no harm to the machine or its parts in temporary
fastening. In temporary fastening nut, bolts, screws, lock pin, and washer are used. These are
called fasteners.
2. Semi-permanent Fastening
In a semi-permanent fastening method, the fastening may be destroyed but not work. It is used
when the joints have had little chance of re-opening. Such as soldering, riveting.
3. Permanent Fastening
They are single-use fasteners designed to be a permanent joint between two materials or parts.
When a permanent fastener is used, the parts will never come apart. The example of permanent
fasteners is rivets, welding, soldering, and brazing.
Types of Fasteners

Ring
Nut

Castle Nut
Nuts are used for applying pressure on the surface to be fastened by means of thread friction on
the bolt. Nuts are always identifiable by internal threads where the bolt grips. Nut is a small
block of metal or other material commonly square or hexagonal in shape.
Types of bolts

A bolt is a non-tapered fastener that uses a washer and nut to hold objects together. Bolts are
used mainly if there is a certain torque/pressure needed as the design specification.
 Bolt terminology

Types of screws:

Self-taping screw

A screw is mainly a tapered fastener that mates with an existing thread or creates its own thread
in a material as it turns.
Grubscrews and Allen cap screw:

Types of washers:

Its shape is like a round ring. Before tightening the nut and bolt, it is fitted on a stud or bolt. It is
used to ensure the tightness of a joint, screw, etc., and make it easier to unscrew the nut and
bolt and keep their threads secure.
Types of keys:

Allen key
A key is a machine element that connects a rotating machine element to a shaft and enables
torque transmission. The key helps to prevent relative motion between two parts. The shaft
must have a keyway to fit the key on it as shown below.

A shaft with keyway

A stud can be termed a headless bolt. Stud is a relatively long rod that has threads on both
ends, the threads may extend along the complete length of the rod. First, the stud is tightened in
the hole of the part to be joined with it and then a nut is tightened on it. Its main advantage is
that we can separate the upper part simply by opening the nut while keeping the lower part
intact. These studs are mainly of the three types.
In the round stud, the middle portion is also round. In square stud, the middle portion is kept
square. The third type is a collar is made at a little distance from the center. It is often used in
the cylinder head in automobiles.

Types of rivets:
To join the jobs made of sheets or plates permanently these rivets are used. In the boiler and
sheet metal work, it is used for making trunks and buckets. Rivets are usually made of mild steel
but sometimes they are also made of brass, copper, and aluminum, etc. The rivet consists of
only three parts, which are head, shank or body, and tail.
Types of anchor bolts/screws:

Anchors are types of fasteners, their function is like the anchor of a boat, which inserts itself into
the seabed to prevent the ship from moving. Typically, it is used to attach something to a
material such as drywall or concrete. They insert themselves into the material and keep the
object you are affixing.

Types of nails:
It is a small metal spike with a wide flat head, which is pushed into the wood to hold things
together or used as a hook. Nails have been used since the early years and they have now
become a household item. You can easily understand the difference between a screw and a nail
because a nail does not have threading on its body. The different types of nails take their names
from their applications, which can help you find the right type of nail for the job you are looking
for. Nails are not for joining metal surfaces.
Types of inserts:

These are the type of strong threads and are usually cylindrical in shape also known as thread
bushings. They are used for many applications such as securing long-lasting connections
between different materials or repairing stripped threads. The typical application of this fastener
is to distribute loads from the smaller diameter of the screw to the larger diameter of the insert.
Retaining rings:
The retaining rings are types of fasteners used to hold shafts or assemblies in place. They
usually design in different shapes. They are used in many applications in machinery. An
example of a retaining ring, which is used to hold the latch pin of an IC engine piston. In
addition, it is also used to hold the assembly together in the high-pressure fuel pump of a diesel
generator. Most retaining rings are one-time use and replaced when machinery is repaired but
some can be reused.

Clevis Pins and Cotter Pins:

These are types of fasteners, which are further manufactured from steel pins or with a
cylindrical shaft. These have a hole in the shaft into which a cotter pin is inserted and bent to act
as a staple. These are used to keep the components of machines in precise position or
alignment.

Advantages of Fasteners

Following are the advantages of fasteners:

1. Using fasteners will reduce the weight of the component.

Disadvantages of Fasteners

Following are the disadvantages of Fasteners:

1. If you are using fasteners, this will increase the weight of the component.
2. They usually require holes to fit a fastener that weakens the components.
 3. They can work at specific points in all types of loads, which will lead to fatigue.
4. Once fastened, it is difficult to fasten again.
5. They are often led to corrosion.

Adhesives: