Advantages of mechanical fastener
Mechanical fasteners are another type of joining widely used in engineering field. Since its properties that easy to assemble and disassemble, this method becomes the most choices among the other optional. There are many example of mechanical fasteners; bolt and nut, rivet, screw, nail, stud and so on. Below are some advantages and disadvantages of using mechanical fasteners in our environment.
1. Ease of manufacturing -
The joining to be manufactured, easy to manufacture compare to nonmechanical fastener joining work piece. Thus reduce time to manufacture of the products and delivered to client needed.
2. Ease of assembly and transportation. -
Since mechanical fastener is temporary joining. Thus the parts can be separated easily without harm the parts of the products, even also for maintenances. By choosing this method, a company could reduce the customer’s monthly maintenances for their products. For an example, 2 parts are joining together by mechanical fastener, then one of the part break down, they do not have to change both parts, by dissembling the parts, they could reduce the cost compare to permanent joining.
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Transport the each parts separately, thus the products to be made will become easier to transfer because of the size of the parts become small parts.
3. Ease in creating design for moveable joints, adjustable components and sliding mechanism. -
Mostly all the joining used for movement likely temporary joints. Why it was choose besides of permanent joints? Every movement parts will experience wear or friction between the surface contact either air, water or land. This situation will lower the lifespan of the products. To reduce the cost, only the break down parts should be changed. Temporary joints were the answer to overcome the problem the cost effect with lifespan of the products. For an example; bearing of motorcycle, tire, windows, and door locker and so on.
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By separating the part into smaller parts, thus the designer could ease the system designation making of the products.
4. Ease to disassembly, maintenance or repair. -
With smaller parts could be produced from one big part, thus if one small part break down, only on that part will be changed and not the whole part itself.
Disadvantages of mechanical fastener
1. Force precision -
The mechanical fastener is used to hold between the parts. A special tool is used to tighten it, but a true precision force might need to apply into the fastener. The reasons why is because, too large force exerted into the fastener would damage the parts to be tighten. An exact force is essential to prevent harm towards the parts to be joined.
2. Easy to expose corrosion environment. -
Some joints using this method could experience the corrosion effects on the surface contact between the parts to be join. If this happen, then the temporary joining will be little use by having the rust mating the fastener and the surface joining, and loose the advantages of temporary joining without the advantages of permanent connections.
3. There are threads need to strip -
Mechanical fastener used the threads to ensure the fastener could hold the parts to be joining. Compare to other joining like welding or adhesive bonding, there are no need for threads to be there as to join between parts. Threads manufacture is another thing to be considered with several standards used. A well skilled worker could be needed to obtain a good machining of threads on each product.
Advantages of adhesive bonding
Adhesives are often used as an alternative for mechanical fastener. The used of adhesive may vary depending on where it is used in joining of material. There are several type of adhesives; Epoxy, Polyurethane, Cynoacrylates, Acrylics, Anaerobics, Hot melts, and silicone. Below shows the advantages and disadvantages of adhesive in mechanical joining field.
1. Able to bond with different type of metals in one bonding part. -
Adhesive bonding likely welding but instead of it principle just the same, it can joint one type metal with different type of metal. This specialty only belongs to adhesive bonding.
2. Weight reduction compare to mechanical fastener. -
Since adhesive bonding also apply the same principle of gas welding operation, thus less part is used to seal between each part. Unlike mechanical fastener used fastener; example like bolt and nut, screw, rivet and so on will increase the weight of the parts. Reduction in weight exactly hit this method compare to mechanical fastener.
3. Smooth surface and joint. -
This method bond between parts without having the contour or some sharp edge made from this process. Compare to fastener, it will make the part looks dangerous for human to handle without safety precaution. In term of safety and human factor, adhesive lead it ways for joining process.
4. Could prevent corrosion -
Since the adhesive bond used non-metal, thus corrosion will not be exposed to this joining. Unlike fastener, were made from metal (mostly used in industrial). The maintenance for the joining for corrosion is much less than fastener joining.
5. No heat input, holes (fastener), and pressure exerted. -
Adhesive bonding will not cause the parent metal to be change mechanical properties by the effect of the heating of hole during the process. It only used chemical/physical hardening reaction causing the part to join together since the (adhesive) itself is not metallic substance.
6. Thermal and electrical insulation. -
Since adhesives are non-metallic type, there are no thermal and electrical conduction on the joining surface. Thus, its insulation could be a safety for the joining.
References Mechanical Fastening and Adhesive Bonding, (0ct 21, 2012), web (http://aluminium.matter.org.uk/content/html/eng/default.asp?catid=217&pageid=2144417137) KALPAKJIAN.S, SCHMID.S.R, MANUFACTURING ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY 6TH EDITION, CHAPTER 32, PP 931-941, (OCT 20, 2012), PEARSON, SINGAPORE, 2010 DISADVANTAGES OF MECHANICAL FASTENER, (OCT 21, 2012), WEB (http://www.ehow.com/info_8658294_disadvantages-mechanical-fasteners.html) ADHESIVE BONDING, (OCT 19, 2012), WEB, (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adhesive_bonding) ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF ADHESIVE BONDING, (OCT 19, 2012), WEB (http://www.alu.dk/videnbaser/modul/A00489.htm) Haji Mohd Al-Rangi.M.Y, MEM 560 MANUFACTURING PROCESS β, Chapter 5 Joining, pp 1-38, (Oct 20, 2012), mymMANUFACTURINGGunlimited, 2009
