Bay Supply Blog - Rivets, Fasteners, and Tools | Fastener Distributor

When choosing a fastener supplier, what is your primary criterion? Many buyers look for the best price and the fastest availability of parts. Selecting a vendor based on price and available inventory may get you out of a temporary jam if you need fasteners in a hurry to maintain production. Still, you need to consider other criteria when choosing a fastener supplier that can help you build your business.

Threaded fasteners need a solid substrate for lasting performance. The threads must be solidly anchored in the material without loosening or pullout, which can be challenging with softer materials, such as wood and plastics. Threaded holes can also become stripped over time, requiring some way to restore the threads.

Chances are, you will find fasteners used to assemble products in every factory. Nuts, bolts, anchors, lockbolts, and other industrial fasteners are essential to manufacturing everything from computers to airplanes. 

Production lines that use precision manual processes tend to be slow and require workers to set and inspect fasteners one at a time. Automating the process saves time, labor, and money. However, to automate production, you need speed fasteners that shorten assembly time while ensuring consistent quality.

Choosing fasteners that are easy to install and don’t require special tools will save you time and money. Off-the-shelf fasteners deliver outstanding performance, and when you find the right fastener for the job, be sure it doesn’t require specialized equipment. Otherwise, you will have to spend money on tools and training.

You’ve narrowed down your fastener specifications—but now you are wondering, “Which supplier should I use?”

Having a supplier who truly knows the industry is crucial. You need a supplier who can source the right products from top manufacturers and who provides knowledgeable, high-quality customer service. In order to find out if you are talking with the right supplier, start by asking questions about a variety of topics.

Not all fasteners are created equal. A different type of fastener is available for every type of application you can think of, and choosing the right fastener for the job ensures a lasting and trouble-free joint. The question is, which of the myriad fastener types is appropriate for each task?

Here are four of the most common applications that require fasteners and the best types of fasteners for each one.