# Fasteners

## Introduction

Standardizing all your fasteners is the best way to make an easy and efficient R\&D workflow. In our case, we primarily use M3-0.5 machine screws, the best balance between size and strength for the relatively small scale parts we build. 

## Standardizing Fasteners

There are many fasteners sizes around, and choosing a single one to standardize all your general applications to can be challenging. The most sure way in finding this is using various fasteners variations in your shop and taking note on the most useful ones. But this is a rather expensive and wasteful approach. The more analytical approach is as followed: first decide between metric or imperial screws. For those in the U.S., the benefit of imperial screws is its accessibility in various hardware stores. Depending on the scale and type of project, either metric or imperial would fit in better. Once that is decided upon, try the various sizes available for the scale of your projects. A good way to cross-reference is to look at what screws other people use for a project of similar scale to yours. Finally, look into the average load rating for each screw sizes. There will be a point where both the size of screw and its acceptable load limits are within the scope and scale of your projects. Even after this, remember, there are still varying factors that could heavily influence your fastener standardization process:

* Local availability
* Bulk costs
* Available materials
* Available head types
* Varying project standards

### Machine Screw Head Type Guide

| Head Type   | Application                                                                |
| ----------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Socket Head | Recessed Cylindrical Sockets, Access panels, Load-bearing joints           |
| Button Head | general purpose, lower profile exterior components, tamper resistant parts |
| Flat Head   | Zero surface profile parts, total recessed panels, tamper resistant parts  |

### Machine Screw Material Guide

| Material            | Application       | Use for                                                                      | Max Torque |
| ------------------- | ----------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------- |
| 304 Stainless Steel | Final part        | Load bearing components, outdoor element exposed projects, etc.              | 25 ft-lb   |
| Grade 2 Titanium    | Final Part        | Lightweight Structures, High Strength applications, etc.                     | 20 ft-lb   |
| Black Oxide Steel   | Prototype/tooling | Cheap and fast proof of concepts and prototypes, tooling, jigs and fixtures. | 25 ft-lb   |


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