The concept of the “fastener” dates back to around 200 B.C., with the earliest screws having to be handmade. This meant that no two were ever alike until 1928 when the National Screw Thread Commission established a standard for threads regarding interchangeability.

Currently employing more than 131,000 people in the United States, the fastener industry rakes in around $30 billion annually and manufactures more than 200 billion pieces each year as well. So many businesses, manufacturers, and residential projects rely on screws and similar fasteners for their projects, and the spread of screw types has increased with new manufacturing methods available.

Depending on the work you plan on doing, you’re going to need to decide which fastener would be best for the job. There are so many different types of screws out there from micro to machine, so it can be overwhelming if you don’t know the difference between the two. While every type has its purpose, machine screws are the perfect type of fastener for household items like electronics and appliances. They differ significantly from other screws, so let’s take a look at a few of the differences:

– One of the biggest differences between machine fasteners and all others is that they are typically used in already-threaded holes. This creates the hole as you push it through the material, but with a machine screw, you can just twist it right into place, resulting in a stronger joint at the fastening point. These are similar to a hi-lo screw (Hi-lo has a reduced diameter and displaces less plastic material and minimizes stress. These have a double lead high and low thread with the high thread having a 30 degree thread form that further minimizes material displacement while providing positive thread engagement) by relieving stress on the material being fastened together with the screw.
– Machine screws are used for holding together engines, electronics, and industrial equipment, making them very strong as a fastener. While general quality fasteners are strong, these are stronger in that they have much heavier items to hold together. A micro screw would be perfect to keep your cellphone intact, but a machine style has the ability to hold your kitchen stove together.
– The head of this screw looks pretty similar to the heads of all others. This means you need to make sure you know the application of the piece and to ensure that it matches the screw head you’re picking out. If you’re looking to put a tamper screw in place, you might decide to get a custom screw head for the machine screw.

As one of the top manufacture and custom small part specialists to reach the U.S., US Micro Screw offers a variety of materials and custom coated micro screws, small screws, and mini screws for various fastening needs. Offering a specialized set, they can build your custom fasteners in any variety of customized material options and sizes. On all custom orders, the minimum quantity per order is 1000 pieces with a general 6-8 week lead time for all custom orders. If you’re not sure what type, size, and material is best to suit your needs, experienced engineers can provide answers that will fit your custom project.