When Fasteners Fail: Pinpointing the Cause Through Steel and Process Analysis
In any engineered system, fasteners carry a big responsibility. Fastener failures—whether immediate or delayed—can compromise product performance, jeopardize safety and result in costly downtime or even recalls—particularly in demanding applications and high-stakes industries like automotive, aerospace and heavy equipment.
Fastener failures can occur for all kinds of reasons—fatigue, overload, embrittlement, improper installation, misapplication or latent defects in the fastener itself. The most concerning failures are those that have made it to the final user—after the fastener has made it through manufacturing, into assembly and into service. At that point, the failure can be a very significant liability.