Threaded inserts are great for melting into FDM prints with a soldering iron. The process isn’t so simple for resin prints, since they don’t generally soften with heat. Off course, you can also print ...

We have all done it, overtightened a bolt and blown out the threads. When a bolt starts to tighten up and then go suddenly loose, you know that the threads are toast and now you have a problem.

This article was updated May 25, 2023. It was originally published Nov. 17, 2009. To put hard, durable threaded holes in plastics, engineers often specify threaded metal inserts that will securely ...

We can make our 3D-printed parts even more capable when we start mixing them with some essential “mechanical vitamins.” By combining prints with screws, nuts, fasteners, and pins, we get a rich ...

Plastic parts and assemblies are becoming more common as engineers work to reduce costs and weight in their designs. But plastics often aren’t strong enough to support fasteners such as screws or ...