Fastener

Other methods of joining materials, some of which may create permanent joints, include: crimping, welding, soldering, brazing, taping, gluing, cement, or the use of other adhesives.

Items like a rope, string, wire, cable, chain, or plastic wrap may be used to mechanically join objects; however, because they have additional common uses, they are not generally categorized as fasteners.

Likewise, hinges and springs may join objects together, but they are ordinarily not considered fasteners because their primary purpose is to allow articulation rather than rigid affixment.

In 2005, it was estimated that the United States fastener industry runs 350 manufacturing plants and employs 40,000 workers.

The industry is strongly tied to the production of automobiles, aircraft, appliances, agricultural machinery, commercial construction, and infrastructure.

In many cases, special coatings or plating may be applied to metal fasteners to improve their performance characteristics by, for example, enhancing corrosion resistance.

Put simply, hardware manufacturers must be able to trace their materials to their source, and provide traceability for their parts going into the supply chain, usually via bar codes or similar methods.