Dangers of internet specification of threaded fasteners

With all the benefits of the internet it has become apparent that there are dangers – who of us has not come across the life-critical disease ‘we have self-diagnosed’ online, or the false news/conspiracy theory which can reinforce our worst fears?

At a professional industrial level, Challenge Europe often find design engineers overlook the sophistication of threaded fasteners and fall into the trap of ‘internet specification’ or ‘specification by CAD system’. 

A practice which seems to derive from pressure of time coupled with the perception that fasteners are low-end product and that sourcing can be done over the internet, relying on urgent sample supply in case of doubt.

An experienced fastener supplier can provide a wider knowledge at the level of advice in new product development, re-engineering and in problem-solving where difficulties arise. It is increasingly difficult to find this level of expertise outside of small specialists such as Challenge Europe.