Nuts and bolts, they perhaps form the most important pair in any piece of structure. Basically, it is the bolt which attaches itself to the bottom of a nut to hold a piece firmly and keep it in place. The practice of using nuts and bolts dates back to the 15thcentury when its usage was first traced in Italy.For the ones who are not aware of what a nut is – a nut is a metal screw with a tapered base and a bolt is the hexagonal or circular structure which is fixed to it. It is the combination of both which is used for compression in an assembly.
Primarily nuts and bolts are made of iron but brass nuts and bolts are also available in abundance.
The Origin
The concept of nuts and bolts originated from the great Roman Empire. The Romans used them to bind two woods together while building their chariots and other machines. But historians comment that these were more like screws. The bolts were still not in place. It was the great Leonardo Da Vinci who introduced it in the late 1400s. He utilized the same in his creations which revolutionized the technological parlance during that time.
Its Usage and Development
Although it was conceptualized and first introduced by Leonardo Da Vinci, but it was Johannes Gutenberg who used the nuts and bolts in an industrial setup where it played a crucial role in setting up the world’s first printing press.
But then again, an issue arose. Since the nuts and bolts were individually handmade, no two units were similar. The produced nuts and bolts which matched, had to be kept in pairs. Now, if any of the unit was misplaced, it was rendered useless. Thus, as compared to the high effectuality of the usage of nuts and bolts, the manufacturing process was extremely difficult.
Regularization and Upgrade
Then came the industrial revolution phase, where the engineering brains focused to address the tons of issues related to the manufacturing of nuts and bolts. It was Henry Maudsley who finally made the lathe which accurately cut the threads to which the bolts would fit in. Also during this phase, the nuts and bolts were built in different shapes and sizes to suite the various requirements. Thereafter with the advent of modern engineering in real estate, the nuts and bolts were crafted according to the requirements. Thus structures like the Empire State Building and other notable skyscrapers across the world are still standing tall and strong.
People also stared making use of brass nuts and bolts in equipments and products to give it an elegant look. You will find the usage of brass nuts in the beautiful chandeliers all around the globe.
Industrial revolution also marked the introduction of the construction of bridges and railway lines which required nuts and bolts in mammoth quantities. Thus owing to the demand of the product, the production technology of manufacturing the same had to spread all over the globe. Simultaneously the requirement of iron to manufacture the huge quantity of nuts and bolts for industrial usage and similarly brass for the brass nuts and bolts called for another niche industry.
The Saga Continues
Now in the 21st century, there have been countless improvements in terms of manufacturing or building technology, but nuts and bolts are still irreplaceable. We now have different types of nuts and bolts, such as hex nuts, washers, knurled nuts, etc., which has improved the effectuality of the tool. Even for brass nuts and bolts, all major organizations that deal with the production of classy bathroom fittings still use brass nuts and bolts. Brass is more resistant to erosion and hence it is mostly used in taps, faucets and other products. Thus, bolts and brass nuts manufacturers not only complement the shiny appearance of the product, they give it an inexpensive appearance as well.
