It’s not much of a stretch to say that without nuts and bolts, the world would fall apart. Bolted connections are everywhere, from the frame of your DIY 3D printer to the lug nuts holding the wheels ...

They can complicate analysis because even small assemblies can have bolts, screws, rivets, and weld joints, some with preloads. Still, there are ways to consider fastener reactions, says David Dearth, ...