Considering the unquestionable importance of connections, it may be surprising that the structural

performance of fasteners can be misunderstood. For commodity fasteners, such as sheet metal
screws, design is relatively well documented and covered by the building code and reference
standards. However, manufacturers are constantly looking to create proprietary, differentiated
fasteners with enhanced performance or lower installation cost. While this can drive innovation in the
industry and improve construction practice, the wide range of components can be difficult to
understand and regulate.