Fästhål

Fästhål is a term used in Swedish engineering and carpentry that refers to a hole intended to receive a fastener in order to join two or more parts. The word combines fästa, meaning to fasten, and hål, meaning hole. In practice, fästhål describe holes designed for screws, bolts, rivets, or dowels and can be found in wood, metal, plastic, or composite components.

Common types of fästhål include through holes, which pass completely through one or more parts and are used with bolts and nuts or threaded inserts; blind holes, which do not go all the way through and are used with set screws or blind fasteners; clearance holes, which are sized larger than the fastener shank to allow insertion without threading; and threaded (tapped) holes, which accept screws or bolts with corresponding threads. Additional variants include counterbored holes, where the hole is shallow and widened for a bolt head, and countersunk holes, where the entry is widened conically to seat the screw head flush with or below the surface.

Design and manufacturing considerations include selecting the appropriate hole diameter and position relative to edges and other features, as well as choosing the correct fit between hole and fastener (clearance, transition, or interference). Tolerances are typically specified using standard drawing practices and depend on the material and application. Manufacturing methods for fästhål encompass drilling, reaming, milling, punching, and tapping, and attention is given to burr removal and hole quality to ensure smooth assembly.

Fästhål are widely used in furniture, machinery, automotive, electronics enclosures, and construction, serving as the primary interface for joining parts.