Screwbased

Screwbased is an adjective used to describe designs, products, or systems that rely primarily on screws for assembly, adjustment, or fastening. Screws provide joining strength and enable disassembly for repair, modification, or recycling, in contrast to rivets, adhesives, or welding. The term is common in engineering, woodworking, and maker communities but is not a formal technical standard, and its meaning can vary by context.

Typical applications include flat-pack furniture, modular enclosures, electronic housings, and hobbyist projects that require repeat assembly and maintenance. In 3D printing, screwbased assemblies improve serviceability and customization, and the approach often aligns with design philosophies that favor modularity and standard fasteners.

Advantages include reversibility, ease of repair, lower equipment costs, and part standardization. Drawbacks can include loosening under vibration, hole wear, and the need for periodic tightening or replacement of fasteners.

Because it is informal, screwbased has no single definition. In design discourse, it is used to contrast with rivet-, weld-, or adhesive-based methods, and to signal a preference for serviceable, reconfigurable assemblies.

Origin traces to online maker communities in the 2000s–2010s, where practitioners described hardware-conscious designs emphasizing manual adjustability and disassembly.

See also rivet-based design, weld-based design, adhesive-based design, modular design, and serviceability.