Screws driven directly into plastic strip out after a few uses. A brass heat-set insert, pressed into the part with a soldering iron, gives you real machine threads that survive repeated assembly.
Design the hole
Model a hole slightly smaller than the insert's outside diameter, following the insert manufacturer's recommended hole size, and leave at least a few walls of plastic around it. Add a little extra depth below the insert so displaced plastic has somewhere to go.
Install
- Heat a soldering iron with a dedicated insert tip to a temperature suited to the plastic.
- Set the insert on the hole, then press straight down slowly and let the heat do the work.
- Stop just flush, then use a flat object to keep it square while it cools.
Short or tall?
Short inserts suit thin walls. Tall inserts give more thread engagement and pull-out strength where the part allows it.
