THIS PAPER'S PURPOSE IS TO PROVIDE SOME BASIC FASTENER INFORMATION THAT DESIGNERS AND USERS CAN ABSORB AND ADD TO THE LIMITED UNDERSTANDING THAT CURRENTLY EXISTS. SCREW THREAD GEOMETRY, THREAD SERIES AND THREAD CLASSES WILL BE DISCUSSED TO ENSURE THAT THESE FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS ARE UNDERSTOOD AND THEN GAGING TECHNIQUES AND SCREW THREAD PERFORMANCE WILL BE EXAMINED IN SOME DETAIL.