Thread stripping is often a result of which of the following?

Thread stripping occurs when too much force is applied to a fastener, leading to the failure of the threads. This situation is commonly referred to as overtightening. When fasteners are overtightened, the stresses on the threads exceed the material's tensile strength, causing the threads to deform or strip away from the surrounding material. This can compromise the connection, resulting in a loss of clamping force and potential failure of the assembly.

Understanding why overtightening leads to thread stripping is crucial for proper fastening techniques. Maintaining the correct torque specifications ensures that the fasteners are secured adequately without surpassing the material limits. Conversely, practices such as under-tightening or poor lubrication can lead to other issues, but they do not directly cause thread stripping in the same way that overtightening does.