4 Things to Know Before You Buy Bolts | Industrial Fasteners

4 Things You Should Know Before Buying Industrial Fasteners

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Before purchasing a fastener there are 4 very important questions you should ask yourself:

1st Question - What type of material and finish would best fit my fastener need?

The Material a Fastening System is made of can vary from Low Carbon Steel to Exotic Alloys. What material a fastener is &#;finished with&#; can also range from plain finish to performance specific coatings. To determine the right material and/or finish a person must first understand three vital areas: the application, performance requirements, and the environment in which the fastener will be exposed.

   -Application:

      - Fasteners can be used in a wide variety of applications:

         -ex. Machinery, structural building, lumber, flange bolting, etc

   - Performance requirements:

      - Fasteners are specifically designed to meet certain performance criteria based on the application.

         -ex. Required Minimum Tensile strength: Depending on the application some fasteners are designed to break before they bend or vice versa.

            -ex. High vs. Low temperature/pressure service.

   - Environment:

• Last but not least, one should be aware of the environment the fastening system will be exposed to.

• Will the Fastener be exposed to outdoor environment, salt water atmosphere, perhaps corrosive chemicals?

• What type of material will the fastener be used in/on? (Certain metals can actually cause corrosion when exposed to particular materials)

• The environment plays a large role in determining the finish (coating) requirements as well.

NOTE: If you are able to put your hands on the a sample of the fastener in question, look carefully at the item and search for any distinguishing markings. Most will have a letter, number or the combination of the two which symbolizes exactly what material the fastener is made of. This will enable the fastener experts to give you the correct material that you are requesting.

2nd question - What size Fastener do I need?

Sizes of Fasteners range between Standard and Metric Sizes:

-When purchasing a Standard or Metric Fastener you should know 3 things:

a. Standard Diameter: ¼&#;, 3/8&#;, 1&#; and Metric : 10mm, 20mm etc&#;
     

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      1. Threads per Inch (Standard): measured as the number of threads in a one inch area: (NOTE: always skip the 1st thread when counting the number of threads)
ex. (Coarse or fine): ¼&#;-20tpi or ¼&#;-28tpi
 

b2. Thread Pitch (Metric): measured by the distance between the pitch (or top of each thread) in Millimeters: ex. (Coarse or Fine) : M10-1.5 or M10.125
 

c. Length of Fastener:

      -Does the length allow for a Nut and/or Flat Washer?
 

      - If stud bolts, do I want my stud measured Over All Length (OAL) or First to First thread (FTF)?
 

d. Length of Thread:
 

      - Does my application require standard thread (which is twice the diameter plus ¼ and if length is over 6&#; it would be twice the diameter + ½) or do I need material fully threaded?

3rd question - What type of Fastener do I need?

There are many different types of fasteners designed for specific purposes and applications.

Some common types are:

• Hex head cap screw (most common, usually referred to as a bolt but there is a distinct difference)

• Heavy Hex Bolt

• All thread stud

• Socket drive screws (socket head cap screw, socket set screw, etc.)

One should also consider what type of drive they want on their fastener: hex head, socket, Phillips, slotted, security, etc

Finally, the most important question: Am I purchasing my Fastener System from a company who lists &#;The 4 things you need to know before buying fasteners?&#;

Purchasing fasteners has the potential to be a time consuming and exhausting task. Imagine this task becoming as simple as a call doing business with a company whose knowledge and experience will save you time and money!

If you take these 4 steps into account before beginning your fastener search, you should find the task a quick and easy one.

Visit our Product Line to view a list of fasteners and other items that we carry.  To read comments from existing clients about the quality of our products and customer service, please visit the testimonials page.  To learn more about our products, or to place your order, please call (225) 272- today, or complete our easy quick quote form.
 

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