A fastener is a mechanical part widely used for fastening connections. Fasteners are widely used in energy, electronics, electrical appliances, machinery, chemical, metallurgy, mold, hydraulic and other industries. A wide variety of fasteners can be found in all kinds of machinery, equipment, vehicles, ships, railways, Bridges, buildings, structures, tools, instruments, chemicals, instruments and supplies. They are the most widely used basic parts of machinery. It is characterized by a wide variety of specifications, different performance and uses, standardization, serialization, high degree of universality. Therefore, some people will have a class of national standard fasteners called standard fasteners, or simply referred to as standard parts.
Common types of fasteners
Hex bolts, or hex cap screws, used in machinery and construction. Can be used with nuts, or in tapping holes. Full thread hexagon bolts are also called tap bolts.
Wood screws have large threads and smooth handles that pull two pieces of material together. They can be used for wood and other soft materials.
Sheet metal screws have sharp tips and threads and are designed to drive directly into sheet metal. They can also be used in softer materials such as plastic, fiberglass or wood.
Machine screws are fully threaded for use in nuts or tapping holes. Certain types are sometimes called furnace bolts.
Hex socket screws are machine screws with hex socket (Allen) drives. Longer lengths may have smooth stalks.
A lag bolt, or lag screw, is a large wood screw with a hexagonal head. Commonly used in wood buildings and landscaping.
Bracket bolts have smooth dome heads with a square section underneath that pulls in material to prevent rotation during installation.
Nuts are used to tighten machine threaded fasteners in through hole applications. The lock nut helps prevent loosening.
When a bolt, screw or nut is tightened, the washer spreads the load over a larger surface area. Lock washers help prevent loosening.
Fastener material
Galvanized steel is a kind of universal mild steel. Relatively inexpensive, galvanized provides moderate corrosion resistance and is suitable for indoor or other dry conditions. The color is light blue or yellow, depending on the process.
Hot dip galvanized steel has a thicker zinc coating for better corrosion resistance and is suitable for outdoor use. Only galvanized nuts and washers can be installed on galvanized bolts due to thick coating. The coating usually has a rough, dark gray surface.
Stainless steel has good corrosion resistance and is suitable for outdoor use and Marine applications, but is more expensive than galvanizing.
Chrome – and nickel-plated steel for a smooth and polished appearance. The coating has moderate corrosion resistance.
Brass and bronze are copper alloys that have good corrosion resistance. These materials are more expensive than steel and are often used in decorative applications. The colors vary a lot.
Alloy steels are highly hardened, usually black oxide and/or oil coated, and provide little resistance to corrosion.
US bolts type
US bolts and bolted parts
A bolt is a tool used to tighten and secure the surface of a component. They are threaded and fitted with matching nuts. They are intended to connect aligned unthreaded holes by placing aligned holes and securing them with nuts of bolts.
1.Bolt shaft
The shaft is a cylindrical member that sustains shear forces acting on the bolt and prevents the part from moving radially. The bolt shaft has two parts:
The shank (or body) is the unthreaded part of the bolt located below the head. Its length is measured from the head to the beginning of the thread transition. When installed in the bolt hole, the shank provides precise and smooth contact. The stress is more distributed in this part than in the threaded part. Therefore, it is necessary to extend the handle until it exceeds the interface of the material to be fastened.
The fastened part may vibrate or be subject to vibration, which increases the chance of loosening the bolt. If the bolt does not have a shank (i.e. the bolt shaft consists entirely of threads), vibration may be pushed out of the fastening part.
The thread is a continuous spiral ridge made on the outside of the bolt shaft. This section holds the nut and allows the bolt to be pushed into or out of the part. The bolt thread fits into the internal thread of the nut to form a bolted connection. All bolts must have a threaded part, but most bolts have a partially threaded shaft.
2.Bolt head
The bolt head is responsible for bearing the axial force to hold the material to be fastened. A wrench or screwdriver clamps and applies enough torque to the bolt head to tighten or loosen the bolt. Bolt head has a variety of shapes and types; Some of them are:
●The hex bolt head has a hexagonal hex head that can be easily clamped with a variety of tools (e.g., wrenches).
●The countersunk bolt head has a conical profile with a flat top.
●They usually have a notch that allows a screwdriver or hex tool to apply torque and drive the bolt axially.
●The dome bolt head has a smooth rounded outline. However, they are difficult to tighten externally.
Bolts are usually used with the following mechanical devices:
The nut acts as a bolt assembly
A nut is a female part of a bolted connection containing threaded holes. It provides clamping force and prevents axial movement in order to hold multiple parts together. The combination of the two forces holds the parts in place. The nut applies an axial force to compress the fastener. This axial force creates friction between the bolt and nut threads, preventing the bolt and nut from loosening. Mechanical locking devices (e.g., lock washers, lock nuts and cotter pins) and threaded locking fluids are used if parts are exposed to sustained vibration and shock for extended periods of time.
A washer for a bolt assembly
A gasket is a flat sheet with a concentric hole in its center. It is usually placed under the bolt head and nut. Its main function is to distribute the load of threaded fasteners over a larger area. Therefore, the deformation of the material to be fastened is prevented. Gaskets made of softer materials such as plastic, rubber and polyurethane can effectively suppress vibration and thus prevent loose threads. Special types of washers prevent fluid from seeping into the bolt joint, creating a waterproof seal.
You may need bolt bins
If you’re like the average homeowner, your garage is probably littered with bolts, fasteners, nuts, and other gadgets. Small workers like these have the uncanny ability to hide when you need them most and appear randomly in the strangest places, like your dryer or the hallway storage room. If you’re tired of looking like a maniac for the gadgets you need for your home improvement projects, it might be time to go shopping for bolt boxes. These handy and simple organizing tools can help you organize your garage and let you easily find your gadgets when you need them most.
Various uses
While the bolt box is primarily used to store and organize bolts, there’s no reason it can’t be used to store washers, pushpins, nuts, and any other small tools that fit into its divider box. You’ll love being able to easily separate screws, washers, bolts, and other gadgets into separate bins by size and shape.
Save space
Many homeowners like to store their tools in their garage, but they often end up with a jumble of tool boxes and loose tools that turn their garage into a giant clutter pile. Bolt boxes can help eliminate this clutter and save garage space by taking advantage of vertical storage. A dumpster can be easily propped against any wall of the garage and removes debris from the center of the garage, thus leaving more space for your vehicle. Bolt cases also come in a variety of sizes, including smaller 40-hole cases and larger 72-hole cases that are taller and narrower. Be sure to select the bin size that best fits the designated area of the garage.
If you’re ready to get organized and eliminate the frustration of finding lost tools, you may want to purchase a box to store your bolts in. Contact EASIAHOME immediately for details on bolt boxes and other building supplies we provide.
