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Whenever you need to use fasteners such as Inconel hex tap bolts and nitronic 60 hex lag bolts, it is critical that you always try to get it right. This is especially so if you intend to manufacture products that are likely to be used either by regular or corporate consumers. In such cases, you […]

Whenever you need to use fasteners such as Inconel hex tap bolts and nitronic 60 hex lag bolts, it is critical that you always try to get it right. This is especially so if you intend to manufacture products that are likely to be used either by regular or corporate consumers. In such cases, you will find that most of them will insist on using products that meet a certain minimum when it comes to the quality of construction.

There are many factors that influence the resultant quality of construction. These include the material and types of fasteners you use for the job. However, one factor that many people seem to neglect is how to actually fasten the fasteners properly. There are many standards that are used when doing this, some of the most important of which include:

The torque

This is one of the most common fastener specifications, and a bare minimum for all who are involved in fastening to understand. In a nutshell, the torque is the maximum rotational force that the fastener can endure when being put in place. When considering torque specifications when installing fasteners, there are several things one might need to remember including:

  • The torque will determine how tight the joint will be. If you want to tighten an object to make it the joint as strong as possible, you will obviously need to use as much torque as the fastener can handle.
  • It will also determine the breaking point of the fastener. When you use too much force in fastening a bolt or a screw, you could end up placing too much stress on it. This means it might break during the installation process, or have a much shorter lifespan. This calls for an understanding of the limits that each type of fastener you are using can endure.

Torque plus angle

When you buy some fasteners, you will find that they come with a torque plus angle specification. This means that the fastener has to be tightened to a specific torque value, and then rotated to a specified angle if it has to hold well. The angle in question is usually relative to a mating fastener that is supplied with the fastener. In most cases, you will need to use a backup wrench to fasten both to achieve both torque and angle specifications.
Wrench And Screws

Torque Plus Angle to Yield

Fasteners that come with this specification are usually tightened the same way as a torque plus angle fastener. However, the difference is that with the TAY fasteners, the end point is deformation of the external part of the fasteners. This means that you would need to tighten them to the point where they break.
All these are specifications that describe how the fasteners should be used. Keeping them in mind is critical if you are to get the most value for money from your fasteners. It will also ensure that the products you manufacture meet any quality regulations as well. Of course, there are some other specifications you might come across if you use rare types of fasteners, but the above are the most common.

About the Author

Larry Melone
By Larry Melone
President

Started my career in the fastener world in 1969 at, Parker Kalon Corp. a NJ based screw manufacturer located in Clifton, NJ working in inventory control, scheduling secondary production and concluding there in purchasing. In 1971 I accepted a sales position at Star Stainless Screw Co., Totowa, NJ working in inside sales and later as an outside salesman, having a successful career at Star I had the desire with a friend to start our own fastener distribution company in 1980 named: Divspec, Kenilworth, NJ. This was a successful adventure but ended in 1985 with me starting Melfast in August 1985 and have stayed competitive and successful to date. Melfast serves the OEM market with approximately 400 accounts nationally.

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