These bolts are made from a high strength steel alloy and are heat treated. Rivets are commonly made from aluminum alloys in the 5000-series, which uses magnesium as the primary alloying element. This metal is light and soft, but scratches and nicks will not affect its corrosion resistance.įasteners can be made from different aluminum alloys, with elements like manganese, silicon, zinc, copper, iron, magnesium, and silicon being added to increase the strength and melting point. Grade G nuts are used with Grade 8 bolts. Grade G is pretty much equivalent to Grade 8. Grade 8 bolts have six evenly spaced radial lines on the bolt head. This type of fastener is stronger and are used when a more demanding application is needed like in automotive suspensions. Grade 8 bolts are more hardened than Grade 5 bolts. Grade F is roughly equivalent to Grade 5 and Grade F nuts are used with Grade 5 bolts. These bolts have three evenly spaced radial lines on the head. These are hardened to increase the strength and are most commonly found in automotive applications. Unless there is a manufacturer’s mark, Grade 2 bolts will have no head markings. It is the cheapest and the most common grade of steel fastener. The grade is marked on the head of the bolt. There are other grades but they are not used very often. Steel fasteners are available in grade 2, grade 5, grade 8, and alloy steel and are usually plated with a slightly bluish or yellow zinc coating, or are galvanized to resist corrosion. This is a stainless alloy that is harder than 18-8 stainless steel, but it’s less resistant to corrosion. It is more expensive than 18-8 stainless. It works well in salt water and chlorine environments. This is a highly corrosion resistant grade of stainless steel. It is the most common stainless designation for hardware. If the stainless steel contains approximately 18% chromium and 8% nickel, it is called stainless 18-8. Most stainless steel fasteners are much less magnetic than regular steel fasteners while some grades will be slightly magnetic. One of the problems is, unless you are very careful, stainless fasteners can be susceptible to seizing up during the installation process. So, if you compare stainless steel to regular steel, the stainless alloys often used in bolts will be slightly stronger than an unhardened (grade 2) steel, but they will be significantly weaker than hardened steel fasteners. In fact, because of the low carbon content, many stainless steel alloys cannot be hardened by heat treatment. Some people think stainless steel is stronger than regular steel. Its anti-corrosive properties will not lose its resistance if is scratched during installation or use. Stainless steel is an alloy of low carbon steel and chromium that offers enhanced corrosion protection. The most common fastener material, steel fasteners can be plain or with various surface treatments such as zinc plating, galvanization, and chrome plating. Now let’s examine what the different fastener materials offer for your project. Did you know that some equipment is designed so that the bolts will fail to protect the more expensive or critical parts of the equipment? A harder bolt may be more brittle and could fail in specific applications. Often trying to replace a bolt with a stronger bolt may jeopardize safety. You need to consider the environments, like salt water and galvanic corrosion if you are changing fastener materials. Keep in mind, if you need any type of fastener, you should try to match the material that you are replacing. What material the fastener is made out of will affect strength, corrosion resistance, brittleness, galvanized corrosion properties and cost. Why is the material important to a fastener? Then those materials can be divided into different grades to specify alloy mixtures, hardening processes, and other differences like coatings and platings that enhance corrosion resistance or alter the fastener’s appearance. Most people have no idea that fasteners can be made from so many materials, including steel all the way to titanium and plastic. It’s really amazing how fasteners can do so many different things depending on what they are made out of and their design. So, let’s get to know the various fastener materials. in Denver, we know that the world couldn’t exist without fasteners.
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