All fasteners perform the same function—mechanically joining and securing two or more parts together. However, differences in type, quality, shape, and material significantly influence the fastener’s performance and service life. Understanding the functional varieties of the different types available, including nuts, bolts, and washers, is essential to selecting the appropriate fastener (and fastener supplier) for your project.
At National Bolt & Nut Corporation, we pride ourselves on offering a full range of stock and custom fasteners that provide durability and high performance at competitive prices. The following guide outlines a small selection of the types of fasteners available in our total inventory to help you choose the optimal product for your fastening application.
National Bolt & Nut manufactures a variety of fasteners, including bolts, nuts, and washers.
Bolts are one of the most versatile structural fasteners, available in a vast array of configurations to suit different materials and strength requirements. These fasteners differ primarily in thread specification, length, and head shape, with varying combinations of these characteristics resulting in bolts with different functions. They typically require a drilled hole and a complementary nut, or tapped mating part for installation, and, unlike screws, they are generally not tapered. The terminology distinguishing between the types of bolts is often inconsistent and incorrectly used interchangeably for screws, so it’s best to select your bolts based on your project specifications rather than the exact name indicated on a supplier’s website.
Some of the types of bolts that we manufacture at National Bolt & Nut include:
Nuts are available in a variety of shapes, sizes, materials, and thread patterns. While your selection of a nut is somewhat constrained by your choice of bolt—particularly in terms of size and threading—you still should select the nut head shape and material that is most suitable for your application.The types of nuts we stock include:
Nuts are available in a variety of shapes, sizes, materials, and thread patterns. While your selection of a nut is somewhat constrained by your choice of bolt—particularly in terms of size and threading—you still should select the nut head shape and material that is most suitable for your application.Thewe stock include:
Washers are disk-shaped components that provide enhanced control over locking and friction when used with other fasteners. These fasteners may also feature teeth, indentations, and other unique structural mechanisms for use in more specialized applications. In general, they serve a variety of functions, including preventing loosening of the fastener assembly, protecting the surface under a fastener, and distributing the pressure more evenly during installation and use.
Compared to nuts and bolts, washers have much fewer variants available. However, among the washer types, there remain important distinctions. Like nuts, washers should be complementary to your selected bolt and chosen to suit your unique fastening application.
Our range of standard washers includes:
In addition to these three types of fasteners, National Bolt & Nut offers other fasteners—e.g., dowels, hose and shaft couplings, nails, pins, rivets, rods, screws, shackles, and studs— as both stock and custom fastening solutions.
NBN Suggests you consult with an engineer to best identify which fasteners to call out in a specific application. There are many factors to consider when selecting a fastener. Other important considerations include understanding how individual fasteners work together to form a joint, use cases, thread patterns, and material and finishing options, employing an engineer will save money and headache in the long run.
Fasteners find use in a variety of industrial applications, including:
Many fasteners, including nuts and bolts, feature threads to facilitate their fastening function. Threads are available in both right-handed and left-handed patterns. Although most applications use right-handed (i.e., clockwise running) threads, special circumstances require left-handed (i.e., counterclockwise running) threads to resist forces that would otherwise loosen the fastener.
Fasteners are available in a wide range of materials and finishes. Choosing the right material and material finish for your fastening application is as essential as selecting the proper type, size, and shape.
The most common fastener materials are aluminum, carbon steel, and other alloys. However, manufacturers also use alternative materials, such as brass and plastic, for fasteners intended for specialized applications. For instance, silicone bronze is appropriate for aquatic environments.
Finishing options are also available to improve aesthetic or functional properties, such as increasing material strength or corrosion resistance. Some of the types of finishing that we provide include black oxide, hot dip galvanizing, zinc plating, and chrome plating, to name a few of the many plating options that are available.
National Bolt & Nut Corp.: Your Source for Quality Fasteners
At National Bolt & Nut Corporation, our experience allows us to offer high quality products and services to meet the fastener needs of a diverse set of industrial clients. We serve industries ranging from construction and transportation to alternative energy and mining, in each case, meeting and exceeding customer requirements.
To learn more about our standard and custom fastener products and how they can benefit your next project, contact us, or request a quote today.
For more information screw fastening machine, PCB Loader Machine, Auto Feeding Manual Screwdrivers, Automatic Labeling Machine, please get in touch with us!