Aerospace Fasteners

Aerospace Fasteners

Aerospace fasteners are screws and bolts made specifically for structural aircraft assembly. Created through processes such as warm heading, cold heading, and forging, this type of threaded industrial fastener is also used to hold landing gear, fuselage access panels, and other types of aircraft equipment.

Aerospace fasteners contain spiral ridges called threads, which aid in the attachment of the fasteners. Continuous-thread studs, with two nuts applied, are used for flange bolting and are threaded from end to end. Tap-end studs, in contrast, have a short thread on one end, used for screwing into a tapped hole, and a longer thread on the other. This longer end is called a nut-end and may have either a chamfered or round point. Another variation of aerospace fasteners are those with double-end studs, which have equal-length threads on both ends with chamfered points. Double-end studs are used for flange bolting or other applications in which torching from both ends is necessary. Other types of aerospace fasteners include sheet metal industrial fasteners, riveting industrial fasteners, and clinching industrial fasteners.

A wide variety of head options, which determine how the aerospace fastener will sit against the material, are available. The type of head also affects the required length of the aerospace fastener. Environmental conditions to which the fasteners may be subjected, such as temperature, moisture, and ultraviolet radiation, should be considered. Other important considerations include the chemicals or other corrosive substances to which the aerospace fasteners may be exposed as well as the decorative properties required of the fastener itself.