Be it construction, manufacturing, electronics, aviation, or any other industry, fasteners are the most important tools that are used to join either two or even more components or assemblies. The fastener is a common term given to screws, nuts, bolts, washers and rivets manufactured and supplied by the leading screw manufacturing company in India. The applications of screws, nuts and bolts are extremely critical as they determine the overall strength, robustness, and rigidity of different structures in a wide range of industrial settings.
The construction material chosen to make fasteners plays a very pivotal role either in making or breaking a project. And, things get even more crucial when the fasteners are intended for application in harsh and hostile conditions. A large number of materials are used to manufacture industrial fasteners by the top screws manufacturers in India. Oftentimes, the choice of materials to a large extent depends upon the nature of applications and the installation's conditions or surroundings. This blog discusses in detail some of the most common materials.
Steel
Steel is one of the most common raw materials used to manufacture a wide range of high-performance nuts, bolts, and screws. The fasteners made of steel are often available plain and are the most commonly used ones in smaller-scale units and allied low-gravity works. The fasteners in this category come with varied surface treatments including chrome plating, zinc plating, and galvanization. As far as the grade of steel to be used is concerned, it is determined according to the requirements. Steel is usually available for fasteners making in 4 standard grades.
Stainless Steel
Stainless steel is basically an alloy that has the properties of certain percentages of nickel and chromium and low carbon grades. The chromium components present in this alloy makes this extremely corrosion resistant. Due to this factor, the nuts and bolts made of stainless steel do not deform even after prolonged use. Some of the most common applications of stainless steel fasteners are as under:
Different components, tools, and machinery that are bound to be exposed to highly corrosive environments, salt water, and a large number of chemicals
A wide range of sanitary equipment
The parts and components that exhibit high wear
Components installed under extreme heat and high stress
Tools and components that require high-class strength, quality, durability, and stability.
Some of the most common variants of stainless steel include the following:
Austenitic Stainless Steel
Martensitic Stainless Steel
Ferritic Stainless Steel
Precipitation Hardened Stainless Steel
Surface coating options available for stainless steel fasteners
Phosphate Coated Fasteners
Hot Dipped Galvanizing Coated Fasteners
Zinc Coated Fasteners
Xylon Coated Fasteners
Teflon Coated Fasteners
Cadmium Coated Fasteners
PTFE Coated Stainless Steel Fasteners.
Alloy Steel
Alloy steel is also one of the most common materials used to make industrial nuts and bolts. A very high steel strength alloy is used to make them and further heat treated to provide them with the required strength and robustness. The screws, nuts and bolts made using alloy steel are generally not plated which gives them a dull black finish. The fasteners made of alloy steel are generally very strong but in various applications, they might prove to be very brittle.
Some of the top features and attributes of fasteners made of alloy steel include the following:
High strength
Often brittle or rigid
Low corrosion resistance
Often requires additional coating
Aluminum
Aluminum is one of the most used raw materials for making industrial-grade fasteners. This material is soft, lightweight, and offers excellent corrosion resistance. The fasteners made using this material retain their corrosion resistance even after getting drastically scratched or nicked at the time of installation or even when in regular use. A large number of fasteners are manufactured using special aluminium formulations in which a large number of elements including iron, magnesium, silicon, and zinc are also added when they are in the making.
Silicon Bronze
Silicon bronze is a material that is also referred to as bronze only. This is also an alloy which is prepared by making use of tin and copper. This material also contains a certain amount of silicon. The fasteners made of this material often find applications primarily in marine environments and are also the most preferred ones over stainless steel when it comes to using them in wooden boat construction.
Some of the top features and attributes of silicone bronze fasteners include the following:
Superior corrosion resistance in comparison to stainless steel
Often utilized in marine environments
Higher strength than standard bronze.
Copper
When it comes to manufacturing the most durable and high-performance industrial fasteners, copper is considered to be the most malleable material of them all. Copper has unmatched corrosion resistance as well as the highest conductivity of almost all nonprecious metals. For greater strength, this material is alloyed with silicon and manganese or aluminium.
Top features and benefits of copper fasteners
High Conductivity- surpassed only by silver, copper offers very high conductivity. Manufacturers create better-performing fasteners making use of copper.
Inexpensive - copper is also an inexpensive metal when compared to any other metal.
High Ductility - copper is not only conductive but also ductile. What it simply means - you can bend and flex it with no need for breaking or otherwise sustaining damage.
Thermal Resistant – copper has amazing thermal-resistant properties.
Titanium –
The nuts, bolts, screws, rivets, and washers made from this material are primarily used on aircrafts. Titanium offers superior corrosion resistance and is well-known for high-temperature performance. The fasteners made using titanium most commonly find applications in joints loaded in shear, apart from tension-loaded joints.
Some of the top features and benefits of titanium fasteners are as under:
Ideal for high-temperature environments
Frequently utilized in the aerospace industry
Extremely corrosion-resistant
Superior strength to weight compared to aluminium.
Concluding Remarks
Established in the year 1976 under the able leadership of its founding chairman, Mr. S.K. Kapoor, Super Screws provides high-quality nuts, screws and bolts to industries worldwide. The company produces the widest range of precision cold-forged low and high-tensile industrial fasteners, offering industry-specific solutions to customers belonging to different industry verticals.