What Is the Purpose of Tamper Resistant Rackmount Screws

Manufacturers have to think of everything. If they are making a product that has the potential to harm a person or business entity they often need to brainstorm solutions that will provide a reasonable means of protection without sacrificing quality and ease of design. In the case of computer servers, electronics or audio equipment, tamper resistant rackmount screws are a good example of this protection.

Often the manufacturers are only looking to limit their liability. But regardless of the reason, many are using tamper resistant fasteners on their OEM rack rails and components.

What Is Tamper Resistant

Basically, tamper resistant hardware is made with a specially formed head that can only be tightened or loosened with specially formed tools. When you look at it in practical terms, this hardware merely makes it evident that tampering took place rather than trying to stop it completely. With enough force in the right manner, even these particular rackmount screws could be removed. The difference is that anyone looking at the system for warranty or to buy will be able to immediately tell it has been tampered with.

Examining the Different Types of Tamper Resistant Rackmount Screws

Available in all of the different sizes of rack screws, the tamper resistant heads often use a uniquely shaped recess. In order to use these fasteners you will also need to have a uniquely shaped, matching bit for your power drill, allowing you to install and remove the screw with ease.

The most common types of head seen on these screws look much like a Torx screw. They may have the same six points but at different angles or they may incorporate up to eight. The benefit of these heads is that the recess is tight and no other drill bit will work.

Corporations may want to invest in tamper resistant rackmount screws in order to keep their servers safely locked down. With sensitive information on the physical machines, these businesses are wise to use this simple step of security. In some cases electronics manufacturers also use these fasteners for very expensive equipment, which acts as a locking mechanism allowing the owners to use the racking system with less worry about theft.

Using Cage Nuts With Rackmount Screws

Racking systems require very specific hardware for the assembly of the structure itself and for the mounting of the equipment. Both rackmount screws and cage nuts are widely used. You'll also occasionally see clip nuts, although they are becoming less common.

What Are Rackmount Screws?

Small, threaded fasteners with pan heads (usually) and often a black finish, these screws are used to mount the equipment on standard rack rails. They come in a few different sizes - the most common ones in the US are the 10-32 and the 12-24, while the M6 rack screw is widely used in Europe.

Different Types of Racks

Besides the various styles of rack screws, you will also find three different types of racks on the market. The threaded variety is often used with audio equipment or shelving and is made to fit a certain type of rack screw - hence an M6 rackmount screw is used with an M6 rack rail.

Computer systems however, don't seem to fit well with threaded rack rails and the round, unthreaded racks were introduced. By using a clip nut the screws were able to fit snug in the unthreaded holes and the components were safely attached. 

Then, when the disadvantages of round holes were uncovered, manufacturers brought out square unthreaded rack rails and the cage nut was introduced.

What is a Cage Nut

These handy fasteners literally just snap into the 3/8” square holes in the vertical rails, creating the right fit for the rack screw with a matching thread. It's important that you source the cage nut with the rackmount screws in order to ensure the threads match. You'll find cage nuts in all the screw types and installation is simple and fast using these nuts.

Many computer server systems are now utilizing square rack holes to deliver speedy assembly of the system. This style of rack cuts down as installation time, saving businesses money. The added cost of cage bolts is not enough to deter corporations from wanting this style of racks, which means that the manufacturers will continue to offer them.

Rackmount screws and cage nuts go together well in many applications. A must for computer networks, they will also find their way into many other industrial settings.

Mining Maintenance Requires the Correct Type of Fasteners

There is a certain amount of attention being raised across the mining industry about the importance of maintenance. Equipment is the backbone of mining operations and the maintenance is ongoing and costly. Fasteners play a huge part in that equation and the maintenance staff need to know the correct sizes and styles to ensure the equipment and safety structures are operating well.

Imagine the cost of a fastener failure in a mining operation. Not only could the financial damage be significant, but also the potential for loss of life is great. This should make the maintenance staff realize that spotting weakened fasteners, replacing damaged fasteners and generally keeping an eye on things is vastly important.

Keeping Up a Good Stock  

                                                                                            

It is important that the maintenance supply include a full stock of fasteners for every type of machinery on the site. Whether that is the mining equipment or the transportation vehicles, the support structures or the monitoring devices, fasteners specific to each application need to be close at hand.

Why

When there is an issue with equipment or vehicles there is very often a certain amount of downtime. The larger pieces of equipment are worked exceptionally hard and generally do not have a back up waiting in the wings to take over when they are down for maintenance. That means that the repair staff needs to act quickly to reduce the amount of downtime and get that particular area of operation up and running again.

As you can imagine, having to wait for fasteners is not considered efficient, whereas sorting through a stock of quality, correct mining fasteners will take little time. A supply of these essential parts will speed the repairs along nicely. 

Be sure that all of the fasteners are sorted well, labelled and inventoried as needed to keep the supply current and dependable. The maintenance staff will need to be trained as to which fastener is used with which piece of equipment - education is an important safeguard against fastener failure due to the wrong choice or improper installation.

Maintenance serves a vital role in the mining industry and fasteners are one of the most used components in that maintenance. Keeping a good supply of the correct fasteners is wise and helps keep the operation running smoothly each day.

Examining the Different Rackmount Screws Available

Rackmount screws are used with racking systems, commonly to attach electronics or components to the vertical members of the system. A common example is the audio equipment used at concert venues. Servers are also often mounted on racks for organization and optimum operation. 

An interesting thing about racks is that they don't have a standard thread type. It can be different depending on where you are located (often US-built racks use the imperial rack rail which requires M5 screws while in Europe you'll most often see rack strips or full hole rack rails which use M6 screws) and varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. Many rack rails on the market today actually have square tapped holes that require the use of a cage nut for mounting.

Different Rackmount Screws Available

The original rackmount screw type has a 10-32 thread. The "10" refers to the size of screw, while the "32" designation is a count of the threads - specifically 32 threads every inch. This is still the most commonly seen rack screw on the market and is available in a few different driver styles (Torx and Phillips are common).

Becoming more popular in the industry is the 12-24 rack screw. Slightly larger (the "12" again designates a size) and with thicker, coarse threads (24 per inch as opposed to 32), the 12-24 rackmount screw is being used more and more today.

In Europe there is another type of rack rail that requires a metric rack screw. The M6 measures 6mm based on the outside diameter of the thread. Standards for the M6 screw vary, but most often an M6 x 01mm is used. Those working in the computer industry should note that HP often calls for M6 rack screws.

Unthreaded Tap Holes

You may also come across a rack that has unthreaded tap holes with a round shape. A clip nut is needed for this application and that nut needs to match the rackmount screw being used. Looking closer at the computer manufacturing industry again, you might notice that Dell has a line of rack rails specifically made with round and unthreaded holes. They are not nearly as popular as the square holes when an unthreaded rack rail is needed.

Building Fasteners - Dealing With Fastener Failures

It may seem like a given, but the incidence of fastener failure is something that every manufacturer and contractor should be aware of and working hard to avoid. When considering building fasteners you can imagine the damage and harm that would result should a fastener failure occur. What is being done to record, report and combat these problems? And how can engineers and contractors specify and use building fasteners that are dependable?

The Battle Against Fastener Failure

It happens in every industry - from automotive to mining, steel fabrication and the railroad. Fastener failures are most often a result of one of three things. There may have been a design error, where either the wrong fastener was specified or the load was not taken into account properly. Or there may have been an installation or maintenance error which resulted in damage to the fastener, essentially weakening it to the point of failure (this is the most common occurrence). Alternatively, newer products or those manufactured outside of your geographic area may not be rated for use in the climate or conditions of your application.

In order to combat these things building fasteners need to undergo vigorous testing before being used on a jobsite. The designers and engineers specifying them must also be fully trained and able to take legal responsibility for the design. Most importantly, anyone who handles the fasteners must be well trained in the installation of the fastener, have the proper tools available and know what type of maintenance needs to be done.

Dependable Building Fasteners

Most of the fastener failures that occur on building sites are a result of corrosion or excess load. The climate and conditions of the structure need to be taken into account when designing. Mixing certain materials together is another situation that can result in corrosion and ultimately fastener failure. When a chemical reaction occurs that will deteriorate the plating or coating on a fastener, the strength is subject to doubt and action is required.

Contractors and those designing the project need to be aware of all the relevant building codes and all precaution must be taken to follow them. Inspections should be regularly scheduled and all permits, applications and licenses applied for. The result of fastener failure where building fasteners are concerned can be dramatic and even tragic. Be sure it doesn't happen by practicing due diligence.