Finding the Best Fastener Distributors

Fasteners are a vital part of any manufacturing or construction project. These tiny elements can spell the success or failure of a new product, structure or repair job. And finding the best fastener distributors to handle your project is important.

Purchasing Managers

When you are in charge of sourcing out the specified materials for a project, as well as limited by the project budget, it’s essential that you find a fastener distributor that will give you fast, reliable service for a decent price.

The fastener industry is enormous, but distributors that are focused on the needs of the end user are few and far between. As a purchasing manager you need the distributor to understand what your client needs and be able to produce solutions to issues and fasteners that meet your specifications.

Designers and Engineers

Fastener distributors are also a good source of information for those in the engineering stage. You need to put together designs that suit the needs of your client, will hold up to the conditions stated and are affordable to build.

While they may be only smaller parts of a larger whole, fasteners need to be the glue that holds your design together. And finding out which specific grades, sizes and brands will best suit your application is something that good fastener distributors can help you with.

General Contractors

Getting the job done right is how your company stays profitable. Small details such as fasteners cannot get lost in the shuffle, but need to be taken care of with diligence and up to date information. That’s where your relationship with a reputable distributor will help immensely.

You should be able to communicate the needs of your project, no matter how big or small, and count on the distributor to source out the toughest quality products. Delivery should be on time and invoicing should be efficient and easy to handle. You’re busy enough as it is and the smartest plan is to let the fastener distributors handle these particular project details.

Benefits of Neoprene Fasteners

Used in a variety of industries, neoprene fasteners have distinct characteristics that offer your application many benefits. Most often this material is used for washers and in projects where a seal is required. Various grades of neoprene are used for fasteners, but all have the features inherent in this rubber material.

                                                                                                                      

Typical Industry Usage

Neoprene fasteners of various grades are used in the chemical processing and storage industry where moderate chemical products are handled. They also do well and are used a lot in the food industry. Neoprene fasteners and washers hold up to oils, food grade acids, grease and solvents, providing a reliable seal and dependable strength where these liquids are used.

Where Not to Use Neoprene Fasteners

Because rubber does not hold up well in extremely cold temperatures, this type of rubber should not be used outdoors in northern climates and anywhere extreme cold could cause a break down of the fastener. This material holds up well to moisture and a wet climate, but the strength and shape will be affected when the temperature swings low and stays there.

Difference Between Neoprene and High Grade Neoprene

Neoprene fasteners are the most common and stand up well in many applications. The material offers some resistance to flame a moderate level of strength in petroleum and petroleum-based liquids. They’re quite popular based on their affordability.

High-grade neoprene fasteners are specially formulated to provide more tensile strength and better elongation. They have a similar ability to provide a good seal in air and water lines, but are a better choice when a dynamic seal is needed or better elasticity and flexibility are desired.

Some manufacturers offer a bonded neoprene washer that combines the benefits and flexibility of the rubber with the strength and durability of aluminum or galvanized steel. Used in specialty applications, these washers come in a variety of sizes.

Neoprene fasteners are used with success in many different applications where flexibility and sealing are needed. Whether high-grade or standard neoprene is used, this product offers unique characteristics that suit unique applications.

Why is Fatigue Testing of Fasteners Necessary?

Fatigue testing is an expensive and time consuming process, but when the specifications call for it, this type of testing is necessary. Why? Testing is required because fatigue can cause fasteners in a wide variety of circumstances to fail, resulting in damage and the risk of serious harm.

What is Fastener Fatigue?

This type of fastener failure normally occurs on externally threaded products as a result of cyclic load – or an ever changing load that can come from any angle at varying strengths. Windmills are a good example, since they are mounted high where air currents change rapidly and almost constantly. Fasteners on these applications are in danger of failure due to fatigue.

Fatigue happens on fasteners when that cyclic load causes cracks to develop on the surface of the metal, which will eventually deepen and cause the fastener to split. What makes fatigue unique is that generally the loads causing the failure are much less than the yield strength of the fastener. That means designers must look beyond those numbers when a cyclic load is present.

Another application where fastener fatigue may be a problem is within a truck body or engine. If that vehicle will be subjected to bumpy roads while carrying heavy or shifting loads the result can be fatigue. Street signs are another example, as the high poles are holding up against winds, rain and other elements of the weather that are ever changing and unpredictable.

Why is Fatigue Testing Done?

In applications where this type of load presents a danger the fatigue testing may already have been done. As is the case though, new designs and alternative processes are being introduced at a quick rate. Those designs require fatigue testing to be again (or for the first time) given that the unique design and loads are new or altered.

NASM 1312-11 is a common procedure standard for fatigue testing. This standard outlines the setup required for the testing and the steps to align the load. It does not specify the cycling rate for the test or how many tests are needed to ensure reliable results. NASM 1312-11 is the most common testing procedure however, and the results are widely accepted.

What Is Austenitic Stainless Steel?

The most commonly seen type of this metal, austenitic stainless steel is also called 18-8 or casually referred to as the 300 series. These designations come from the composition of the metal, which is made up of 18 percent chromium and 8 percent nickel. 

This group has a higher resistance to corrosion than other steels do, such as martensitic or ferritic steels. And even though austenitic stainless steel cannot be heat treated, there are methods of cold working that will improve the strength. Age hardening processes can also help. An excellent choice for projects that are exposed to very low temperatures, 18-8 stainless steel also works well in high heat and is non-magnetic. 

Fasteners Made From Stainless Steel   

                                                                                              

Around 80 percent of the stainless steel fasteners on the market are made from 18-8 grade. There are a few highly recognized and commonly seen grades including:

• ·        Type 305 (Chromium and Nickel alloys) – This alloy is very dependable due to a high nickel content that allows for easier forming and cold heading.

• ·        Type 384 (Chromium, Nickel and Carbon alloys) – Especially developed for cold heading, this type has a high nickel content (between 17 and 19 percent) that increases the cost of raw materials considerably.

• ·        Type 303 & 303Se (Chromium and Nickel alloys) – This type is good for hot forging, although should be avoided when cold heading processes are required. Used for large nuts that will be machined heavily.

• ·        Type XM7 (Chromium, Nickel and Copper alloys) – Modified from type 302, this type is excellent for cold heading and costs less than the popular 305 and 384 varieties.

• ·        Type 316 (Chromium, Nickel, Molybdenum and Carbon alloys) – The addition of molybdenum makes this type resistant to surface pitting. It also has a higher tensile strength in extreme temperatures than other austentitic types.

There are others on the market and the development of stainless steel continues. With more applications requiring varied specifications, the drive to create better, stronger, more dependable metal fasteners just keeps growing. Austentitic stainless steel is widely used today and that is not likely to change any time soon. This grade delivers superior corrosion resistance, is non-magnetic and holds up in a variety of extreme temperatures.

Warm Up Your Pool with a Solar Energy System

Most people think of solar energy systems as structures that are design to heat house and provide energy to home electrical appliance.  There are other ways that solar energy can be put to use though.  If you have a pool in your back yard a solar energy system is ideal for heating it.  Not only will the water always be a comfortable temperature but you can save a lot of money, too.

Unless you live in the type of climate where the temperature does not go down significantly at night, heating a pool is a necessary cost.  Many people will use a heat cover, which is great for keeping the heat in once the pool is already heated but it won’t work for heating it up.  Homeowners are finding that although gas heaters are the most common way of heating a pool, it s not the most cost efficient way to keep the water warm.  It may be less expensive to buy the gas heater but in the long run the cost can be very high.

One of the best solutions to the cost of heating a pool is using a solar energy system.  If you are considering this option make sure that you have it properly installed so that it will be secure and will last longer.  A professional will know the correct nut and bolts, panels, and other parts to use to make sure that it is installed properly.  After it has been installed, maintenance is fairly easy – just keep the panels clean and check that the nuts and bolts that hold it in place are secure.

Typically, a solar energy system would be installed on the roof of a house since this is where a large portion of the sunlight will hit.  The solar panels will collect the heat and transfer it to the hoses that are set up behind the solar collectors.  The water will be warm and can then be circulated through the pool.  It will likely cost more to get this set up than something like a gas heater, but over time your savings will be substantial.  The cost per year of life will be much lower than any other heating system that you might consider.  Another bonus is that if you do decide to sell your house in the future, the solar energy system will add value to your house because it is considered an energy saver over time.

Solar energy systems give home owners some relief from the costs of heating a pool.  You will enjoy your pool so much more when you know that it is not digging into your savings every time you have to heat it up.  You can also be proud that you are helping the environment.  Solar energy is earth friendly and does not use up valuable non-sustainable resources.  When you use solar energy for heating your swimming pool, everyone wins.  Have your solar energy system properly install and make sure to maintain it properly by keeping the panels clean and adjusting (or replacing as needed) the nuts and bolts periodically, and you will have a solar heating system that will pay for itself.