The aircraft industry has successfully adapted to technological advancements, resulting in the development of advanced and long-lasting aerospace fasteners. This gear is very efficient in securely fastening the components of commercial airplanes, military aircraft, jets, ballistic missiles, and space-bound rockets. Given the intense pressure and temperature experienced by aircraft fasteners during atmospheric exit, their design and manufacture must prioritize durability and exceptional quality to endure these challenging circumstances. Meanwhile, the manufacture of these aerospace or commercial aviation fasteners depends on the rapid technical advancements in the aerospace sector.
In addition to the aforementioned information, this article will also provide you with a comprehensive comprehension of these aerospace fasteners, including their attributes, materials, classifications, and other associated facets. Continue reading as we provide you with this valuable knowledge.
What are Aerospace Fasteners?
Aerostructures use CNC-machined aerospace fasteners. Multiple factories manufacture airplane detail components. The final aircraft assembly requires these fasteners to link these components. The aircraft sector has strict weight and safety standards. Thus, airplane fasteners are high-quality and robust. Fasteners can assemble fuselage, wings, empennage, nose, pylon, nacelle, flight control surfaces, and more. Their beauty and durability enhance commercial and military aircraft designs.
Aircraft fasteners provide stiffness to the aero-structures, making them vital. These fasteners include nuts, bolts, screws, rivets, and more produced by the top nuts and bolts manufacturing companies.
Aerospace Fastener Features at Glance
Aviation fasteners must be strong to withstand high gravity. They are crucial hardware that affects airplane safety and efficiency. These fasteners also need strict standard certification to control manufacturing procedures and applications. Any equipment that needs precise and high-quality attachment uses these fasteners. These fasteners often have these properties:
- Works under tough conditions
- High shear, fatigue, tensile strength
- The ability to seal and lock
- Strong corrosion and oxidation resistance
- Lightweight design.
Aviation Fasteners Quality Standards
AS9100 and AS9120 quality management standards are popular in aerospace. Parts, components, and assemblies designed and manufactured by aerospace companies follow AS9100, BS9100, and EN9100. Aerospace component makers and distributors follow AS9120, BS9120, and EN9120.
Common Aerospace Fasteners
Commercial aviation uses several aerospace fasteners. There’s also a comparison of aviation fasteners.
Aircraft Bolts:
The materials are unplated, zinc-plated, cadmium, or anodized aluminum alloys. The most popular airplane bolts are MS, tight tolerance, NAS internal twisting, and AN.
Aircraft Nuts:
Cadmium-plated carbon steel, stainless steel, or anodized 2024T aluminum alloy threaded fasteners. They also need a matching bolt or screw. Aircraft nuts are self-locking or non-locking.
Aircraft screws:
Most thread fasteners with a helical ridge are external threads. They have a loose thread and lesser strength than bolts.
Aircraft rivets:
These fasteners link metal sheets, plates, or components with a smooth cylindrical shaft and head. After placing the rivet’s shank in matching holes in two pieces of material, the tip is upset to create a second head that firmly clamps the two components.
Aerospace Lock Bolt Rivet Collars:
Lock bolt rivets (sold separately) suit these fasteners perfectly. They help fasten rivets and bolts and feature metal alloy bodies.
Special Aircraft Fasteners
Replace AN nuts and bolts with these lightweight, high-strength fasteners. Most light sport aircraft utilize specific fasteners. The following unique fasteners are popular.
Taper-Lok
Taper-Loks are the strongest aircraft fasteners. They press on hole walls due to their tapered shape. Taper-Lok fills holes without deforming shanks, unlike rivets. However, the washer head nut forces metal against the hole’s tapering walls. Pressing metals together creates vertical and radial compression lines around the shank. These forces provide this fastener unmatched strength.
Hi-Tigue
The bottom of the Hi-Tigue fastener shank has a bead. The bead preloads the hole, strengthening the connection. It rubs against the hole walls during installation, causing radial stress that strengthens the region. Preloaded joints do not experience the continual cyclic action that causes them to operate or fail.
Common Hi-Tigue fastening materials are:
- Aluminum
- Titanium
- Stainless steel alloys
It has sealing and non-sealing collars. They form using suitable metal alloys. To install them, use an Allen wrench and box-end wrench, such as Hi-Loks.
Turnlocks
Turn-lock fasteners secure aircraft inspection plates, doors, and other detachable panels. This aircraft hardware is known for rapid opening, action, and stressed panel fasteners. These fasteners make inspection and maintenance access panel removal easier. Several stainless steel bolts & nuts manufacturers sell them under different brands.
Dzus Fasteners
A stud, grommet, spring, and receptacle make up the Dzus turn-lock fastener. The grommet is aluminum or alloy. They may form using 1100 aluminum tubing if common grommets are unavailable. Cadmium-coated steel prevents corrosion in the spring. The spring locks the stud after joining two parts. Three heads exist: wing, flush, and oval. The stud’s head marks indicate body diameter, length, and head type. As said, airplane fasteners, both conventional and special, must fulfill strict specifications to survive harsh conditions. High-quality bespoke fastener solutions are always the best ones. Some of the largest industrial fastener manufacturers design and develop bespoke aircraft fasteners and many other standard fasteners.
Material of Aerospace Fasteners
Not all materials are suitable for making high-quality aviation fasteners. This is because these fasteners’ material composition influences their properties drastically. Below are some major materials for making aviation or aerospace fasteners:
Aluminum
This lightweight metal is good for aeronautical fasteners and other components since it’s cheap and easily available. Although utilized to make planar pieces, this material has limitations that need surface treatment to improve. Aircraft rivets mostly make use of aluminum. Cold-forming metal creates sturdy hardware. The most preferred aluminum alloy for fasteners is Al7075 owing to its excellent tensile strength and fatigue resistance.
Steel – Aerospace steel fasteners
Steel is three times stronger than aluminum but heavier. Aviation fasteners should be lightweight, therefore steel weight is a problem. Aircraft fasteners are best made from stainless and alloy steel. They create superior aircraft surface and landing gear screws and nuts due to their strength.
Titanium aerospace fasteners
Titanium might replace aluminum in commercial airplane fasteners. Also, this metal is as strong as alloy steel and steel. Additionally, it is lighter than steel and heat- and cold-resistant.
Super Alloys
These alloys are ideal for aeronautical applications because of their high pressure and temperature resistance. High-performance alloys are adaptable and retain surface and structural integrity under harsh environments. Below are aeronautical superalloys:
- Inconel 780: High-tensile bolt and nut alloy
- A286: Iron, nickel, and chromium alloy with excellent tensile strength, oxidation resistance, and corrosion resistance
Aerospace Covers: Commercial Aircraft Covers protect fasteners from weather and environmental conditions. There are more fastener cover materials, such as Cadmium, Zinc, Silver, Nickel, Phosphate, and Black Oxide. These coverings dramatically increase fastener durability.
