Fasteners in Aerospace

Fasteners are crucial in the aerospace industry. Aircraft and spacecraft are exposed to harsh environments, so reliable fasteners are extremely important in the manufacturing and assembly processes. They don’t just play a role in connecting parts together, aerospace fasteners also play a role in transferring load within the vehicles, as well as ensuring the performance of pressure and non-pressure systems. Using high-quality fasteners for aerospace machinery promotes equipment reliability and operator safety.

Materials used for Fasteners in Aerospace

The aerospace industry uses a wide variety of fasteners for different applications. Some of the most common are screws, bolts, washers, pins, nuts and socket products.

Titanium Grade 5, Inconel® 718, 17-4 PH , Hastelloy® X and A286 are top material picks for the aerospace industry.

Special coatings like zinc, cadmium, or back oxide can be applied to address environmental conditions in the air and in space. Aerospace fasteners are corrosion and oxidation resistant, can handle extreme temperatures and pressure, and have high tensile and fatigue strength.

• Corrosion and oxidation resistance – Stainless steels used in aerospace engineering have austenitic properties, meaning they have high nickel and chromium content. It is important to use metals that have high resistance to corrosion and oxidation.
• Heat resistance – High chromium and nickel content makes stainless steel resistant to heat, ideal for aerospace applications.
• High tensile, fatigue and shear strength – Alloys that offer high tensile and fatigue strength help minimize the risk of structural failure.
• Vibration immunity – Constant vibration can induce cracks and fatigue in your aerospace projects so materials that have high vibration resistance are important.