A Bolt is a metal rod/pin for fastening objects together that frequently has a head at one end & a screw thread at the other, it is then secured by a nut. They frequently come in a pair when purchased.
Key Components of a Bolt:
- Bolt Head: The top part of the bolt, which is usually hexagonal, square, or another shape to facilitate gripping with a tool. The head provides a surface for applying torque to tighten or loosen the bolt.
- Thread: The helical ridge that wraps around the shank. Threads engage with the threads in a nut or a pre-tapped hole to secure the components together.
- Nut: A fastener designed to pair with a bolt to create a secure joint between two or more components, commonly it’s a hexagonal shape.
Common Type of Bolts:
- Hex: Can be grabbed by tools from all angles and if necessary, even installed by hand. Many different bolt heads incorporate a hex design.
- Pentagon: Designed to resist tampering by not accommodating torx & hex tools
- Flanged: Have a flange built into the head that acts as a washer, distributing the load over a larger area.
- Socket: Having a cylindrical head with an internal hex socket, allowing them to be driven with an Allen wrench, valued for their strength & ability to fit into tight spaces.
Understanding the anatomy of a bolt will help you choose what you need. Helping to prevent errors & faulty fastening.
- Head: The part of the bolt that a torque tool can hold for tightening or loosening, they can come in different shapes depending on the uses
- Radius: The curve between the shank & the head
- Shank: The smooth threadless part of the bolt
- Runout: The point on the bolt that “runs out” of thread and where the shank begins.
- Nut: The component that’s screws onto the threads fastening the Bolt
- Thread: Ridges allowing the bolt to be screwed in and tightened, threads generally range in Coarse, UNC, UNF, Fine & Extra Fine.
Finishes on a Bolt:
Black: Corrosion resistance is the primary benefits of it & the black gives it a great finish. Great for industries that focuses on visual design.
Zinc: They provide an acceptable level of strength & corrosion resistance for most non-specialty applications. It is also cheaper than stainless steel
Yellow Zinc: It gives a fixing a protective layer, providing a good level of corrosion prevention, as well as further protection due to the passivate addition which provides a yellow or gold finish.
Nylon: Due to the material, it’s made of its cheap, weighs less & are heat resistance
Stainless Steel: They have an excellent life cycle, are environmentally friendly and are 100% Recyclable.
High tensile bolts handle heavy loads and are for demanding situations, while non-tensile bolts are used for lighter applications. We only sell high tensile bolts at Champion, ensuring safety & durability. You can distinguish them by the markings on the head of the bolts.
Proof Load: The tensioned load that a fastener must support without evidence if permanent deformation
Tensile Strength: The maximum load that a fastener can support prior to fracture
Yield Strength: The point at which a tensioned load of a fastener experiences a permanent deformation
