High Temperature Fasteners – What do You Know About Them?

Fasteners – they are among the most important components required in almost every industry and every application. They are used for connecting two parts firmly with each other. There are various types of fasteners (also referred to as bolts) used today. Each type has its own set of properties, features, pros, and cons. Depending on the application, the type of fastener is selected. One such type of fastener is the high-temperature fastener. As the name suggests, these fasteners are specially designed to withstand high temperatures. Are you intrigued to know more about this type of fastener? This post is aimed at filling you in with information about these bolts.

What Generated the Need for the High-Temperature Fasteners?

Regular metal fasteners have a tendency to melt when the temperature crosses the quadruple digits, that is, 1000 °F or more. At such high temperatures, these fasteners can undergo oxidation, which is basically a faster form of corrosion and rusting.

Let us consider one more example. Machinery which uses regular metal fasteners. When machinery gets heated above a certain temperature, the metal fasteners attached to it expand and exert pressure on the holes that they are driven into. When the machinery is not in use it cools down which contracts the metal fasteners and makes them loose within the holes.

This was the reason for introducing the special high-temperature fasteners which have the capability to withstand the alternate phases of extreme heat and cool down efficiently without getting damaged.

What are the Different Types of Alloys used to Make High-Temperature Fasteners?

The high-temperature fasteners are made with select alloys whose properties match those required by the fasteners. The following are certain alloys which qualify for use in these fasteners:

1. Nickel Alloys: Some common nickel alloys, such as Inconel 600, 625, and 718 are used in these fasteners. They have a good oxidation resistance and can survive high temperatures in the range from 1800 °F – 2000 °F.
2. Stainless Steel 630: Exceptional hardness, great strength, and strong ductility make this alloy ideal for use in high-temperature fasteners. Stainless steel 630 is made extra hard by cold working and aging at low temperatures.
3. Stainless Steel 309 and 310: The reason these two alloys are used for the high-temperature fasteners is that they have a higher content of chromium and nickel as compared to other alloys. Stainless Steel 310 alloy is known to offer additional corrosion resistance in extreme environments.
4. A-286 Alloy: This is an alloy of iron, nickel, and chrome. The A-286 alloy is age hardenable and has great strength. It features an exceptional oxidation resistance and has the capability to withstand temperatures as high as 1300 °F.

What are the Different Types of these Fasteners?

There are three basic types of these special fasteners which are as follows:

1. High-Temperature Advanced Ceramic Fasteners
2. Specialty High-Temperature Metal Fasteners
3. High Temperature Engineered Polymer Fasteners 

With the information in this post, we hope it is clear why these fasteners are important in several applications. If you are looking for fasteners for your product involving high temperatures then your choice is these special types of bolts. You can consult experienced professionals and you will get the same answer. There are a number of expert manufacturers of high-temperature fasteners in the US. One such expert manufacturer is Norwood Screw Machine Parts who has vast experience and a skilled and knowledgeable staff.