How to Identify the Right Aircraft Fastener for Your Application

Aerospace manufacturing and fleet upkeep depend on adherence to an uncompromising standard of structural integrity, where purchasing professionals, maintenance personnel, and others across the industry must come together to ensure that only the most reliable, airworthy parts enter operations. As of the present, a typical commercial airliner from Boeing or Airbus will contain millions of individual fasteners, which collectively hold and secure everything the airframe and its connected structures to the array of internal assemblies, systems, and assets across the vessel. Unlike more conventional, industrial-leaning options that are respectable in their own right, the hardware that serves aerospace applications is engineered to a much higher standard to withstand the extreme stressors that are typical of flight.

As some sections of an aircraft may prioritize material strength and rigidity while others may call for corrosion protection or vibration resistance, there can be a risk in rushing procurement. For example, selecting the incorrect fastener for an assembly can lead to localized material fatigue, accelerated wear, or the outright failure of the joint. Thus, identifying the correct hardware for any need calls for personnel to have a clear understanding of notable material properties, load expectations, and strict regulatory specifications that pertain to the aerospace industry. To assist procurement teams and maintenance professionals in improving their sourcing accuracy, this guide will outline the critical steps required to consistently evaluate and choose the right aircraft fasteners for any demanding application.

The Industry Standards That Regulate Aerospace Hardware 

Before selecting a specific part, buyers should first take the time to recognize what tends to differentiate aviation fasteners from general-purpose hardware. With the industry as a whole having long recognized the importance of having confidence in the ability of procured fasteners to address safety, performance, and interchangeability expectations regardless of manufacturer or country of origin, many governments and organizations have created strong standards and regulations that dictate the design and testing of many parts.

When navigating procurement databases, buyers will commonly find that aerospace and aviation parts will follow standards that include:

• Army-Navy (AN) Parts: Originally established to standardize hardware used across military branches, the AN prefix serves to identify fasteners that are manufactured to foundational dimensional and material specifications that have been superseded but still serve a great benefit for reliability. Oftentimes, operators will seek out AN part numbers for maintaining older assets and legacy systems.
• Military Standard (MS) Parts: Representing an evolution of earlier specifications, MS prefixes denote fasteners that meet comprehensive and modernized requirements established by the United States Department of Defense. These components are recognized for offering rigorous durability and material strength that prove necessary for addressing current-generation defense and aerospace applications. 
• National Aerospace Standard (NAS) Parts: Developed specifically by manufacturers and representatives of the aerospace industry, NAS parts include a range of hardware that is engineered in accordance with priorities that center around mechanical strength, fatigue resistance, traceability, and beyond. With an aviation focus, these specifications also tend to push the use of advanced aerospace alloys and materials, ensuring lightweight options that withstand expected stressors. 

Popular Fasteners for Aviation Use

Different sections of an aircraft structure or varying systems and internal assets will all require highly specific fastening solutions to properly ensure operational loads are managed, and assemblies stay secure together. Thus, understanding the functional differences between popular hardware types is useful to help buyers align their procurement efforts directly with the mechanical needs of a given assembly.

Commonly Sought-After Solutions

• Solid Rivets: These are the optimal choice for when a permanent, highly reliable joint is required for aircraft skin panels and internal frameworks, provided there is access to both sides of the structure.
• Blind Rivets: Maintenance crews regularly rely on blind fasteners as the necessary solution when access is limited to only one side of a workpiece, such hardware frequently finding use within tight aircraft enclosures and airframe sections.
• Hi-Lok Pins: These specialized pins are leveraged for applications needing a permanent, interference-fit connection that strongly resists vibration, making them ideal for wing panels, fuselages, bulkheads, interior fixtures, and other various areas that have a risk of threaded fasteners loosening over time.
• High-Strength Bolts: Procurement teams routinely source from a broad selection of bolts for applications that must handle intense tension and shear loads across primary load-bearing assemblies, such as landing gear mounts and wing spars.

Important Technical and Compliance Factors for Procurement 

Selecting the correct fastener category and standard is only the first phase of a strategic and thought-out procurement process, as professionals must also be sure to evaluate specific technical and compliance factors to ensure a part is completely suitable for its intended environment. Taking a structured approach to part verification minimizes the risk of sourcing incompatible or non-conforming inventory, with common concerns including:

• Material and Coating Compatibility: Fasteners need to be metallurgically compatible with surrounding airframe materials to prevent galvanic corrosion or other issues that arise from dissimilar metals. Titanium, stainless steel, and specialized cadmium coatings are all popular options that are chosen to combat typical environmental threats.
• Load-Bearing Capabilities: Buyers should always be sure to verify that selected hardware meets the exact minimum tensile and shear strength ratings required by the specific assembly design or project.
• Documentation Verification: Every sourced fastener must be accompanied by complete traceability paperwork to ensure that the stages of an item’s manufacturing and the passage of hands can all be tracked.
• Condition Review: Procurement teams should always confirm whether the application in question requires brand-new hardware or if serviceable or surplus components are acceptable for the project. This is because non-new parts can present potential savings while still being reliable, though some projects might have stipulations that prevent their use.

Access Dependable Aviation Fasteners for Your Assembly Needs

For those seeking a reliable sourcing solution for aviation hardware of need, Broadline Fasteners is your solution, with immediate access provided to an expansive inventory of bolts, rivets, screws, nuts, washers, bushings, seals, and other sought-after items. As an ASAP Semiconductor purchasing platform, we operate with AS9120B, ISO 9001:2015, and FAA AC 00-56B accreditation to ensure that every component we sell meets rigorous quality and traceability standards. Furthermore, we have designed our platform to allow customers to explore our curated catalogs with ease and narrow down needs by part number, manufacturer, or other standard designations. Once you are ready to make a purchase, simply submit a Request for Quote (RFQ) form through our website, and our team will respond shortly after review with tailored fulfillment options to keep your projects on schedule.