Why would anyone want high-strength fasteners?
We see this time and again: fasteners are used in applications for which they were never designed. It can be very confusing when you walk into the average hardware department of a home improvement store. What do you get when you order fasteners online? Which fastener should you use, and is it strong enough for the task?
In order to make the right decision, you must know a little about fasteners, metallurgy, and how fasteners work. Fasteners provide the clamping function of holding parts together, and the clamping action creates fastener tension. Fasteners become more complex when we learn about the materials that fasteners are made of and how strength is determined.
Grade 4.6 Steel:
4.6 grade steel is characterized by its low carbon content, which results in relatively low strength levels. With a minimum tensile strength of 400 MPa and a minimum yield strength of 240 MPa, this steel is considered suitable for a wide range of general applications. Nuts and bolts made with 4.6 grade steel are particularly well suited for applications where only moderate strength is required. The low carbon steel content makes it a practical choice for common applications that do not require extremely high strength requirements.
Grade 8.8 Steel:
These types of fasteners are made from medium carbon steel and have a tensile strength of 800 MPa (megapascals). This medium strength steel contains a moderate amount of carbon steel and is better suited for projects that require more strength than the 4.6 grade fasteners. This is the most common grade used for bolts and fasteners and one of Fixabolt’s best sellers.
Grade 10.9 Steel:
Fasteners made with grade 10.9 are made from a higher strength alloy steel and have a tensile strength of 1000 MPa. This is the highest and most common strength carbon steel available. High strength and high reliability projects require this grade of steel.
Conclusion As you see, using the wrong grade of steel in engineering will result in failure of a fastener or part, which could lead to disastrous effects. So take time choosing the right grade of steel for your bolts and make sure it is relevant to your desired outcome. Generally speaking, Bright zinc coated bolts are more than adequate for most DIY and trade projects. Our most popular bolt sizes are the M6 and M8 full thread bolts in bright zinc plate.