A Guide to Buying a Water Heater

Hex Head Bolt Usage In The Industrial Goods Sector

1 December 2021 by Jeanne Cunningham

The automotive, marine, and construction industries are three fields that often rely upon the use of hex bolts. Hex bolts contain a hexagonal-shaped head that can be manipulated from all sides, either with the use of a tool or by hand. 

Bolts, Screws, Nuts, And Washers

Bolts are non-tapered fasteners that are designed to join two or more threaded or unthreaded objects together. A nut and a washer are two hardware components that are typically used with a bolt. The nut secures the end of the bolt and the washer distributes the load of the fastener. A washer may also prevent a bolt head or a nut from indenting the respective surfaces that they are aligned next to.

Screws look similar to bolts, but they contain a tapered end. Screws do not provide a holding force that is as strong as what a bolt provides. Therefore, screws may not be the best hardware option when it is essential that two heavy-duty materials be joined together. The threading on a bolt's shaft may run all along it or partially along it. Bolts that do not contain a fully-threaded shaft will provide increased tensile strength when two materials are joined together.

Hex Head Hardware Components

The thickness of the two materials that will be attached together should be assessed, prior to purchasing hex bolts, washers, and nuts. Hex head diameters and shaft lengths may vary. Hex bolts that contain a large head and a long shaft may be used for bridge construction, road construction, engineering applications, and other industrial tasks that require the bulky materials to be secured together.

Hex bolts that contain a small head and a short shaft may be used to attach pieces of plywood, sheet metal, automotive parts, and other materials that are an average or moderate thickness. The coating on a hex head bolt may differ, depending upon the applications that the hardware components are needed for. Powder-coated or zinc-plated bolts are most useful for indoor applications.

Hot-dipped galvanized hex bolts are commonly used in outdoor applications that may involve the hardware components being exposed to the elements regularly. Specialized coatings may provide corrosion resistance. The manufacturer of hardware pieces will specify the hex head diameter, shaft length, and coating type on listed hardware products that are for sale. Bolts may be packaged with matching nuts and washers. Some hardware stores may use bins or another type of container to store hardware components separately.

For more information, contact a hex head bolts supplier near you.

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