Self Clinching Fasteners

Self Clinching Fasteners are easy to install fasteners that provide load carrying threads in metal sheets too thin to be tapped.

They provide strong load bearing male or female threads in thin steel and aluminium panels. Installation is neat and easy.

Simply locate the fastener into a pre-prepared hole and apply a parallel squeezing force to embed the fastener into the panel. Self-Clinching fasteners work by utilizing a special clinch feature. When the part is pressed into the hole, the parent material cold-flows into the clinch feature, effectively locking the fastener into the panel, providing excellent torque-out and push-out performance

Self-Clinching fasteners require a parallel squeezing force to be applied for correct installation. Equally important is the length of time the force is applied. Sufficient time must be allowed for the cold-flow clinching process to work (this is often referred to as the dwell time when installing on a hydraulic press).

These nuts, studs, spacers, standoffs and other components are used worldwide by producers of Telecom, Computer, Medical, Automotive And Aerospace Systems etc.

Advantages

• Provide strong threads in thin metal components
• Easy installation
• High push-out and torque out resistance
• No re-tapping necessary
• Reverse side of sheet remains flush
• Low installed cost

Available in Mild Steel and Stainless Steel

Clinch Nuts

• Can easily perform tapping on thin plates.
• Achieves a high mounting strength using simple press fitting.
• Can be mounted without worrying about the direction.
• Can also easily perform tapping at locations that are difficult to weld such as on aluminum plates.

Clinch Studs

Self–Clinching studs are pressed into a hole in a sheet to be installed, this embeds the head of the stud creating a secure lock into the sheet with high torqure-out and pushout resistances

Available in Mild Steel and Stainless Steel

StandOffs

Standoffs provide a quick and simple way to mount components such as circuit boards, control panels, touch pads and other items into metal chassis etc. installed flush on the rear side self clinching standoffs over a quick and reliable solution to sheet metal workers.

Self Clinching Blind Fasteners

Self Clinching Blind Fasteners are used in applications requiring closed end threads.

Flush Nuts

Self-clinching flush nuts suit applications where a thin metal sheet requires load-bearing threads stronger than tapped holes but must remain flat without any protrusions on either side of the sheet.

Usage Guide

“DOs”

• DO provide mounting hole of specified size for each fastener.
• DO make certain that shank (or pilot) is within hole before applying installation force.
• DO apply squeezing force between parallel surfaces.
• DO install fastener into punch side of sheet.
• DO apply sufficient force to totally embed clinching ring around entire circumference and to bring shoulder squarely in contact with sheet. For some fasteners installation will be complete when the head is flush with the sheet.

“DON’Ts”

• DON’T install steel or stainless steel fasteners in aluminum panels before anodizing or finishing.
• DON’T deburr mounting holes on either side of sheet before installing fasteners–deburring will remove metal required for clinching fastener into sheet.
• DON’T install fastener closer to edge of sheet than minimum edge distance indicated in dimension tables–unless a special fixture is used to restrict bulging of sheet edge.
• DON’T over-squeeze. It will crush the head, distort threads, and buckle the sheet. Be certain to determine optimum installation force by test prior to production runs.
• DON’T attempt to insert fastener with a hammer blow under any circumstances. A hammer blow won’t permit the sheet metal to flow into the back tapered shank.
• DON’T install screw in the head side of the fastener. Install from opposite side so that the fastener load is toward the sheet.
• The clinching force is designed only to hold the fastener during handling and to resist torque during assembly.
• DON’T install fastener on pre-painted side of sheet.

Special Note For Installing Into Stainless Steel Sheets

• One of the very basics of self-clinching is that the fastener must be harder than the host sheet. Only then will the fastener perform as intended.
• This is particularly challenging when installing fasteners into stainless steel sheet metal. If your application requires that the fastener clinches into stainless steel, be sure you use the fasteners specifically designed for this purpose.