Industrial Fastener Glossary
A
AOG (Aircraft on Ground)
A critical aerospace situation where an aircraft cannot operate until a specific part is delivered—requires rapid sourcing.
AN (Army Navy) Washers
AN washers are used in aircraft and other military assemblies to provide a smooth bearing surface under a hex nut. They assist in aligning cotter pin holes or function as shims to obtain the proper grip length to hold a Mil-Spec fastener. AN flat washers are the ideal choice for aerospace, military, and defense applications.
Alloy Steel Fasteners
Enhance your projects with our alloy steel fasteners, known for their superior strength and versatility. Perfect for challenging applications where ordinary materials fall short.
B
Blanket Order/Bulk Ordering
A long-term purchasing agreement allowing customers to order products in bulk over time at pre-negotiated pricing.
Black Oxide
Black oxide is a conversion coating used on steel fasteners that creates a thin, black surface layer by chemically reacting with the metal. Unlike plating, it does not build up a thick deposit on the threads, so it typically has minimal impact on dimensions and thread fit. Black oxide finishes are common on screws, bolts, and set screws where a uniform dark appearance and clean look are desired.
Bright Nickel Electrodeposited
This is a thin layer of nickel deposited onto metal objects. Serving as a decorative and corrosion resistance finish.
C
CNC Machining
A manufacturing process using computer-controlled machines (mills, lathes, etc.) to produce precise custom parts.
Custom Manufacturing
The process of producing specialized parts built to exact customer specifications rather than using off-the-shelf components.
Concrete Screws
Concrete screws are specialty fasteners designed to anchor into concrete, brick, or block by cutting threads into a predrilled hole. Instead of using a separate expansion mechanism, the hardened threads bite into the base material to create holding strength. They are commonly used for attaching electrical boxes, fixtures, brackets, sill plates, and light to medium duty hardware to masonry surfaces.
Carbon Steel Fasteners
Ideal for robust applications requiring strength and dursability. Our carbon steel fasteners come in various grades to suit your specific project needs.
Chemical Black Oxide
Inexpensive finish. No embrittlement issues. Great pre-treatment for painting. Very thin and adds no more than 5-10 millionths of an inch to the dimensions of the part.
Cadmium Yellow
Cadmium is a soft white metal which when electroplated onto steel acts as "sacrificial coating", corroding before the substrate material. It provides excellent corrosion resistance, good lubricity, solderability and has good paint base characteristics.
Cut Threaded Fasteners
Cut threaded fasteners are created by tools or machines that have to manually engrave or cut out material from the blank metal rod in order to form the designed threading characteristics. Typically, these rods are attached to a tool that wraps around the rod using a metal tipped accessory to scrape away metal until desired shape is created.You can also cut the rods by programming the characteristics into a machine like a cnc machine to enable exact size and measurements to the thread.
D
Dock-to-Stock
A supply chain method where materials go directly from receiving dock to inventory or production with minimal handling.
Distributor (Industrial)
A company that sources, stocks, and supplies industrial components like fasteners and hardware to manufacturers and OEMs.
DIN
DIN fasteners are high-quality, metric-standardized components from the German Institute for Standardization (Deutsches Institut für Normung).
E
Expedited Ordering
A fast-tracked purchasing process to quickly deliver critical parts and reduce production downtime.
G
Gray Phosphate
Gray phosphate coating, on its own does not provide any corrosion resistance. Oil, sealers or paint is needed to achieve corrosion resistance. Majority of the phosphate coatings serve as a surface preparation for further coatings or paint.
H
Hardware (Industrial)
A broad category of physical components like screws, washers, anchors, and fittings used in manufacturing and assembly.
Hot Dipped Galvanized
Silver to gray in color. This is carried out by putting the fasteners in molten zinc and spinning off the excess zinc. Hot dipped galvanized parts can be used in ACQ treated lumber.
I
Inventory Management/Industrial Management Solutions
The process of tracking, storing, and replenishing stock to ensure materials are available without overstocking.
L
Lead Time
The amount of time between placing an order and receiving the product.
Lean Manufacturing
A production philosophy focused on minimizing waste and maximizing efficiency in operations.
M
Metric Fasteners
Fasteners measured using the metric system (millimeters), commonly used in global manufacturing.
Military-Spec (Mil-Spec) Fasteners
Components manufactured to meet strict military standards for quality, durability, and performance.
Mil-Spec (MS) Self-Tapping Screws
Military grade self-tapping screws are stocked in round type-u and pan head Philips type-AB styles. MS21318 dimensions offer the round head type U drive screws with steel cadmium plating. MS51861 mil-spec dimensions offer the pan Philips type-AB self-tapping screws with material options of 410 stainless steel or steel that is plated in yellow cadmium.
Mechanical Zinc
Silver matte. The process by which the fasteners are tumbled in a drum with glass beads, water, chemicals and zinc powder. The collision creates a cold welding of the zinc powder onto the parts. Advantages Elimination of hydrogen embrittlement, excellent adhesion, uniformity of coating thickness. Ability to plate hardened parts without post baking.
N
National Aerospace Standards (NAS)
NAS washers are manufactured to National Aerospace Standards (NAS), generally using a smaller outside and inside diameter than standard options to provide a tighter fit in mil-spec assemblies. As NAS washers are most often used in aircraft, they are manufactured to withstand extreme temperatures, high pressures and speeds, and a variety of weight influences.
Never Out of Stock (inventory guarantee positioning)
With BW Industrial's VMI solutions, you never have to worry about running out of inventory. We mirror your inventory in our in-house floor stock. When an expedited need arises, we can easily find and deliver the supplies you need through overnight shipping. Online orders are processed within sixty minutes from one of our locations in Canada or the US, and you will have your parts the very next day. With BW Industrial's VMI Plus program, we guarantee you won't run out of products again.
Non-Ferrous Metal and Alloy Fasteners
Lightweight yet durable, our non-ferrous metals and alloys, including titanium, copper, and alluminum, are perfect for applications requirong corrosion resistance and electrical conductivity.
Nickel Alloy Fasteners
With our high-performance nickel alloys, you get fasteners that offer superior mechanical and thermal properties, ideal for heat exchanger, nuclear reactors, and more.
O
OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer)
A company that produces parts or equipment used in another company’s end product.
P
Procurement
The process of sourcing and purchasing materials or components for business operations.
Production Downtime
Periods when manufacturing stops due to lack of parts, equipment failure, or delays.
Passivation of Stainless Steel
Clear looking surface Standard Specification. Passivation of stainless steel fasteners is a cleaning process for removing the contaminants of foreign particles sticking to the fastener from the manufacturing process. If passivation is not carried out then it will affect the corrosion resistant properties of the stainless steel fasteners.
R
Rolled Threaded Fasteners
Rolled threaded fasteners are formed by cold forging blank metal rods at varying lengths between specific threaded dies. There are flat and rounded die plates for different applications. The threaded dies determine the pitch, length, Minor and Major diameter, and thread and Helix angle. Cold rolling fasteners allow for much larger quantities to be made at a time, it also costs much less than CNC cutting.
S
Safety Stock
Extra inventory kept on hand to prevent stockouts during demand spikes or supply delays.
Supply Chain Management
The coordination of sourcing, production, inventory, and delivery of goods.
Stainless Steel Fasteners
Choose our stainless steel fasteners for unmatched corrosion resistance and durability, ensuring your projects last longer, even in the harshest environments.
Super Alloy Fasteners
For the most demanding applications, our super alloys offer exceptional strength, high-temperature resistance, and corrosion protection. They're the go-to choice for areospace and chemical processing projects.
T
Thermal Black Oxide
Color is black with some variations. This is more of a surface finish that is formed during the heat treatment process where parts are being quenched and tempered.
Type A Sheet Metal Screws
Type A sheet metal screws feature coarse threads and gimlet points. They are often used in applications involving thin metals or wood, like resinous plywood or various composite boards. Type A sheet metal screws are typically constructed from stainless steel material but can be custom manufactured from most materials depending on your planned application.
Type AB Sheet Metal Screws
Type AB sheet metal screws feature a fine thread. Like Type A screws, they feature a gimlet point. These self-tapping metal screws are well-suited for more fragile materials as well as thin metals and wood. This broader operational ability makes Type AB screws useful in a more extensive range of applications when compared to Type A. They are often constructed of stainless steel.
U
Uncoated / Plain
Color varies from silver, gray, to black tones. Typically provided with a rust inhibitor like oil.
V
Vendor-Managed Inventory (VMI)
A system where the supplier monitors and replenishes a customer’s inventory automatically to prevent shortages.
Vending Machine VMI System
A fully automated tracking system designed to simplify and streamline any work environment.
Z
Zinc Electroplated & Clear Chromated
High strength fasteners will require a baking process to draw out Hydrogen and reduce the risk of embrittlement failures. Our Cr+3 signifies ROHS compliant.resistance. Majority of the phosphate coatings serve as a surface preparation for further coatings or paint.
Zinc Electroplated & Yellow Chromated
Same as the zinc clear above only the chromate contains yellow pigment as an identifier. Coating thickness being the same, yellow chromate will have better corrosion resistance than clear chromate.
Zinc Electroplated & Blue Chromated
Same as the zinc clear above only the chromate contains blue pigment as an identifier. Our Cr+3 signifies RoHS compliant.
AOG (Aircraft on Ground)
A critical aerospace situation where an aircraft cannot operate until a specific part is delivered—requires rapid sourcing.
AN (Army Navy) Washers
AN washers are used in aircraft and other military assemblies to provide a smooth bearing surface under a hex nut. They assist in aligning cotter pin holes or function as shims to obtain the proper grip length to hold a Mil-Spec fastener. AN flat washers are the ideal choice for aerospace, military, and defense applications.
Alloy Steel Fasteners
Enhance your projects with our alloy steel fasteners, known for their superior strength and versatility. Perfect for challenging applications where ordinary materials fall short.
Blanket Order/Bulk Ordering
A long-term purchasing agreement allowing customers to order products in bulk over time at pre-negotiated pricing.
Black Oxide
Black oxide is a conversion coating used on steel fasteners that creates a thin, black surface layer by chemically reacting with the metal. Unlike plating, it does not build up a thick deposit on the threads, so it typically has minimal impact on dimensions and thread fit. Black oxide finishes are common on screws, bolts, and set screws where a uniform dark appearance and clean look are desired.
Bright Nickel Electrodeposited
This is a thin layer of nickel deposited onto metal objects. Serving as a decorative and corrosion resistance finish.
CNC Machining
A manufacturing process using computer-controlled machines (mills, lathes, etc.) to produce precise custom parts.
Custom Manufacturing
The process of producing specialized parts built to exact customer specifications rather than using off-the-shelf components.
Concrete Screws
Concrete screws are specialty fasteners designed to anchor into concrete, brick, or block by cutting threads into a predrilled hole. Instead of using a separate expansion mechanism, the hardened threads bite into the base material to create holding strength. They are commonly used for attaching electrical boxes, fixtures, brackets, sill plates, and light to medium duty hardware to masonry surfaces.
Carbon Steel Fasteners
Ideal for robust applications requiring strength and dursability. Our carbon steel fasteners come in various grades to suit your specific project needs.
Chemical Black Oxide
Inexpensive finish. No embrittlement issues. Great pre-treatment for painting. Very thin and adds no more than 5-10 millionths of an inch to the dimensions of the part.
Cadmium Yellow
Cadmium is a soft white metal which when electroplated onto steel acts as "sacrificial coating", corroding before the substrate material. It provides excellent corrosion resistance, good lubricity, solderability and has good paint base characteristics.
Cut Threaded Fasteners
Cut threaded fasteners are created by tools or machines that have to manually engrave or cut out material from the blank metal rod in order to form the designed threading characteristics. Typically, these rods are attached to a tool that wraps around the rod using a metal tipped accessory to scrape away metal until desired shape is created.You can also cut the rods by programming the characteristics into a machine like a cnc machine to enable exact size and measurements to the thread.
Dock-to-Stock
A supply chain method where materials go directly from receiving dock to inventory or production with minimal handling.
Distributor (Industrial)
A company that sources, stocks, and supplies industrial components like fasteners and hardware to manufacturers and OEMs.
DIN
DIN fasteners are high-quality, metric-standardized components from the German Institute for Standardization (Deutsches Institut für Normung).
Expedited Ordering
A fast-tracked purchasing process to quickly deliver critical parts and reduce production downtime.
Gray Phosphate
Gray phosphate coating, on its own does not provide any corrosion resistance. Oil, sealers or paint is needed to achieve corrosion resistance. Majority of the phosphate coatings serve as a surface preparation for further coatings or paint.
Hardware (Industrial)
A broad category of physical components like screws, washers, anchors, and fittings used in manufacturing and assembly.
Hot Dipped Galvanized
Silver to gray in color. This is carried out by putting the fasteners in molten zinc and spinning off the excess zinc. Hot dipped galvanized parts can be used in ACQ treated lumber.
Inventory Management/Industrial Management Solutions
The process of tracking, storing, and replenishing stock to ensure materials are available without overstocking.
Lead Time
The amount of time between placing an order and receiving the product.
Lean Manufacturing
A production philosophy focused on minimizing waste and maximizing efficiency in operations.
Metric Fasteners
Fasteners measured using the metric system (millimeters), commonly used in global manufacturing.
Military-Spec (Mil-Spec) Fasteners
Components manufactured to meet strict military standards for quality, durability, and performance.
Mil-Spec (MS) Self-Tapping Screws
Military grade self-tapping screws are stocked in round type-u and pan head Philips type-AB styles. MS21318 dimensions offer the round head type U drive screws with steel cadmium plating. MS51861 mil-spec dimensions offer the pan Philips type-AB self-tapping screws with material options of 410 stainless steel or steel that is plated in yellow cadmium.
Mechanical Zinc
Silver matte. The process by which the fasteners are tumbled in a drum with glass beads, water, chemicals and zinc powder. The collision creates a cold welding of the zinc powder onto the parts. Advantages Elimination of hydrogen embrittlement, excellent adhesion, uniformity of coating thickness. Ability to plate hardened parts without post baking.
National Aerospace Standards (NAS)
NAS washers are manufactured to National Aerospace Standards (NAS), generally using a smaller outside and inside diameter than standard options to provide a tighter fit in mil-spec assemblies. As NAS washers are most often used in aircraft, they are manufactured to withstand extreme temperatures, high pressures and speeds, and a variety of weight influences.
Never Out of Stock (inventory guarantee positioning)
With BW Industrial's VMI solutions, you never have to worry about running out of inventory. We mirror your inventory in our in-house floor stock. When an expedited need arises, we can easily find and deliver the supplies you need through overnight shipping. Online orders are processed within sixty minutes from one of our locations in Canada or the US, and you will have your parts the very next day. With BW Industrial's VMI Plus program, we guarantee you won't run out of products again.
Non-Ferrous Metal and Alloy Fasteners
Lightweight yet durable, our non-ferrous metals and alloys, including titanium, copper, and alluminum, are perfect for applications requirong corrosion resistance and electrical conductivity.
Nickel Alloy Fasteners
With our high-performance nickel alloys, you get fasteners that offer superior mechanical and thermal properties, ideal for heat exchanger, nuclear reactors, and more.
OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer)
A company that produces parts or equipment used in another company’s end product.
Procurement
The process of sourcing and purchasing materials or components for business operations.
Production Downtime
Periods when manufacturing stops due to lack of parts, equipment failure, or delays.
Passivation of Stainless Steel
Clear looking surface Standard Specification. Passivation of stainless steel fasteners is a cleaning process for removing the contaminants of foreign particles sticking to the fastener from the manufacturing process. If passivation is not carried out then it will affect the corrosion resistant properties of the stainless steel fasteners.
Rolled Threaded Fasteners
Rolled threaded fasteners are formed by cold forging blank metal rods at varying lengths between specific threaded dies. There are flat and rounded die plates for different applications. The threaded dies determine the pitch, length, Minor and Major diameter, and thread and Helix angle. Cold rolling fasteners allow for much larger quantities to be made at a time, it also costs much less than CNC cutting.
Safety Stock
Extra inventory kept on hand to prevent stockouts during demand spikes or supply delays.
Supply Chain Management
The coordination of sourcing, production, inventory, and delivery of goods.
Stainless Steel Fasteners
Choose our stainless steel fasteners for unmatched corrosion resistance and durability, ensuring your projects last longer, even in the harshest environments.
Super Alloy Fasteners
For the most demanding applications, our super alloys offer exceptional strength, high-temperature resistance, and corrosion protection. They're the go-to choice for areospace and chemical processing projects.
Thermal Black Oxide
Color is black with some variations. This is more of a surface finish that is formed during the heat treatment process where parts are being quenched and tempered.
Type A Sheet Metal Screws
Type A sheet metal screws feature coarse threads and gimlet points. They are often used in applications involving thin metals or wood, like resinous plywood or various composite boards. Type A sheet metal screws are typically constructed from stainless steel material but can be custom manufactured from most materials depending on your planned application.
Type AB Sheet Metal Screws
Type AB sheet metal screws feature a fine thread. Like Type A screws, they feature a gimlet point. These self-tapping metal screws are well-suited for more fragile materials as well as thin metals and wood. This broader operational ability makes Type AB screws useful in a more extensive range of applications when compared to Type A. They are often constructed of stainless steel.
Uncoated / Plain
Color varies from silver, gray, to black tones. Typically provided with a rust inhibitor like oil.
Vendor-Managed Inventory (VMI)
A system where the supplier monitors and replenishes a customer’s inventory automatically to prevent shortages.
Vending Machine VMI System
A fully automated tracking system designed to simplify and streamline any work environment.
Zinc Electroplated & Clear Chromated
High strength fasteners will require a baking process to draw out Hydrogen and reduce the risk of embrittlement failures. Our Cr+3 signifies ROHS compliant.resistance. Majority of the phosphate coatings serve as a surface preparation for further coatings or paint.
Zinc Electroplated & Yellow Chromated
Same as the zinc clear above only the chromate contains yellow pigment as an identifier. Coating thickness being the same, yellow chromate will have better corrosion resistance than clear chromate.
Zinc Electroplated & Blue Chromated
Same as the zinc clear above only the chromate contains blue pigment as an identifier. Our Cr+3 signifies RoHS compliant.