Purchasing Resources for Ladders

Aerospace Fasteners Key Terms

Learn basic vocabulary and terms dealing with aerospace fasteners
By Lisa Maloney Products manufactured for the aerospace industry must meet exacting standards of quality control and management. Because of the extreme conditions they must be expected to withstand, only the toughest of metals, such as titanium and superalloys like Waspoloy, are used to create aerospace fasteners. Get a basic education on the aerospace fasteners industry with these key terms. While they only scratch the surface of technical data, you'll find that reviewing them helps to orient you and brings other vocabulary into focus.

AS9100

AS9100 is a standard for quality management in the aerospace industry set forward by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). Aerospace fasteners should be AS9100 certified.
Try:  The AS9100 Store explains what the AS9100 standard is, how it's overseen and why companies choose to become AS9100 certified.

Preload, or clamp force

The preload, or clamp force, of a bolt is essentially how much holding power it can be expected to exert on a bolted joint when properly tightened. Because this affects the strength of the bolted joint, it is a critical consideration in the aerospace fasteners industry.
Try:  Bolt Science explains the function of clamp force, or preload, in figuring the strength of a bolted joint.

ISO 9100:2008

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) sets and oversees certain standards for quality control in various manufacturing and service industries. Aerospace fasteners manufacturers pride themselves on being ISO 9100:2008-compliant; this shows that they are following appropriate quality-management procedures.
Try:  Praxiom Research Group breaks the ISO 9100:2008 standard for quality management down into plain English.

Titanium

Titanium is a particularly strong and light metal alloy with a high tolerance for heat, making it the perfect material for many aerospace fasteners.
Try:  wiseGEEK explains the history and use of titanium in fasteners and other high-performance applications.

Superalloy

A superalloy is a nickel-, cobalt- or iron-based combination of three or more metals with superior creep properties, oxidation resistance and temperature strength. Waspaloy is an example of a superalloy commonly used in the aerospace fasteners industry.
Try:  Global Spec explains the properties, characteristics, uses and designation of superalloys in a variety of industries, including aerospace.

AIA

The Aerospace Industries Association represents manufacturers of aerospace equipment and dictates the technical standards that fasteners must meet for use in the aerospace industry.
Try:  The Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) offers comprehensive information and news on the aerospace industry and sells copies of its standards, either individually or as a set.

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