Captive Fasteners
Captive fasteners, also known as captive screws, are an essential component in many industrial and manufacturing applications. These fasteners are designed to prevent the loss of the screw or bolt, which can cause downtime, increased maintenance costs, and even safety hazards. WDS is a leading supplier of captive fasteners in 316 stainless steel, with a wide range of sizes available, from M3 to M12. The fasteners are supplied with an Allen key drive and are held in stock on WDS's stock guarantee program, ensuring fast and reliable delivery throughout the UK.
EU Machinery Directive
Captive fasteners are especially important in meeting the EU Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC, which sets out specific requirements for the design and construction of machinery to ensure the safety of operators and other users. One of the key requirements of this directive is that machinery must be designed and constructed in such a way that it is not possible for any loose parts to become detached in normal use. This is where captive fasteners come in, as they are specifically designed to prevent the loss of the screw or bolt, even under vibration or other forces.
Advantages of captive fasteners
Captive fasteners work by using a special design that keeps the fastener from falling out in event of failure. This is achieved using a reduced shank diameter and a threaded hole, meaning the fastener cannot easily be removed from a panel.
The advantage of using captive fasteners over standard fasteners is that they not only prevent the loss of the fastener, which can lead to costly downtime and increased maintenance costs, but they reduce safety hazards, as detached parts can become projectiles if they come loose. Captive fasteners eliminate this risk by keeping the fastener securely in place in the event of a failure.
WDS's captive fasteners offer a high level of corrosion resistance, making them ideal for use in a wide range of industrial and manufacturing applications in harsh environments. The fasteners also available in different sizes and thread range from M3 to M12.
In conclusion, captive fasteners are a vital part of many industrial and manufacturing applications; they play an important role in safety and efficiency by preventing the loss of fasteners.
