Why Use Washers?

When it comes to fasteners the focus is always placed on nuts and bolts, but that does not mean they are the only necessary parts of the equation. Washers are often an essential part of keeping your joints as strong and solid as possible. Despite this, there isn’t a lot of information available on why using washers is important. As a result, many people omit the use of washers which can cause long-term problems with their nuts and bolts.

What are washers?

 

 

Washers are disk-shaped flattened pieces of either steel or stainless steel. Typically they have a hole in the middle, which makes them resemble a donut shape. The whole is essential as it is where the washer can connect to the bolt.

 

Washers are typically used with threaded fasteners. This is because the washer is typically placed through the nut and sits at the end of the fastener. Generally, the washer should never be driven into the surface that you are fastening, which is why many people are not entirely sure whether or not they should use washers.

 

Washers are particularly common in situations where your fastener is used with different materials. If you are using your nuts and bolts to hold together pieces of different material then the washer will help ensure that you do not damage the surface of that material during the tightening process. That can be particularly important, as the lack of a washer could mean that you might accidentally scrape or even worse tighten your bolt and nut too much, forcing the bolt into the material.

 

While washers are most commonly used when dealing with different materials that are not the only occasion in which a washer might be used. Generally, they serve multiple different purposes in the fastening and tightening process which is why they are so common.

Load Distribution

Load distribution is commonly considered the primary reason to use washers with threaded fasteners. What a washer can do is evenly distribute the fastener's load across the material that you are fastening. This can reduce the chance of damage being caused to the material. This particular usage is noteworthy when dealing with softer material or even wood. This type of material is more likely to break when someone exerts a lot of power during the screwing process which is why a washer can be a great way of reducing the risk of stress-related damage.

Vibration Absorption

Much like there are many different types of nuts and bolts there are also different types of washers available. Depending on the type of washer you opt to use you might be able to use a washer that is designed to absorb vibration. These dampening washers are normally not made from steel, metal, or stainless steel. Instead, they are commonly produced using plastic, rubber, or urethane. This softer material can help absorb the vibration that is caused by one of the two objects that you are connecting.

Spacers

Washers are occasionally used as spacers in situations where the fastener you are using is longer than the object you are fastening. Generally, spacers can help ensure that there is no small protrusion of the screw that you are using because it will add an extra inch or so of width to the object. It can also help ensure that you will not overtighten the bolt or the screw and push it further into the material or object you are fastening. If you want to ensure that all of the spacing is correct, then the use of washers can be key.

Liquid Protection

Washers can also be an excellent way of providing a waterproof seal for your fasteners. With liquid protection, it is important to remember that you will need to purchase washers that are specifically designed to completely press against the surface of the material or object to create a true waterproofing seal. Therefore, liquid sealing washers, are different from regular washers.

 

Why are washers important during the tightening process? EMAIL: SALES@AYAFASTENERS.COM

 

● When tightening a fastener, the reality is that there is a really high degree of tension and stress. In fact, according to statistics on Torque Distribution, around 15% of the torque is actually used for spinning the nut and thus screwing it into place. On the other hand, 47% is going toward Head Friction, while 38% goes towards Thread friction. Naturally, this could result in damage to the surface of the object you are using. What’s more, it could potentially lead to the bolt or join failing with time.
● Depending on the type of project that you are using the fasteners for you might require either standard washers or high-strength fasteners. With high-strength fasteners, there is less chance of deformation under the high compressive stress caused by the tightening process.
● When using washers in your fastenings what you are aiming for is to reduce the bolt tension by adding an increased number of interfaces or points of contact within the joint. This can be relatively effective with long bolts and it can actually lead to up to a 50% bolt tension reduction in short bolts.

If you opt to just used a plain nut and bolt then chances are there is going to be an increase in the surface pressure under the bolt head. This could potentially lead to problems as oftentimes bolt head pressure can be higher than what the steel surface you are working with is capable of sustaining. As such it could eventually lead to loss of bolt tension. It might also lead to the bolt loosening over time, which could come with its own set of challenges depending on the type of construction or project you have taken on.

Typically flanged nuts and bolts can perform between regular hexagon bolts with washers. There are many reasons for this. The first one is that flanged-headed nuts and bolts have been specifically designed in a way that helps reduce the friction caused during the tightening process. This can reduce both the damage that the fastener may sustain as well as the chance of it failing.

 

On the other hand, standard washers are typically not strong enough to reduce friction. In fact, standard washers tend to be relatively soft, which is why deformation caused by high compressive stress is so common. However, this does not necessarily need to be a problem as there are many different strengths of washers available. By visiting AYA Fasteners you will be able to find all of the different washer variations and actually opt for washers that would be able to handle the stress required by your project.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another problem that might arise with the use of washers if one is not careful is that during the tightening process, the washer might start turning with the torque. That means that the nut and the washer have joined and have begun moving as one. If that happens there is a significant reduction in bolt tension which means that your fasteners are not going to be as secure as they could be. This is a risk that could be mitigated relatively easily, so long as during the tightening process one ensures that the washer has been staying flat and has not been twisting along with the nut.

Embedding is normally the result of having local plastic deformation in the surface of the material you are dealing with. This is particularly common when two surfaces are in direct contact, which can lead to a plastic flattening of the rough surface. Embedding will also lead to a general loss of contact pressure which once again could mean that the fastener you have added is not as secure as you might need.
Using a washer can actually be beneficial in this case, as the additional surfaces will allow the bolt to be tightened more efficiently, and the fastening will be less likely to come apart.

Conclusion
When it comes to any project and fastening you choose, the important thing to remember is that there are many different materials and options that could be used for your purposes. Washers specifically can come in a large number of variations each of which helps with specific functionality. From making things liquid resistant to providing vibration control or reducing embedding, the type of project you are completing will always be the best indicator of the type of washer that will work best. This is why it is important for you to have on hand a variety of different washers that could work for your project.

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