AFT Fasteners is a fastener manufacturing, distribution, plating and industrial services company “All-in-One”, offering turn-key cost effective solutions to our customers. We supply high-quality standard, nonstandard and specialty fasteners and hardware products. We have access to hard to find parts and services, so please allow us to help your business be the best it can be.

 AFT offers numerous screw types in a variety of head styles, materials and finishes. •Concrete Screws, •Deck Screws, •Double-Ended Screws, •Drywall Screws, •Eye Screws, •Hex Cap Screws, •Lag Screws, •Machine Screws, •Masonry Screws, •Mirror Screws, •Particle Board Screws, •Self Tapping Screws, •Sheet Metal Screws, •Wood Screws

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AFT Team

AFT Fasteners is pleased to announce our AFT Products and Services printable resource page. We invite you to visit us at this page for color printable brochures/flyers on some of our more popular fastener services and products - everything from Fasteners, MRO & Safety, Mil Spec, Manufacturing, Metal Finishing and Trailer Parts Industry Hardware...

These downloadable PDF files are by no means a complete list of our products but a nice resource for some of our clients and business partners. Please Contact Us for a fast and friendly quote for any of your fastener and industrial service needs  - via Email or phone 469-865-2800.

If you feel that you have received this email in error - please just use the "UNSUBSCRIBE" link below.

- The AFT Team

Bolt: A fastener consisting of a threaded pin or rod with a head at one end, designed to be inserted through holes in assembled parts and secured by a mated nut that is tightened by applying torque. There are many types of Bolts and here are just a few that AFT carries: Structural Bolts, Carriage Bolts, Elevator Bolts, Flange Bolts, Foundation Bolts, Grade 5 & 8 Bolts, Hex Cap Screws, Lag Bolts, Plow Bolts, Square Head Bolts, Tap Bolts and Tension Bolts.

Bolts can be made from nearly any metal, but steel in many different hardnesses and finishes are the most common.

AFT Fasteners is a fastener manufacturing, importing, distribution, plating and industrial services company “All-in-One”, offering turn-key cost effective solutions to customers. AFT supplies high-quality standard, non-standard and specialty fasteners and hardware products. AFT serves customers with sales and distribution centers throughout the United States, and this provides expedited domestic or global sourcing. Please contact AFT's professional sales staff at info@aft-corp.com or call (877) 844-8595 for information on how AFT Fasteners can provide businesses with high quality electronic hardware solutions.

AFT Fasteners' customized products and programs have now been made available to domestic and international customers to lower their material, labor, inventory, storage and fabrication costs. AFT Fasteners has increased their warehouse spaces, increased inventory control capabilities and added more warehouse personnel experienced in today's high-tech management systems. Other production services that AFT's customers benefit from are hardware kitting and fastener modification, fabrication and  plating.

Warehousing and inventory services are implementations that improve shipping as well as inventory costs and price control. Automated systems like JIT, KanBan, VMI and EDI offer inventory counts and ordering times for needed parts without the potential for manual mistakes. AFT is offering solutions for customers who need their specialty parts imported, modified, plated and then stored in a safe, secure warehouse environment.

Manufacturers are often unaware of the benefits of having “kitted” parts and hardware. Benefits afforded to those who use kitting services are easy ordering of parts with one “kit” number versus multiple part numbers. Invoicing is also easier because of the fewer part numbers and tracking requirements. Production is improved since all of the pre-approved parts are in one assembly location. Waste is also reduced since the parts are packed together instead of individual wrappings. Parts costs are lowered as well, due to the ability to order in bulk and package accordingly.

AFT Fasteners also does hardware modification and fabrication. Just a few of the most common procedures include: fastener drilling, cutting, end slotting and thread locking. These capabilities, along with an in-house metal plating and coating facility,  provide a one-stop production capability that few solutions providers offer. Visit www.aftfasteners.com, call 877-844-8595 or feel free to use our "Contact Us" form for more information.

- AFT Team

The Dallas Regional Chamber is the area's leading membership-driven business organization committed to promoting economic prosperity by leading economic development, driving improvements in public education, influencing public policy, and catalyzing and advocating for regional partnerships. The Chamber is a not-for-profit organization comprising businesses representing all facets of the North Texas business community.

AFT Fasteners joins the Dallas Chamber of Commerce's mission of accomplishing successful business practices and leadership in Dallas and North Texas. Not only is AFT Fasteners a North Texas business leader but is also a national and international business partner which supports local labor and goods deliverable to numerous states and countries.

AFT Fasteners embodies the spirit in which the Dallas Chamber of Commerce promotes success. Being part of the Dallas Chamber of Commerce allows AFT Fasteners access to information, professional development & networking, access to savings, visibility and leadership advocacy. For more information about AFT Fasteners and their line of top quality fasteners, construction and manufacturing hardware, please visit www.aftfasteners.com or call 877-844-8595. For more information about the Dallas Chamber of Commerce, please visit www.dallaschamber.org.

- The AFT Team

Stainless steel can unpredictably sustain galling (cold welding). Stainless steel self-generates an oxide surface film for corrosion protection. During fastener tightening, as pressure builds between the contacting and sliding, thread surfaces, protective oxides are broken, possibly wiped off, and interface metal high points shear or lock together. This cumulative clogging-shearing-locking action causes increasing adhesion. In the extreme, galling leads to seizing - the actual freezing together of the threads. If tightening is continued, the fastener can be twisted off or its threads ripped out.

If galling is occurring because of high friction the torque will not be converted into bolt preload. This may be the cause of the problems that you are experiencing. The change may be due to the surface roughness changing on the threads or other similar minor change. To overcome the problem - suggestions are:


1. Slowing down the installation RPM speed may possibly solve or reduce the frequency of the problem. As the installation RPM increases, the heat generated during tightening increases. As the heat increases, so does the tendency for the occurrence of thread galling.

2. Lubricating the internal and/or external threads frequently can eliminate thread galling. The lubricants usually contain substantial amounts of molybdenum disulfide (moly). Some extreme pressure waxes can also be effective. Be careful however, if you use the stainless steel fasteners in food related applications some lubricants may be unacceptable. Lubricants can be applied at the point of assembly or pre-applied as a batch process similar to plating. Several chemical companies, such as Moly-Kote, offer anti-galling lubricants.

3. Different combinations of nut and bolt materials can assist in reducing or even eliminating galling. Some organizations specify a different material, such as aluminum bronze nuts. However this can introduce a corrosion problem since aluminum bronze is anodic to stainless steel.

If you have questions about stainless steel or other fasteners, please contact us at AFT Fasteners (877) 844-8595 or via email Contact Us.

Usually fastener standards specify two types of marks to be on the head of a bolt. The manufacturer's mark is a symbol identifying the manufacturer (or importer). This is the organization that accepts the responsibility that the fastener meets specified requirements. The "Grade Mark" is a standardized mark that identifies the material properties that the fastener meets. For example 307A on a bolt head indicates that the fastener properties conform to the ASTM A307 Grade A standard.

Both marks are usually located on the top of the bolt head, most standards indicating that the marks can be raised or depressed. Raised marks are usually preferred by manufacturers because these can only be added during the forging process whereas depressed marks can subsequently be added (possibly with illegitimate marks).

The below listed Table is a listing of some of the more common Bolt Head Markings. If you have questions about a bolt head marking or specification, do not hesitate to Contact Us via our electronic form or call us at 877-844-8595.

Hex Bolt Head Markings

SAE Grade No.	Size Range	Tensile strength, ksi	Material	Head Marking
1     2	1/4" thru 1 1/2"   1/4" thru 3/4"   7/8" thru 1 1/2"	60   74   60	Low or medium carbon steel
5	1/4" thru 1" 1 1/8" thru 1 1/2"	120 105	Medium Carbon Steel, quenched & tempered
5.2	1/4" thru 1"	120	Low carbon martensite steel, quenched & tempered
7	1/4" thru 1 1/2"	133	Medium carbon alloy steel, quenched & tempered
8	1/4" thru 1 1/2"	150	Medium carbon alloy steel, quenched & tempered
8.2	1/4" thru 1"	150	Low carbon martensite steel, quenched & tempered

ASTM Standard	Size Range	Tensile strength, ksi	Material	Head Marking
A307	1/4" thru 4"	60	Low Carbon Steel
A325 Type 1	1/2" thru 1" 1 1/8" thru 1 1/2"	120 105	Medium carbon steel, quenched & tempered
A325 Type 2	1/2" thru 1" 1 1/8" thru 1 1/2"	120 105	Low carbon martensite steel, quenched & tempered
A325 Type 3	1/2" thru 1" 1 1/8" thru 1 1/2"	120 105	Weathering steel, quenched & tempered
A449	1/4" thru 1" 1 1/8" thru 1 1/2" 1 3/4" thru 3"	120 105 90	Medium carbon steel, quenched & tempered
A490 Type 1	1/4" thru 1 1/2"	150	Alloy steel, quenched & tempered
A490 Type 3	1/4" thru 1 1/2"	150	Weathering steel, quenched & tempered

Often one will find "extra" marks on a bolt head--marks in addition to those shown above. Usually these marks indicate the bolt's manufacturer.

ASTM A325 Type 2 bolts have been discontinued, but are included above because they can be found in existing structures. Their properties can be important in failure investigations.

While the bolts shown above are among the most common in the U.S., the list is far from exhaustive. In addition to the other bolts covered by the SAE and ASTM standards, there are a host of international standards, of which ISO is perhaps the most well known.

-AFT Team