Manufacturers of aircraft fasteners specialize in aircraft nut plates, self-locking nuts, threaded inserts and related high performance hardware for the aerospace, electronics and defense industries. These companies typically provide an extensive inventory of fully traceable and certified MS/NAS/AN inserts, locknuts, anchor nuts, grommets, clips, harnesses, and self-locking nuts. Primary customers include aircraft manufacturers and after-market maintenance and refurbishment companies, including Boeing, Lockheed, Northrop Grumman, Airbus, Embraer, Rockwell, and Textron. Aircraft fastener manufacturers typically adhere to highly detailed quality control specifications such as ISO 9001 and AS 9120. These fasteners are typically made from a combination of high-performance materials including titanium, composites, and plastics such as; Vespel®, Meldin®, PEEK, Torlon®, Teflon® Nylon®, Kel-F® PCTFE and others. Vespel® and Meldin® are used for aerospace self-locking fasteners and splines where good mechanical properties and dimensional stability are required throughout a wide operating temperature range from cryogenic to 550°F with excursions to 900°F. Plastic additive fasteners utilize plastics which are encapsulated to create two locking surfaces which are better able to maintain the required torques needed under severe conditions.
