emu ‘The relationship of a fastener’s grade and its ulate tensile strength is confusing fo a Jot of fastener suppliers and users alike. Many ‘can state from memory that an SAE Grade 5 bolt has a tensile strength of 130,000 PSI, buc they are unclear as to what that actually means in terms of how much weight a Grade S bolt of a given size ex hold without break: ing. Logie would indicate that a 1/213 Grade S bolt can hold much mare weight than a 1/4-20 Grade & bolt, but many Fastener stp pliers and users are unclear as to how to determine how much weight a given fastener ‘can hold. A big part of Uie confision on this subject ‘comes from the fact that there are two differ- cent kinds of “tensile strength” referred 10 when diseussing a fastener’s strength. The First “tensile strength” refers to the strength of the fastener’s grade (inches) or strength elass (metric), In this context the tensile strength is referring to the srength of the material the Fastener is made from regardless ofthe fasten cr's diameter, The tensile strength of an inch fastener grade is given in. terms of how many pounds per square inch” (PSD) the material can hold, In metric strength clases the ten sile strengzh is given in megapascals (MPa). A rmegapascal isthe number of kilonewtons per square millimeter the fastener can hold before breaking. When talking about a given fastener grade or strength class, within cer tain diameters, the tensile strength of that sade or strengid elas is dhe sume reyadless DF the fastener’ diameter ‘The secondl kind of tensile strength rela ed to fasteners is the “ultimate tensile strength” (UTS), This pertains to a fastener of a particular diameter and grade or strength class. The UTS of exch different ‘Gameter within a grade or strength class dif fers based on the cross sectional area of dhe fasiener's thread at a position roughly half way between the root diameter and pitch diameter of the thread, "This diamever on thvead is called is “tensile stress area” (TSA). ‘t Fastener Ultimate Tensile Strength Explained The TSA of threads is calculated using one of the wo following formulas: Inch: TSA = 0.7884 (D - 09743/ TP)? ‘Met: TSA = 0.7854 (D -0.9382p)? Fasteners with larger threads have larger eas than those having smaller ore those with ‘more weight before breaking (see Table 1), ‘A part's ultimate tensile suengih s more important to know than the tensile strength rating of the fasteners grade or strength class lering which fastener to use in an san assembly, Fist an ‘engineer must determine how much tozal siress (how many pounds of force) will be by Joe Greenslade exerted on an assembly when itis in use Then the engineer must determine how he anticipated maxima total stress of the assembly plus a rexsonable safety fac- Fortunately, those wanting to know dhe tuimate tensile strength of a particular Fase tener do not have to do the calculations explained in Table 1. The ultimate tensile strengths are tabulated in various standards, Tandy charts tabulating these values ean be found in SAE 439 for ineh bolts and SAE J1199 for metic bolts. These standards are found! in the SAE HS-4000 Mania that can be obtained from wawsae.org, Similar charts r be found on page B-56 of the Sixth Edition of the finch Industrial Fastener Institute Standards Book (The Green Book) and on page B-65 of the 3rd Edition of the Mebvie ‘ndustial Fastener Insitute Stondarts Book Understanding fastener strength terms, how fastener strengeh is derived, and where to find fastener strength values are Important Knowledge for both suppliers and users. Hopefuls, che explanation provided in this article will help some to grasp this informa tion more clearly. Table 1. Inch: Bolt size 174-20 1213 Tersile stress area (TSA (0.0818 square inches 0.1420 square inches “Grade 5 tensile strength 120,000 PSI "120,000 FI Urtimate tense stength (UTS) 3,820 pounds "17,000 pours Metric: Bolt size M6 X1.0 112K 1.75 ‘Tersile tess area (TSA) 20-4 square mm B43 square rim ‘Chass 10.9 tensile strength 1040 MPa, 1040 MPa Ultimate tensile stength (UTS) 209kN B77KN Conversion to pounds = KNX 2248 4,698 pounds 79.715 pounds {Joe Givens has bat i he faster industry since 1970. He as Held postions with major fastener produces in sales enghueing ‘naisting produc devgn, manfachring managenent, ard vewanrh and development xanagement. Mi Crensue os vb US. patents on aris fastener ated poss. Hes elon ove 136 trade journal tices on fesenes applications, maasfaturing ad puny iss, Heine of the fener ndustey's mos frequent speakers at trade assdalion meetings and 4 onerences esse yousiges psn ead oto Fastener Indy Hal of Fe. IM Garenstade sive in namrons fastener industry asrcotions and societies ling ofc in seca ofthe. Ih edition to guiding the atctes of Grenste &? Company, Mi Cnensade warts aa eansultae th fastener suppliers and end ters om prac design eficatons enginering an quality sus. Ju this capacity he works to elo foieerafications prolens, Ip elec the best fastening approche in new product vgs to asi inte tenareaton of fsienrs vse within a onganzation, ant to vide taining on sartous apts of feng chology rd festa quay surance. He aso serves as Expert Wabi tigation notig fastener related sues. American Fastener Joumal Septeier/Ociaher 202