Hardware Captive Screws
Captive Screws: Reliable Panel Joining Solutions
Captive screws provide a dependable method for joining panels through their trusted threaded connections. Even when loosened, these screws stay firmly attached to the outer panel, eliminating the risk of lost hardware and facilitating swift assembly.
What Are Captive Screws?
Captive screws are specialized fasteners engineered to stay connected to a component even when fully unscrewed. Commonly utilized in electronic and mechanical assemblies, they feature an integrated shoulder or collar that prevents complete detachment. This design ensures easy and efficient maintenance by avoiding the loss or misplacement of screws during disassembly. Industries that demand frequent access to internal components, such as electronics, aerospace, and medical devices, particularly benefit from captive screws. Their captive nature enhances assembly ease, minimizes the risk of foreign object debris, and streamlines hardware handling in complex systems.
Types of Captive Panel Screws
- Socket Head Captive Panel Screws
- Description: Install these socket head screws through a hole and secure them onto a retainer. No special tools are needed.
- Thumb-Screw-Head Captive Panel Screws
- Description: Easily install these thumb-screw-head screws through a hole and attach them to a retainer without requiring special tools.
- Rounded Head Captive Panel Screws
- Description: These rounded head screws are installed through a hole and threaded onto a retainer, ensuring secure placement without the need for special tools.
- Press-Fit Captive Panel Screws
- Description: Suitable for soft materials like aluminum and low-carbon steel (minimum 0.036″ thick). Install using an arbor press or a similar pressure tool.
- Flush-Mount Press-Fit Captive Panel Screws
- Description: Designed to mount flush with the outer panel’s surface, ideal for low-clearance applications.
- Snap-In Captive Panel Screws
- Description: Easily snap these screws into panels up to 0.125″ thick without the need for any tools.
- Flare-In Captive Panel Screws
- Description: The base of these screws flares out during installation, creating a backside flange in hard materials and near edges in panels up to 0.312″ thick. Installation requires a flare-in tool and an arbor press.
- Wing Head Quarter-Turn Captive Panel Screws with Front Press-Fit Nut
- Description: Press these wing head nuts into a closed-end hole or thick panel where the backside is inaccessible. A quarter-turn operation locks and releases access panels, doors, and covers.
- Rounded Head Quarter-Turn Captive Panel Screws with Front Press-Fit Nut
- Description: Similar to their wing head counterparts, these rounded head nuts are pressed into closed-end holes or thick panels where the backside is inaccessible. They use a quarter-turn mechanism to secure and release access points.
- Wing Head Quarter-Turn Captive Panel Screws with Back Press-Fit Nut
- Description: Press these wing head nuts into the backside of a panel when both sides are accessible. A quarter-turn locks and unlocks access panels, doors, and covers.
- Rounded Head Quarter-Turn Captive Panel Screws with Back Press-Fit Nut
- Description: These rounded head nuts are pressed into the backside of a panel when both sides are accessible, utilizing a quarter-turn action to manage access panels, doors, and covers.
- Rounded Head Quarter-Turn Captive Panel Screws with Rivet-Mount Nut
- Description: Rivet these rounded head nuts into thin panels for a flush fit without leaving spaces between panels. They employ a quarter-turn mechanism to lock and unlock access points.
- Wing Head Quarter-Turn Captive Panel Screws with Rivet-Mount Nut
- Description: Similar to the rounded head rivet-mount screws, these wing head nuts are riveted into thin panels for a seamless fit and use a quarter-turn action to control access panels, doors, and covers.
- Rounded Head Quarter-Turn Captive Panel Screws with Clip-On Nut
- Description: These screws feature a nut that clips onto the edge of a thin panel, allowing mounting near edges. A quarter-turn operation locks and unlocks access panels, doors, and covers.
- Wing Head Quarter-Turn Captive Panel Screws with Clip-On Nut
- Description: Equipped with a clip-on nut, these wing-head screws can be mounted near the edge of a thin panel. They use a quarter-turn mechanism to secure and release access panels, doors, and covers.
- Vibration-Resistant Captive Panel Screws
- Description: Incorporate an expanding rubber bushing to dampen vibrations while holding panels together securely.
- Push/Pull Captive Panel Screws
- Description: Feature a plunger mechanism that allows you to push to secure and pull to release, enabling quick and easy access.
Captive screws offer versatile and reliable solutions for panel assembly across various industries, enhancing both functionality and maintenance efficiency.
