Mudge Fasteners has always excelled at providing customized support for niche industries, and even niches within niche industries. One such example is in architectural railings, where fasteners are used in bulk but are often overlooked as a primary component in the design, engineering, and installation of this specialty construction trade.

Several factors come into play when choosing fasteners for structural railings, architectural railings, or glass balustrades. These factors include, but are not limited to, the surface that the railings are being attached to, the material that the railings are made of, and whether the railings consist of complete welded systems or “stick-build” components that are mechanically fastened together.

The following illustrations provide detail into just how many fasteners can be used on a single commercial construction project’s aluminum railing installation.

Expansion Anchors

When mounting railings into a concrete slab, either on high rise towers or on the first two levels of podium buildings, expansion anchors from brands like Powers or Hilti are often used.

Lag Bolts

When attaching railing to wood framing of a building, stainless steel lag screws are commonly used.

Elco Dril-Flex

Sometimes it’s necessary to attach architectural railings directly to a metal substrate, whether that’s a steel plate or an aluminum deck. In these instances, Dril-Flex screws from Elco are commonly used.

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Expansion Anchors

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Lag Screws

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Elco Dri-Flex

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Hex Bolts

Hex Bolts

Once in a while, structural engineers will require railings to be attached by going though a truss or beam, resulting in the use of what’s colloquially known as “through bolts”. In the fastener industry, this type of assembly typically refers to a stainless steel hex bolt paired with a stainless steel hex nut.

Elco Bi-Flex

Lastly, whether using welded systems or component-based railing products, sections must be attached to one another to complete the system, and Elco Bi-Flex bi-metal screws are often recommended at these “splice” locations.

No matter what type of railing system you’re designing or installing, Mudge Fasteners can help you get the result you’re looking for. Contact us at (800) 634-0406 for assistance with these and any other fasteners for architectural railings.

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*Mudge Fasteners is not an engineering company and does not offer engineering advice. All illustrations shown are strictly for the purpose of education. Please consult a licensed structural engineer in your state before proceeding with any of the mentioned attachment methods.

While the congestion at ports in Los Angeles and Long Beach, CA starts to ease, many are wondering if their supply chain worries are over. Unfortunately, the supply chain disruptions we’ve seen affect almost every industry imaginable have been a result of causes beyond port congestion, like COVID-related production decreases and increased overall demand. While some factors are out of any individual buyer’s control, there are a few factors a fastener buyer can control in order to avoid supply chain disruptions.

The first step to avoiding supply chain disruptions is to clearly plan out your needs ahead of time. Planning to rely on “just-in-time” inventory may not cut it with current market conditions. When it comes to fasteners, it would be wise to plan your purchases at least six months at a time, especially if you’re running an assembly line where fasteners are being used in products on a daily basis. Because fasteners usually consume a very small portion of a project’s or product’s overall budget, this is one area where you can stock up ahead of time without much impact to cash flow. If your production line runs out of an essential fastener and you have to pay a 50% premium to get it back in stock quickly, that cost more than outweighs the cost of overbuying fasteners by 10%.

The next step in avoiding supply chain disruptions with fasteners is to choose a reputable, reliable supplier. Mudge Fasteners has been in business for almost 50 years, and sells over 65,000 products. Mudge also has longstanding relationships with all of the top manufacturers, meaning our orders are sizable and usually prioritized by our vendors. Additionally, we can help you plan your annual fastener purchases ahead of time, resulting in a consistent supply of your parts, and at the best cost and delivery schedule possible.

Lastly, Mudge Fasteners has always been a proponent of limiting the design and engineering of fasteners in any given product or project, focusing on readily available, standard fasteners, instead of costly and harder to come by custom designs. Last year, Fastener Engineering Magazine interviewed our own Marisa Mudge about this concept; “The idea of designing with limited, standard parts is absolutely brilliant because of the significant time and cost-savings it, ultimately, provides,” she said. Custom fasteners often cost up to double the price of standard ones, but the lead times are even more atrocious, ranging from two to twenty weeks, or even longer at time. Standard fasteners can be attained quickly, often over night if necessary.

If you’re having supply chain troubles when sourcing fasteners, contact Mudge at (800) 634-0406 for assistance.

As most industries saw significant cost increases throughout 2021, many of our customers are wondering what the cost landscape looks like for 2022, especially as it relates to fasteners. Although fasteners typically make up a small portion of a product’s or project’s overall cost, fasteners are not immune to price fluctuation, and it’s wise of fastener buyers to keep this in mind.

The cost of fasteners is 2022 is going to be driven by several factors; the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and how its affects will impact production levels, the cost of raw materials, the cost of shipping and delivery, and the overall demand for fasteners both domestically and around the world.

Globally, the cost of raw materials will remain high in 2022 as demand continues to climb. At the beginning of the pandemic, plants slowed down or halted completely; fearing a worldwide recession. Thankfully, that fear was unfounded and demand did not disappear, instead it shifted from sectors like air travel, to consumer goods and vehicles. While the commodities industries work to replenish their supply, demand will continue to drive cost. 

Production is expected to rebound in the early half of 2022, but we know that COVID disruptions can stall production and capacity without warning. Another factor that could affect input is the curbing of industrial production in China due to the 2022 Winter Olympics. China is where a large share of the world’s fasteners are manufactured, and they often forcefully slow down production to improve air quality prior to and during major events. 

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the price of shipping containers has spiked by as much as three or four times the pre-COVID price. As the global demand continues to outpace available capacity, the price of overseas shipping will continue to affect fastener prices. Typically, containers have a peak season for goods, usually from July to October, but this year volumes increased and then remained elevated, causing available capacity to be maxed out, according to Judah Levine, research lead at Freightos. Rates were already rising for overseas shipping when a COVID outbreak at the port of Yantian, one of China’s busiest container ports, added even lengthier delays. Efforts to restock empty warehouses are likely to keep demand elevated beyond the peak season.

Road, bridge, pipe, electric wire and rail projects will require an enormous amount of steel, aluminum and copper. The US federal government has slated approximately $550 billion towards these projects, creating even more demand for metals. Other building materials, such as cement and lumber, could also be used for construction projects under the bill. Fasteners will be used in almost all of these projects, and adding in the rebound in manufacturing, fastener demand will remain quite high throughout the new year.

While we can’t tell exactly how much fastener prices may rise, we’re fairly sure they won’t be decreasing any time soon. If you’re planning your fastener purchases for 2022 now, contact Mudge Fasteners at (800) 634-0406 now to learn how you can get ahead of any additional price increases and stay profitable in the new year.

Much like the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety’s LARRs, Miami-Dade County approves construction products, including fasteners, for use on buildings in both Miami-Dade County and throughout the country. Whereas approvals in Los Angeles are mainly judged on their ability to withstand seismic loads (think earthquakes), Miami-Dade approvals are judged on their ability to withstand hurricane-like conditions.

The list of fasteners with Miami-Dade approvals is smaller than the list with LARRs or ICC-ES reports, but important nonetheless. If your project requires products to have Miami-Dade-approved fasteners, the following list will be of great assistance.

• Hilti’s Kwik-Con II+ and Kwik Con+ Concrete and Masonry Screw Anchors

• Elco’s 1/4" Crete-Flex SS4 Concrete and Masonry Anchors, Aggre-Gator 300 Series Stainless Steel Concrete and Masonry Anchor and Ultracon SS4 410 Series Stainless Steel Concrete & Masonry Screw Anchors

• DeWALT’s Ultracon and Ultracon+ Concrete and Masonry Screw Anchors

• ITW Buildex’s Tapcon Masonry Fasteners, Tapcon Concrete and Masonry Anchors with Advanced Threadform Technology and Tapcon Storm Guard Concrete Anchors

• Brighton Best’s Tapking SD Concrete and Masonry Screw and US Anchor Ultrawedge+ Anchor

If you require Miami-Dade approved fasteners for your project, contact Mudge Fasteners at (800) 634-0406 for assistance.

Hilti KWIK-CON II+ Torx Hex Head

DeWALT UltraCon+ Concrete Screw Anchor

ICC-ES is an abbreviation for International Code Council-Evaluation Service. ICC-ES and ICC incorporate proven techniques and practices into codes and related products and services that foster safe and sustainable design and construction.

Often, federal, state or local building codes will require products with an ICC ESR, or an evaluation report (approval) from the ICC. In fact, the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety recently started accepting ICC-ES reports for seismic requirements as an alternative to LARRs.

While there are plenty of branded fasteners with ICC-ES reports, not all of them have completed the steps necessary to get this approval, so we’ve compiled an easy list to consult when you’re looking for fasteners with ICC approvals.

The fastener brand with the most ICC-ES reports is Hilti, with products including:

• Hilti Low-Velocity Power-Actuated Fasteners

• Bare Steel Deck and Concrete-filled Steel Deck Diaphragms Attached with Hilti X-HSN 24 or X-ENP-19 L15 Powder-driven Frame Fasteners

• Hilti Low-Velocity X-U and X-U 15 Universal Fasteners and X-P Concrete Fasteners

• Steel deck diaphragms attached with Hilti X-HSN 24 or X-ENP-19 l15 powder-driven frame fasteners and Hilti S-SLC 01 M hex washer head or S-SLC 02 M hex washer head sidelap connectors, or Verco decking VSC2 sidelap connection

• Hilti X-GPN 37 MX, X-PN 37 G2 MX and X-PN 37 G3 MX power-actuated fasteners used to attach wood structural panels to cold-formed steel framing

• Steel deck diaphragms attached with Hilti S-MD 12-24 x 15/8 M or S-RT5+ M9 frame fasteners and Hilti S-SLC 01 M HWH, S-SLC 02 M HWH, or S-MD 10-16 x 3/4 M HWH3, S-MD 10-16 x 3/4 HWH3 M9, S-MD 12-24 x 7/8 M HWH4, AND S-MD 12-24 x 7/8 HWH4 M9 screw sidelap connectors, Verco VSC2 sidelap connections, or button punch sidelap connections

• Hilti S-BT Screw-In Fasteners

MKT SZ High Load Anchor

MKT Fastening, a more affordable alternative to many Hilti products, also boasts of several ICC-ES reports, including for Heavy Duty Mechanical Anchors and Medium Duty Mechanical Anchors, all of which are made in the USA.

GRK Rugged Structural Screw

GRK Fasteners also offers a selection of products with ICC-ES reports, including the RSS Rugged Structural Screw, a popular lag bolt alternative.

ITW Buildex and ITW Ramset have a solid selection of ICC approved products:

• ITW Buildex Teks® Self-drilling Fasteners

• Power-Actuated Fasteners and Ceiling Clip Assemblies

• Ramset T3/T4 Power Driven Fastener

• GYP-FAST™ Fasteners Used to Attach Gypsum Sheathing to Metal Studs

• TrakFast Fasteners

• Exterior/Perimeter Sill and Interior Plate Fasteners

DeWALT’s Power-Driven Fasteners, Ceiling Clip Assemblies and Sill Plate Anchorage, Trak-It® C4 and Trak-It® C5 Fasteners in Concrete, Masonry and Steel and CCN Fasteners in Concrete, Masonry and Steel all have ICC-ES reports.

Elco’s Drilit® Self-Drilling Structural Screws and Architectural Roof Clip Fasteners have ICC-ES reports.

Simpson Strong-Tie offers gas- and powder-actuated fasteners, assemblies and threaded rods that have been approved by the ICC as well.

If you need help finding fasteners with ICC-ES reports for your projects, contact Mudge Fasteners at (800) 634-0406 for assistance.

Elco Drilit Fasteners

If you’re building a construction project in the city of Los Angeles, you’re going to need to work with the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS). All fasteners used in construction projects in Los Angeles must meet city code, and at times that requires a Los Angeles Research Report (LARR).

An LARR is an approval for material used in Los Angeles construction projects that are at least equivalent to what is specified in the code, in terms of quality, strength, fire resistance, effectiveness, safety and durability. Here, we’ll explore which fasteners have a pre-existing LARR, making them easier to get approved for use in Los Angeles city construction projects.

Powers Fasteners has a plethora of products with LARR approvals available:

• Powers Snake+ Anchors for Cracked and Uncracked Concrete

• Powers Wedge Bolt+ Screw Anchors in Cracked and Uncracked Concrete

• Powers PE1000+ Epoxy Adhesive Anchor System in Cracked and Uncracked Concrete

• Powers Wood-Knocker Concrete Inserts and Bang-It Concrete Inserts for Steel Deck in Cracked and Uncracked Concrete

• Powers Power-Stud +SD2, Carbon Steel Anchors, SD4,SD6 Stainless Steel Anchors in Cracked and Uncracked Concrete

• Powers Powder Actuated Fasteners, Ceiling Clip Assemblies and Sill Plate Anchorage

• Powers Trak-IT Fasteners for Concrete, Masonry and Steel

• Pure 110+Epoxy Adhesive Anchors System in Cracked and Uncracked Concrete

• Powers Power-Stud + SD1 Expansion Anchors for Craked and Uncraked Concrete

• Powers Trak-It C4 Fasteners

• Powers Power-Stud + SD1 Anchors in Masonry

• Powers Trak-It C5 Gas Operated Fasteners for Concrete, Masonry, and Steel

• Powers 8mm Head Spiral CSI Pin, 10mm Head Drive Pin Power Driven Fasteners, and 8mm Head Spiral CSI Pin & Ceiling Clip Assembly

From Elco Construction, the massively popular Bi-Flex screws have LARR approvals. These stainless steel bi-metal self-drilling screws are used in curtain wall, window wall, architectural railings and more.

Hilti also offers a large selection of products with LARRs:

• Hilti Bi-Metal Kwik-Flex Structural Fasteners for cold-formed steel, structural steel and aluminum

• Steel Deck Diaphragms attached with Hilti S-MD 12-24 x 1 5/8M HWH5 Frame Fasteners

• Hilti Kwik-Flex Structural Fasteners for Cold-Formed Steel and Aluminum

• Hilti Low-Velocity Power Driven Fasteners

• Hilti Low-Velocity X-U and X-U 15 Universal and X-P Concrete Powder Driven Fasteners

• Hilti Low-Velocity Power Driven Track Fasteners

• Hilti X-ENP-19-L15, X-EDN19-THQ12 and X-EDNK22-THQ12 Fasteners and Self-Drilling Screws, Button Punches for Steel Deck and Concrete-Filled Diaphragm Attachment.

• Hilti X-HSN 24 Powder-Driven Fasteners for Attachment of Steel Deck Diaphragms

• Hilti X-EDNK22 THQ12, X-EDN19 THQ12 OR X-ENP-19 L15 Power-Driven Fasteners and Hilti S-SLC01MHWH AND S-SLC02MHWH Sidelap Connectors

• Hilti X-GPN 37 MX Power- Driven Fasteners Used to Attach Wood Structural Panels to Cold- Formed Steel Framing.

ITW Buildex has several products with approved LARRs, including ITW Buildex Teks Select™ self-drilling structural fasteners for cold formed steel and aluminum connections, as well as Gyp-Fast™ fasteners to attached gypsum sheathing to metal studs.

Lastly, Simpson Strong-Tie offers GDP Gas Actuated Fasteners and Powder-Actuated Fasteners with Los Angeles Research Report approvals.

If you need help sourcing fasteners with LARRs, contact Mudge Fasteners at (800) 634-0406. We’ll be happy to help you get what you need.

Almost daily, we receive phone calls from customers who are trying to describe a fastener that they have or that they need, but don’t know how to articulate in the way most fastener industry experts do. Here, we will offer some quick guidance on how to call out a fastener like the pros.

In all cases, you’re going to start a fastener call out with some sort of diameter. You’ll then move on to another dimension (length, outside diameter, etc.), followed by the type of fastener it is, and the finish or coating you require. Let’s explore some examples for different types of fasteners.

Screw Example
1/4-20 x 1-3/4” Phillips Pan Head Machine Screw Steel Zinc Plated

1. 1/4 → Diameter

2. 20 → Thread pitch

3. 1-3/4” → Length

4. Phillips → Drive

5. Pan Head → Head style

6. Machine Screw → Type of screw

7. Steel → Material

8. Zinc Plated → Coating or plating

Nut Example
1/2-13 Finished Hex Nut Grade 8 Yellow Zinc

1. 1/2 → Diameter

2. 13 → Thread pitch

3. Finished Hex Nut → Type of nut

4. Grade 8 → Material

5. Yellow Zinc → Coating or plating

Bolt Example
3/8-16 x 2-1/4” Carriage Bolt Grade 5 Zinc

1. 3/8 → Diameter

2. 16 → Thread pitch

3. 2-1/4” → Length

4. Carriage Bolt → Type of bolt

5. Grade 5 → Material

6. Zinc → Coating or plating

Washer Example
5/16 x 1-1/4 Fender Washer Brass Nickel Plated

1. 5/16 → Bolt diameter for which the washer will be paired with

2. 1-1/4 → Outer diameter

3. Fender Washer → Type of washer

4. Brass → Material

5. Nickel Plated → Coating or plating

Now that you’re a fastener call-out expert, give us a call at (800) 634-0406 or text us at (951) 270-1360 to try out your new skills. If you’re still trying to figure out which fastener is right for your application, contact us for help.

As the tightened labor market continues heading into 2022, and the costs of adding new employees and maintaining current ones increases, many companies are rightly looking for ways to reduce their labor needs. If you’re selling a finished project with packaged fasteners (and other parts), Mudge Fasteners has a great solution for you.

Mudge Fasteners' custom packaging and kitting services will streamline your production and decrease your labor costs. Our service takes away the overwhelming task of tracking and managing multiple parts and materials by allowing you to order a variety of parts with a single part number. We maintain the highest quality standards for machine or hand-packed kits and custom packaging. Kits can include multiple parts, including both fasteners and non-fasteners, as well as instruction sheets, material certs and more.

You should consider kitting if you:

• are currently kitting in-house now

• want to cut down on labor costs

• want to streamline production

• want to reduce packaging content errors and costs from lost parts

• order the parts repeatedly for use in the same location

• provide parts and/or printed materials with your product to be used by the customer

Outsourcing your kitting and packaging to Mudge Fasteners allows you to reduce your labor needs in two ways. You’ll require less shop floor labor to do the actual kitting and packaging, and you’ll also be able to reduce your office labor, since there will be no kitting/packaging employees to manage.

For more information on custom kitting and packaging services, contact Mudge Fasteners at (800) 634-0406.

With so much in the news about supply chain issues, many companies who purchase large quantities of fasteners are wondering how they will be affected. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has had a universal impact on the supply chain, triggering port congestion, disruptions at Chinese plants, high demand and longer lead times. The fastener industry is not immune to these challenges.

Since the majority of standard commodity fasteners come from manufacturing facilities overseas, and primarily in China, we first must examine the situation at the ports in Long Beach and Los Angeles. Maritime ports and terminals handle over 80% of all internationally traded goods. Factors that cause the disruptions at the ports include stockpiling of goods, containers piling up at the ports, which slows the entire system down –  less space to move containers between docks and ships, less space for trucks, and fewer chassis available because containers are sitting on them, and workforce reductions due to illness.

While the port congestion has caused a delay, significant progress has already been made to clear the pile up. The Department of Transportation has teamed up with local authorities to waive fees, extend working hours, and create grants for ports seeking to clear up congestion and create a more resilient system overall. If this post had been written in September of 2021, we would see dwell times (the average number of days a container has spent on the dock) that were double, sometimes even triple, the pre-pandemic figure. In just one recent week, the number of containers that have been dwelling on the docks for at least nine days has fallen over twenty percent, according to data provided by the ports. In two weeks, the number of ships off the California coast that were waiting to be unloaded went from 111 to 61. It seems we are sure to see delays for at least a while longer, but this situation is quickly getting resolved with the new measures put in place, and should not cause any further problems by early in 2022.

The next issue causing potential supply chain issues for the fastener industry is the ongoing effects of the coronavirus pandemic. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Chinese plants reduced shifts, reduced the number of workers at one facility at a time, and had a shortage of workers due to illness. As vaccines rolled out and more information was available, we saw an increase in production and a short time of progress in the output coming from Chinese plants. However, new variants and outbreaks of COVID have slowed down production again. Industrial production rose 5.3% in August from a year earlier, narrowing from an increase of 6.4% in July and marking the weakest pace since July 2020, data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed. With the emergence of the Omicron variant, some countries (including China) may choose to enact renewed restrictions to control transmission of the newest variant. This will lead to longer lead times, decreased output, and a delay in the final product production. Unlike the delays caused by port congestion, this factor is harder to see the end of, and we can expect some of its effects to linger on deep into 2022, and possibly even into early 2023.

Lastly, there is currently very high demand for fasteners due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the reopening of manufacturing plants that were bottlenecked during coronavirus outbreaks. One sector that is rapidly growing and has seen an increase in demand for fasteners is the medical device industry. Respiratory systems and monitoring equipment, such as ventilators, all require very specific assembly, including fasteners. Overflow hospitals were built throughout the world and continue to be built in order to meet anticipated needs more quickly. Additionally, with the new infrastructure law now signed by President Biden, we’re likely to see demand increase rapidly for domestically manufactured fasteners.

When you combine all of these factors, we anticipate mixed effects to the fastener industry’s supply chain. Where the port congestion will surely improve, the effects of the ongoing pandemic are lesser known, and the increased demand caused by new initiatives and backed up factories will likely increase lead times. For assistance in making sure your fastener supply isn’t impacted by supply chain issues, contact Mudge Fasteners at (800) 634-0406.

DURA-CON Corrosion Resistant Fasteners

Because PV solar arrays are exposed to harsh weather conditions, the fasteners included in their mounting systems should always have a high level of corrosion resistance. While many engineers choose standard stainless steel fasteners due to their longstanding reputation for corrosion resistance, there are actually better options.

DURA-CON and Molykote are newer proprietary coatings marketed for use in solar panels installations and other outdoor environments. Both of these coating claims to have both corrosion resistant properties and properties meant to decrease the friction coefficient of the assembly to reduce the possibility of galling.

While there is limited independent test data for Molykote fasteners, DURA-CON Corrosion Resistant Fasteners have been specifically tested in aluminum solar panel racking materials, withstanding 1500 hours of Salt Spray per ASTM B-117 with zero corrosion.

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DURA-CON Salt Spray Test Results
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DURA-CON Fasteners employ a three layer coating system that consists of an inorganic zinc-rich first coat and an aluminum-rich organic second coat. Friction modifiers are integrated into the topcoat, resulting in repeatable torque tension characteristics during assembly. Molykote fasteners are said to have a “paint-like” solution applied to them to reduce friction, but without supporting test data.

Additionally, the proprietary DURA-CON coating allows for use of Grade 5 bolts, which are stronger than A307 zinc, hot dip galvanized or 300 series stainless steel bolts. All of this adds up to a finished product that is high strength, with high corrosion resistance, and no galling.

If you’d like more information or pricing for DURA-CON Corrosion Resistant Fasteners, contact Mudge Fasteners at (800) 634-0406. You can also buy DURA-CON fasteners online at www.fastenerexpert.us.

Solar energy has been a fast-growing industry around the world since the mid-2000s, with Mudge Fasteners first launching the Solar Fastener Expert program in 2008. Here’s a look at where it’s headed in 2022.

Experts predict that the solar sector will grow at an average of 13% per year between 2020 and 2030. Forecasters anticipate that approximately 42 million people will work with renewable energy systems by 2050.

The U.S. solar market is expected to hit $22.9 billion by 2025. The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) projects that over the next five years, installations will more than double in solar capacity, surpassing 100 GW by 2022. Over 242,000 Americans were employed in the solar industry in 2019, double the number from 2012.

In December 2020, Congress passed an extension of the ITC (federal solar investment tax credit), which provides a 26% tax credit for systems installed in 2020-2022, and 22% for systems installed in 2023. The tax credit expires starting in 2024 unless Congress renews it. Homeowners will be able to take advantage of the solar tax credit well into 2022, and may even rush to do so, creating higher than anticipated demand in 2022.

Declining prices for solar panels and batteries will continue, attracting new buyers. Over 96 percent of net new energy generation capacity in 2022 will come from solar and wind sources, according to Deloitte. Solar construction costs fell by 37 percent from 2013 to 2017, and analysts predict that the costs of constructing solar power technology will continue to decrease at an average rate of 4.4% each year.

The selection of products powered by solar will expand in 2022. "Solar-powered equipment will be the buzzword in the world," says Solar Power Nation. Generators, phone chargers, speakers, security lights, fans and lanterns can all utilize solar power energy. Outlet-free outdoor equipment will grow as a sector, and create opportunities for solar companies. These items will appeal to people searching for a green option, as well as people who face extreme weather events that create problems like blackouts.

All of the evidence points in the direction of the solar power industry continuing to grow in 2022. As the market matures, manufacturers will need to innovate even more, and fasteners and mounting solutions will be one of the primary drivers of small-scale innovation.

If you’re looking for a supplier of standard stainless steel fasteners for solar installations, mounting hardware for residential or commercial rooftop PV arrays, or even fall protection for solar installers, look no further than Mudge Fasteners. Contact us at (800) 634-0406 to learn how we can help your solar company get it right, right on time.

On November 15th, President Joe Biden signed his $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill. With bipartisan support, the legislation invests in funding for roads and bridges, rail, transit, ports, airports, the electric grid, water systems and expanded broadband. Eric Hoplin, National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW) CEO, stated that “this legislation will help the wholesale distribution industry more efficiently move goods and materials across the country, benefitting both American businesses and consumers. Bipartisan collaboration results in great achievements for our country, and this investment in infrastructure is a victory for all Americans.” So, the question for our industry now is “What does this historic legislation mean for the fastener world?”

Updating and upgrading US infrastructure as the economy recoveries will create opportunities in many sectors, which would lead to a higher demand for fasteners and all materials. Building new physical infrastructure will require various steel products, cement, lumber, and other material inputs. Modernizing federal equipment includes buying new vehicles. The bill includes a total of $40 billion of new funding for bridge repair, replacement, and rehabilitation, which is the single largest dedicated bridge investment since the construction of the interstate highway system. The deal’s $65 billion investment ensures every American has access to reliable high-speed internet with an historic investment in broadband infrastructure deployment. The bill sets aside $7.5 billion to help build a national network of electric vehicle charging stations. Biden's ultimate goal is to have a nationwide network of 500,000 EV chargers.

The American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) estimates that for every $100 billion of new investment in infrastructure it could increase demand for domestic steel by as much as 5 million st. The Steel Manufacturers Association shared a similar estimate, stating that every $100 billion of investment can incrementally increase steel demand by 4 million st to 6 million st. Passage of the bill provides a "tremendous boost" to the US steel industry, Kevin Dempsey, CEO of the American Iron and Steel Association, said in a statement.

Abigail Ross Hopper, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), said, "Solar is a job-creator, and the long-term tax incentives for solar, storage and domestic manufacturing will put us on a path to decarbonize the electric grid, reach the President’s 2035 clean energy target, and create hundreds of thousands of quality career opportunities in every community."

As you can see, most of these initiatives will require significant use of fasteners of some type. Due to its federal funding, the fasteners used in these projects will likely need to be made in the USA, and some will need to be mil-spec fasteners. If you’d like assistance sourcing domestically manufactured or mil-spec fasteners, contact Mudge Fasteners at (800) 634-0406 for help.

Mudge Fasteners is pleased to offer all of the most common solar fasteners for PV installations. What you see here is just a small selection of the most popular stainless steel solar fasteners. In fact, we stock 60,000+ different types of solar fasteners in our warehouse!

Lag Bolts (Lag Screws)

Sheet Metal Screws

Self-Drilling Screws

Hex Head Self-Drilling Screws with Sealing Washer

Hex Bolts

Hex Cap Screws

Hex Nuts

Nylon Insert Lock Nuts

Serrated Flange Lock Nuts

Keps Nuts (K-Locknuts)

Flat Washers

Sealing Washers

Split Lock Washers

Tooth Lock Washers

T-Bolts (Hammerhead Bolts)

Spring Washers

One of the most common fasteners used in solar installation is the 5/16 x 3-1/2” (18-8) stainless steel lag bolt, sometimes referred to as a lag screw. These fasteners were created to connect larger pieces of lumber together, but solar installations often require lag bolts to secure roof mounted systems directly onto the roof’s structure.

Solar racking manufacturers place the responsibility onto the installer to ensure there is enough “pullout strength” and shear “capacities” for the lag screws being used. The type of wood that solar racking is being attached to will affect the performance of a lag screw. A pilot hole needs to be pre-drilled for proper installation, and the drill bit used for the pilot hole should be undersized to allow the lag bolt to bind to the material during installation.

While there is no standard definition for the mechanical components of lag screws, guides for design and commonly used dimensions can be found in the American Wood Council’s ANSI/AF&PA NDS-2005 National Design Specifications (NDS) for Wood Construction. The most common variation occurring in lag screws is that of the shank length.

Lag bolts are ideal for heavy duty applications when a high level of stability is required. If you have any questions about using lag screws in solar installations, contact us for help. You can also buy lag bolts directly online at FastenerExpert.us.

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Lag bolt pilot hole diameters. Click here to download (PDF).

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Lag bolt pull-out capacities. Click here to download (PDF).

Black oxide hex bolts

Different coating chemistries have long been used by fastener manufacturers to improve corrosion resistance, lubricity, or both. Understanding a solar fastener’s coating can ensure joint integrity, improve field life, and increase serviceability. 

Black oxide is a conversion coating used on fasteners made from ferrous (iron-containing) materials, copper and copper based alloys, stainless steel, zinc and more.Black oxide is sometimes used for appearance, to minimize the reflection of light, or for mild corrosion resistance. For black oxide to achieve maximum corrosion resistance properties, it must be impregnated with wax or oil. One advantage black oxide has over other coatings is its minimal buildup. Solar assemblies commonly use black oxide to coat a stainless steel fasteners for aesthetic purposes, creating an evenly colored black finish without compromising the integrity of the fastener. 

Inorganic coatings encompass anodizing, surface conversion, enameling, metallic coatings and more. Created through a chemical action that changes the surface layer of the metal into a metallic oxide film or compound, inorganic coatings are primarily used to reduce corrosion.

DURA-CON salt spray test results

In addition to the previously mentioned unbranded coatings, the Magni organization offers a selection of proprietary coatings for solar fasteners. The 565 coating from Magni allows lubricants to be integrated into the topcoat, which will typically eliminate the need for messy and cumbersome post-treatments. This non-electrolytically applied, zinc-and-aluminum-rich coating also eliminates the concern of hydrogen embrittlement. Able to be formulated in many colors, the Magni 565 coating also comes in several friction levels while still providing consistency across different bearing surfaces.

DURA-CON brand fasteners offer a variety of Grade 5 and standard steel fasteners that are coated to be suitable for use as solar fasteners. DURA-CON fasteners employ a three layer coating system consisting of an inorganic zinc-rich first coat and an aluminum-rich organic second coat. Friction modifiers are integrated into the topcoat, resulting in repeatable torque tension characteristics during assembly. Grade 5 bolts are stronger than A307 zinc, hot dip galvanized or 300 series stainless steel bolts, and DURA-CON coating provides superior corrosion resistance; easily withstanding 1500 hours of Salt Spray per ASTM B-117 with no corrosion whatsoever.

For more information about which coating type my be best for your solar fastener application, contact us today.

Though a particular solar application may call for a specific, less-common material, the majority of solar installation hardware is made up of one or a combination of four standard materials: 18/8 stainless steel, 316 grade stainless steel, 410 grade stainless steel, or Grade 5 steel.

Stainless Steel 18/8
The most widely used and flexible austenitic form of stainless steel, 18/8 stainless steel is 304 grade stainless steel. The numbers 18/8 are a representation of what makes up the material; 18% chromium and 8% nickel. This chemical makeup creates a material that is very resistant to both oxidation and corrosion. 18/8 stainless steel is common for sheet metal screws and most nuts used in solar installations.

Stainless Steel 316
Known for its 2-3% molybdenum content, 316 grade stainless steel is an austenitic form of stainless steel. The additional molybdenum creates a metal that is more resistant to pitting and corrosion, and it also improves resistance to failure caused by very high temperatures. Particularly effective when used in acidic environments, corrosion that is caused by acetic, hydrochloric and other forms of acids can be prevented by using fasteners made from 316 stainless, but the metal is softer than 18/8 stainless or 410 stainless.

Stainless Steel 410
Containing 11.5% chromium, 410 grade stainless steel is general-purpose martensitic stainless, providing reliable corrosion resistance in most cases. Additionally, the corrosion resistance of 410 grade stainless can be further enhanced by processes like tempering, hardening and polishing. Fasteners made from 410 stainless are generally used for applications involving the need for mild corrosion resistance, high heat resistance and high strength performance. Self-drilling screws used in solar applications are commonly made from 410 grade stainless steel.

Grade 5 Steel
Grade 5 is a zinc-plated, medium carbon alloy steel that has been heat treated to increase its hardness. Bolts made from Grade 5 steel are identified by three evenly spaced hash marks on the bolt’s head, and sometimes a manufacturers mark or logo may also be included. During the manufacturing of Grade 5 cap screws, the screws are heated to strengthen the outside, creating a stronger outside than inside of the fastener. When Grade 5 steel is used in a solar application, it is typically coated in a very corrosion resistant finish.

Bi-Metal Fasteners
A bi-metal screw, as the name suggests, is a. screw comprised of two metal types. The point is typically made from a high carbon steel that has been heat treated, giving it the ability to self-drill. The body is then made from stainless steel so as to provide the resistance to corrosion. One example of a highly popular bi-metal fastener is the Elco Bi-Flex structural screw, which are self-drilling, self-tapping screws that provide the efficiency of drill screws combined with the corrosion resistance of 300 series stainless steel. Bi-Flex screws can be used in both steel and aluminum racking.

If you want to know more about which material the fasteners for your particular solar assembly should be made of, contact Mudge Fasteners for assistance.

For bolted connections in any outdoor environment, avoiding corrosion is going to be key to preserving the integrity of the assembly. This is of course true for fasteners used in solar installations, since they’re not only exclusively used in outdoor environments, but often in some with the harshest exposure to the elements.

Joints exposed to a corrosion attack suffer deterioration. Failure caused by corrosion should receive priority attention, but even small amounts of corrosion causing loss of material can result in loss of preload.

To reduce the possibility of corrosion in bolted connections, consider the following:

• Use corrosion resistant and compatible materials.

• Basic factors affecting how a corrosion-resistant fastener should be chosen:

  • tensile strength

  • fatigue strength

  • position of the fastener and materials to be joined on the galvanic series scale

• Basic factors affecting how a corrosion resistant protective coating for fasteners should be chosen:

  • Level of corrosion resistance

  • Limitations due to temperature

  • Base metal embrittlement

  • Any effect the coating may have on fatigue life

  • Any effect the coating may have on locking torque

  • Whether or not the coasting is compatible with adjacent material

  • If the coating will cause any dimensional changes

  • Thickness & distribution

  • Adhesion characteristics

• Protect from environmental exposure

Want to learn more about preventing corrosion in bolted connections? Contact us for assistance.

The third consideration for bolted connections in solar installations is the possibility of fatigue and its effects on the integrity of the assembly.

Dynamic and alternating service loads will cause a bolt to fracture at a load less than its static tensile strength. That Fatigue Strength is the maximum tensile load a material can support before fracturing prior to a given number of loading cycles. As load is reduced, the number of loading cycles that a bolt can endure increases until a level known as the Endurance Limit Δ is reached, at which a bolt will function with immunity against fatigue.

Here are some guidelines to preventing fatigue:

• High preloads protect bolts against failure.

• When the portion of the fluctuating service load is less than the bolt’s endurance limit, the fatigue life is essentially infinite.

If you’re looking for help preventing fatigue in bolted connections for your solar panel installation, contact Mudge to get the assistance you need.

Two fatigue cracks have developed. The central area is the last to fail. Examination of the threads confirmed the bolt was loose.

In addition to the threat of relaxation described previously, vibration is another way in which bolted connection in solar installations can be compromised.

In tightened fasteners, frictional resistance develops between the bolt and nut threads and between the bolt head and the nut against the joined material. If this resistance is reduced, even for a microsecond, tensile stress in the bolt will cause the mating threads to loosen. Locking mechanisms can be employed to resist loosening.

To prevent loosening caused by vibration, consider taking the following steps:

• The best way to clamp the joined material sufficiently that the frictional resistance exceeds any applied shear force that will occur in service. Properly preload the bolt.

• Adjusting joint geometry to provide a mechanical restraint.

• Use jam nuts, slotted nuts with a cotter pin.

• Use anaerobic adhesives to cement threads together.

• Use self-locking fasteners such as locknuts, nylon thread patches or pellets, or wedge-lock type washers.

If you have any questions about how to prevent loosening due to vibration in a solar fastener connection, don’t hesitate to contact us for additional help.

When considering bolted joints in solar installations, there are a few factors that may influence the connection’s integrity, one of which is relaxation.

All joints experience some relaxation after assembly with an accompanying loss of preload. Additional relaxation may occur during the service life of the joint depending on time, loading type and level, and environment. If a joint relaxes too much, loss of preload may result in joint separation and failure.

In order to combat relaxation of a bolted assembly in a solar installation, take the following precautions:

• Limit joint interfaces.

• Ensure smooth surfaces.

• Control parallelism of joint surfaces.

• Use flange head bolts and flange nuts to reduce bearing stresses against joint material.

• Use hardened washers under bolt head and nut to distribute bearing stresses.

• Use smaller diameter higher strength bolt to increase elasticity.

If you have questions about how to minimize the threat of relaxation in bolted joints, please contact us.