Self-Clinching Fasteners

How the clinch holds

When pressed into ductile material, a self-clinching fastener displaces the host material around the mounting hole, causing it to cold flow into a specially designed annular recess in the shank or pilot of the fastener; a serrated clinching ring, knurl, ribs or the head then prevents rotation once inserted, making the fastener a permanent part of the sheet. The collected specification sheet for Series CFE & CFEO / CFEX & CFEOX rates the series for use in materials with Rockwell hardness of B-70 or less — harder sheets resist the cold flow, so state your sheet material and hardness on the RFQ.

Installation is a squeezing operation: place the fastener into the anvil hole and the mounting hole over the shank, keep the installation punch and anvil surfaces parallel, and apply squeezing force until the head contacts the sheet. The collected sheet tabulates the required installation force per thread size and sheet series — 1500 lbs for #4-40 on 0.040 in. cold-rolled steel up to 15.6 kN for M6 on 1.5 mm.

Locking versus non-locking threads

The same sheet carries both lines. Series CFE & CFEO are the self-locking nuts: black dry-film lubricant per MIL-46010 Type I over cadmium, internal 3B threads per ANSI B1.1 (6H metric per ANSI/ASME B1.13M), with thread-locking performance the sheet rates as equivalent to applicable NASM25027 specifications. Series CFEX & CFEOX are the non-locking counterparts: passivated per ASTM A380, internal 2B / 6H classes, free-running for screws that are repeatedly serviced. Thread sizes run #4-40 through 1/4-28 unified and M3 x 0.5 through M6 x 1.0 metric in both lines.

Pick the line by the joint, not by habit: vibration-critical or rarely serviced joints take the locking series; frequently serviced, non-vibration joints take the free-running series. Both install into the same sheet-hardness envelope, and the collected performance table (installation force, pushout, torque-out per thread size and sheet series) applies per line — quote the row for your size and sheet on the RFQ.

Documents

Shipments are backed by Mill Test Certificate (MTC), Dimensional Report, Salt Spray Test Report on request, with full batch traceability from raw material to finished product. Quality management follows the owner-confirmed compliance list: ISO 9001:2015, RoHS, REACH. Exact document sets are confirmed on the order.

Quotation

• The fastener family (Self-Clinching Fasteners) plus the standard designation from your drawing — DIN / ISO / JIS / ASTM / ANSI, or a drawing for custom parts.
• Size (diameter and length), thread type (metric or inch), property class or grade, and coating or finish.
• Quantity per size and your target delivery date.
• Destination country, and any required documents (for example a mill test certificate) so the quote includes them.

Sample & supply

Minimum order quantities and lead times for this family are confirmed at quotation — send your sizes, grades and quantities on the RFQ and the quote will carry a firm schedule. Sample availability is confirmed with the quotation.

Storage & shipping

Parts are packed for export and shipped factory-direct to buyers in Europe, Asia, the Americas and the Middle East. Store fasteners dry and protected until installation, and keep coated parts in their packaging until use; specific packing and preservation requirements can be stated on the order and confirmed at quotation.

What sheets can self-clinching fasteners be installed into?

The collected specification sheet rates Series CFE/CFEO/CFEX/CFEOX for use in materials with Rockwell hardness of B-70 or less; the fastener displaces the host material around the mounting hole so it cold flows into an annular recess, which is what locks the nut in. State sheet material, thickness and hardness on the RFQ — harder or brittle sheets need the fastener type confirmed before ordering.

Locking or non-locking — which line do I quote?

Self-locking CFE & CFEO carry dry-film lubricant per MIL-46010 Type I over cadmium with locking performance equivalent to NASM25027 — the choice for vibration-critical or rarely serviced joints. Non-locking CFEX & CFEOX are passivated per ASTM A380 with free-running 2B/6H threads — the choice for screws that are repeatedly removed. Both run #4-40 to 1/4-28 unified and M3 to M6 metric.

What is the MOQ and lead time for self-clinching fasteners?

Commercial terms for this family are confirmed at quotation together with series, thread sizes, sheet thickness and hardness — state the series (self-locking or non-locking), thread size and pitch per size, sheet material and hardness, and quantity on the RFQ.