CLA Aluminum Self-Clinching Nuts
Aluminum self-clinching clinch nuts tabulated in their own geometry table — unified #2-56 to 1/4-20 and metric M2 to M6 — with the heavier shank and larger holes the aluminum clinch geometry requires.
Last updated: 2026-11
Specifications
CLA is the aluminum-fastener member of the clinch nut family, and the collected bulletin tabulates it separately from the steel/stainless S/CLS/SP table — the geometry differs, not just the material. Because aluminum shanks cold-flow differently than steel, the CLA table runs a thicker minimum sheet ladder and larger mounting holes at equivalent thread sizes: at #4-40 the CLA row is C .1875 / E .187 / T .250 with a .090 in. minimum sheet and .22 in. edge distance, versus .166/.165/.250 at .070 min sheet for the steel S table. That means a panel designed around CLA holes is not interchangeable with a steel-nut layout without re-checking every hole. Like all clinch nuts it presses into a controlled hole and becomes a permanent, non-rotating threaded boss, back side flush or sub-flush. Thread range spans unified #2-56 through 1/4-20 and metric M2 through M6, each with shank-code ladders in the collected table.
| Type | Self-clinching clinch nut, aluminum fastener material; tabulated in its own geometry table separate from the S/CLS/SP steel/stainless table |
|---|---|
| Unified thread range | #2-56, #4-40, #6-32, #8-32, #10-24, #10-32, 1/4-20 |
| Metric thread range | M2 x 0.4, M3 x 0.5, M3.5 x 0.6, M4 x 0.7, M5 x 0.8, M6 x 1 |
| Shank codes (sampled) | #2-56: 1 = .038/.040, 2 = .054/.056 in. (A max / hole min); 1/4-20: 1 = .054/.056, 2 = .087/.091, 3 = .120/.125; M2: 1 = .98/1, 2 = 1.38/1.4 mm |
| Unified geometry (C / E / T, min sheet, edge) | #2-56: .166 / .165 / .250 / .040 / .19; #4-40: .1875 / .187 / .250 / .090 / .22; #6-32: .213 / .212 / .280 / .090 / .27; #8-32: .234 / .233 / .310 / .130 / .28; #10-24 and #10-32: .296 / .295 / .370 / .160 / .31; 1/4-20: .344 / .343 / .440 / .170 / .34 |
| Metric geometry (C / E / T, min sheet, edge) | M2: 4.22 / 4.2 / 6.35 / 1.5 / 4.8; M3: 4.75 / 4.73 / 6.35 / 2 / 5.6; M3.5: 5.41 / 5.38 / 7.11 / 2 / 6.9; M4: 5.94 / 5.92 / 7.8 / 3 / 7.1; M5: 7.52 / 7.49 / 9.4 / 3.8 / 7.9; M6: 8.75 / 8.73 / 11.18 / 4.08 / 8.6 (mm) |
| Recommended panels | Steel or aluminum sheets HRB 50 / HB 82 or less (collected CL bulletin panel notes; the softest ceiling of the clinch-nut family — aluminum fastener material into aluminum-class panels) |
| Performance (sampled, 5052-H34 aluminum sheet) | #4-40 (shank code 1): 800–1500 lbs installation, 100 lbs pushout, 6 in.-lbs torque-out (code 2: 120 / 9); M3 (code 1): 3.56–6.67 kN, 445 N, 0.68 N·m (code 2: 534 / 1.02); M4 (code 2): 5.78–8.01 kN, 756 N, 3.27 N·m (collected CL performance tables) |
| Back side | Flush or sub-flush after installation |
| MOQ / lead time | Not owner-confirmed for this family — confirmed at quotation |
| Thread code | Shank code | Installation force (lbs) | Pushout (lbs) | Torque-out (in.-lbs) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #4-40 (.112-40) | 1 | 800 - 1500 | 100 | 6 |
| #4-40 (.112-40) | 2 | 800 - 1500 | 120 | 9 |
| #6-32 (.138-32) | 1 | 1000 - 1500 | 110 | 21 |
| #6-32 (.138-32) | 2 | 1200 - 1700 | 155 | 24 |
| #8-32 (.164-32) | 1 | 1000 - 1500 | 120 | 27 |
| #8-32 (.164-32) | 2 | 1300 - 1800 | 170 | 29 |
| #10-32 (.190-32) | 1 | 1700 - 2200 | 130 | 34 |
| #10-32 (.190-32) | 2 | 2600 - 3100 | 200 | 50 |
| Thread | Shank code | Installation force (kN) | Pushout (N) | Torque-out (N·m) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| M2 x 0.4 | 2 | 3.56 - 6.67 | 500 | 0.4 |
| M3 x 0.5 | 1 | 3.56 - 6.67 | 445 | 0.68 |
| M3 x 0.5 | 2 | 3.56 - 6.67 | 534 | 1.02 |
| M4 x 0.7 | 1 | 4.45 - 6.67 | 534 | 3.05 |
| M4 x 0.7 | 2 | 5.78 - 8.01 | 756 | 3.27 |
Materials
- Aluminum fastener material (per the collected CLA designation); finish codes per RFQ
Ordering & documentation
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 (CLA Aluminum Self-Clinching Nuts) 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.
Frequently asked questions
Why does CLA have its own geometry table instead of sharing the steel S table?
The clinch geometry is matched to how the fastener material cold-flows into the sheet. The collected bulletin tabulates CLA separately, and the numbers differ in ways that matter for hole layout: at #4-40, CLA runs C .1875 / E .187 with a .090 in. minimum sheet, while the steel S table runs .166/.165 at .070. If you substitute CLA into a panel drilled for steel S nuts without re-checking holes and sheet thickness, the clinch may not form correctly. Treat the two tables as two different products that happen to share a thread callout.
What is the practical thread ceiling on CLA?
The collected table tops out at 1/4-20 unified and M6 metric — smaller than the S-series table, which runs to 5/16-18 and M10. If your design needs a larger thread in an aluminum-nut application, the aluminum standoff and stud lines (SOA/BSOA/CFSOA in this catalog) or a steel nut with a heavier panel are the alternatives to quote. The table boundary is a property of the collected source, not a general industry limit.
What should an RFQ for these self-clinching standoffs state?
State the series (CFSO steel, CFSOS stainless, or CFSOA aluminum), thread size (for example #10-32 or M4 x 0.7), body size (small or large), nominal length L, sheet material, thickness and hardness, and quantity per size — plus destination country. Commercial terms are confirmed at quotation.
Request a Quote
Get factory-direct pricing from the manufacturer.
What to include in your inquiry
- ✓ Standard and property class (e.g. DIN 912, ISO 4762, class 8.8) — or a drawing for custom parts.
- ✓ Sizes, lengths and thread type (metric or inch).
- ✓ Quantity per size and your target delivery date.
- ✓ Destination country, plus any coating or finish requirement.
- ✓ Any documents you need with the shipment (e.g. mill test certificate) so the quote includes them.
- ✓ Your inquiry goes straight to the factory team by email and gets a reply within 24 hours.
- ✓ Factory-direct pricing
- ✓ Standard and custom specifications
- ✓ Factory-direct export to buyers in Europe, Asia, the Americas and the Middle East
- ✓ Full fastener family support