Flange Nut vs. Lock Nut: Choosing the Right Anti-Vibration Fastener for Your Application
Are you having trouble deciding whether to use a flange or a lock nut on your vibration-prone equipment? Rest assured, many businesses struggle to know where to begin.
As a trusted manufacturer of high-performance fasteners, we’ve seen this question a lot, and we understand how important it is to choose the right type because they all have different benefits.
So, keep reading because we’ve broken down the basics of whether to use a flange or a lock nut, depending on factors including vibration resistance, and so on.
Flange Nut vs. Lock Nut: Flange Nuts’ Design, Benefits, and Common Uses
They are a nut with a hexagonal head on one side and a built-in washer on the other, known as a “flange.“
This design has features that make it suited for applications with high vibrations or uneven surfaces, such as:
- The flange covers a bigger surface, which minimizes nut loosening by up to 50%.
- Simplifying installation since the flange and nut are already in one piece of equipment.
- When you tighten the flange, it spreads the force across a larger area; it prevents crushing a specific part of the surface.
Hence, they are in high demand by a variety of sectors to protect vibration-prone parts such as:
- Plumbing (e.g., connecting pipes and fittings)
- Construction (e.g., steel frames, bridges)
- Automotive industry (e.g., engines and transmission components)
Serrated Flange Nuts: Enhanced Grip and Vibration Resistance
This is one of the anti-vibration fasteners, which have small grooves or serrations under the flanges.
These flange nut grooves strongly grip the surface and properly distribute pressure, preventing damage and the nut from loosening due to vibrations or movements.
Like other flange nuts, they are also frequently available in various kinds of corrosion-resistant and durable materials, such as:
- Alloy steel
- Carbon steel
- Stainless steel
They are common in M3-M20 size; however, some manufacturers, like CNRL, offer M5-M64 or higher for more demanding applications.
Flange Nut vs. Lock Nut: Lock Nut’s Mechanisms and Anti-Loosening Power
These nuts are also referred to as “anti-vibration fasteners” since they have unique locking mechanisms including:
- Friction Locking: Certain locknuts rely on friction locking. They typically have rough or somewhat distorted threads; this increases friction, preventing them from loosening themselves.
- Positive Locking Device: The nut may have additional components, such as a small metal lip or pin, to hold it in place. Castellated nuts are an example of lock nuts that have these locking characteristics.
Hence, they are widely utilized in several kinds of industries because their locking mechanism is built to keep the system’s parts secure even during extreme vibrations.
There are two major types of locknuts:
They have a deformed metal section or integrated parts that force the nut to create extra friction on the bolt threads.
Moreover, they can come in various designs, like stovers, which use top thread deformation to maintain tightness and resist loosening.
Additionally, they can withstand higher temperatures, up to 1,400°F (760°C), because they don’t have nylon.
- Nylon Insert Lock Nuts
These lock nuts have a small ring made of nylon on one end.
Their locking mechanism is a nylon ring, however some manufacturers, such as CNRL, include other unique features to increase the nut’s stability, such as built-in flanges.
As the nut is tightened, the nylon ring slightly deforms and compresses against the bolt’s threads, resulting in increased friction and vibration resistance.
Furthermore, they can withstand temperatures as high as 250°F (121°C) without losing their grip on the components.
Flange Nut vs. Lock Nut: Key Differences in Load Distribution, Vibration Resistance, and Reusability
| Characteristic | Locknut | Flange nut |
| Reusability | Limited reusability due to inserted locking pieces, particularly nylon inserts, which weaken or distort after repeated use and lose effectiveness. | Higher reusability without losing tightness and ability to spread load since they lack components that often wear out like nylon. |
| Load distribution | They focused on locking mechanisms to prevent loosening; therefore, there was less emphasis on spreading pressures. | The wide flange acts as a built-in washer, spreading the pressure or load and reducing material damage better. |
| Vibration Resistance | Have a locking mechanism like nylon inserts or other integrated parts, making them more effective in high-vibration situations. | Provides moderate vibration resistance but might include a serrated flange for better grip. |
Application Scenarios: Where Each Industrial Nut Excels
Flange Nut vs. Lock Nut for Automotive Fastening Solutions
Automotive fastening solutions, including flanges and lock nuts, are crucial for securing components.
Flange nuts are more suitable for applications in automotive with moderate vibrations and need higher load distributions, like automobile chassis and suspension systems.
Furthermore, locknuts, especially nylon locknuts, are better for automotive components that have high vibrations, including engine parts and wheel assemblies.
Lock Nut vs. Flange Nut for Other Industrial Fastening Solutions
Flange nuts are used in a lot of sectors due to their unique ability to better spread load while maintaining a tight connection and resistance to corrosion.
These include:
- Oil and Gas Industry (e.g., pipelines and flanged connections in aggressive environments)
- power generation equipment (e.g., transmission line towers, substations)
Furthermore, lock nuts are suited for specific industrial applications that are vulnerable to higher vibrations and temperatures, such as:
- Aerospace (e.g., rocket engines, fuselage)
- Wind turbines (e.g., rotor blades, nacelles, towers)
Lock Nut vs. Flange Nut: Factors to Consider When Choosing Anti-Vibration Fasteners For Optimal Performance
To choose the right fastener for your requirements, you must assess numerous factors, including:
- Assembly Efficiency: Flange nuts are typically easier and faster to install, while certain lock nuts require more torque, making installation and removal difficult.
- The Degree of Load Intensity: Flange nuts spread the load better because of their design.
- Reusability Requirements: Flange nuts have higher reusability.
- Applications’ Temperature: Use all-metal locknuts for higher-temperature applications.
- Vibration Severity and Frequency: Select lock nuts for higher vibration applications.
CNRL’s Expert Guidance on Fastener Selection and Quality
Whether you’re assessing lock nuts or a flange nut or custom nuts, CNRL delivers expert guidance backed by over 30 years as a trusted OEM supplier.
We specialize in developing anti-loosening and high-strength fasteners intended for assembly compatibility for many kinds of applications, including:
- Energy
- Automobiles
- Machining machines.
Furthermore, we maintain stringent controls over material strength and innovative surface treatments.
As a result, we can make a wide range of nuts, including those that are exceptionally durable and corrosion-resistant for your specific needs.
Contact our engineering team today for expert fastener selection advice to discover the ideal fit for your business!
