26 Jul 2021

Oxidation protection treatments

What is rust and metal corrosion?

Fastening elements are often used in chemical aggressive environment, where steel, without a suitable protection, it reacts with salts and acids, oxidizes and forms what is commonly known rust. (more…)

10 Jun 2021

Other metal coatings

Chromium Plating

This kind of coating is applied both for protective and aesthetic purposes. Chrome plating provides similar corrosion resistance to zinc plating but gives an aesthetically pleasing appearance to fasteners as well.

The thickness of coatings ranges from 0.05 to 0.5 μm and is usually between 0.13 and 0.25 μm. (more…)

3 May 2021

Socket screws and socket set screws

Socket screws (also referred to as Allen screws by the name of their inventor) appeared more than 100 years and since then they have been developed with different head types and shapes, always maintaining a relevant role in the fastening market due to their handiness and reliability.
Indeed, socket screws are provided with a hexagon recessed head which enables easy assemblies where there is not sufficient clearance for fastening tools.

(more…)

26 Mar 2021

LOCKING NUTS: TYPES AND USES

Nuts, manufactured from various metals and plastic, are a type of fastener with a threaded hole. They are almost exclusively used to mate with a bolt that has the correct threading pattern.

The friction of the bolt and nut threads against one another creates a temporary joint that holds material together.

In Vipa nuts are available in different sizes and shapes for a wide range of purposes.

(more…)

23 Feb 2021

Nickel plating

Nickel electroplating is a coating process that consists in covering the surface of the metal with a thin layer of nickel (3 µm) by means of electrolysis. In practice the metal is submerged into an electrolyte solution that allows the transfer of nickel ions onto the material that has to be treated. (more…)

27 Jan 2021

Machine screws

Machine screws are a smaller type of screw, threaded along the entire length of their shank. They are designed to engage with already threaded nuts or threaded holes and are largely employed to fasten metal parts together in all types of machines and industrial manufacturing equipment.

(more…)

22 Dec 2020

GEOMET® 500

GEOMET® 500 is a high-performance anti-corrosion system, applied for the treatment of steel, cast and other ferrous metal parts that provide optimal results in terms of friction as well. It is largely used by some of the main automotive manufactures around the world because it respects their strict standard of quality. (more…)

26 Nov 2020

Burnishing or black oxidation or black oxide or chemical black

Burnishing or black oxidation or black oxide or chemical black

This protective coating consists in two different procedures.

(more…)

27 Oct 2020

Bolt (fastener): types and uses

A bolt is a type of fastener, that is normally used together with a nut for assembling two unthreaded components.

The ease to use made them suited to play an important role in the development of mass-produced articles and steel structures.

(more…)

25 Aug 2020

The international standards

Vipa’s customers have at their disposition a vast range of fasteners manufactured according the main International standards as ISO, EN, DIN, UNI and ANSI.

But what is a standard and why is essential to know the meaning of that acronyms for a more mindful purchase of fasteners.

(more…)