Aerospace Locking Wire
Safety Lock Wire: simple, effective failsafe technology
Safety across a range of industries is of paramount importance, and there are a number of failsafe technologies that add additional layers of security.
Particularly within the aerospace, marine, automotive and industrial sectors where wear and tear, vibration and corrosion can cause failures, the use of Safety Lock Wire can prevent fasteners from shaking loose or falling out.
Safety lock wire can also act as a visual indicator that fasteners have been properly checked and tightened.
Precision Metals EU are specialist manufacturers of Wire and Cable and can provide free quotations on your requirements. Please get in touch to arrange this.
Annealed Locking Wire
Locking wire (safety lock wire) is a soft annealed wire used to secure nuts, bolts and components which are subject to vibration and/or a critical environment.
The wire, made of malleable stainless steel alloy, is passed through small holes on the fastener, looped back on itself and fixed to an anchor point (which can be another fastener).
Twisting the Safety Lock Wire creates tension on this fixed loop which prevents the fasteners from shaking loose and falling out.
Tips on using Safety Lock Wire correctly
Before applying the safety wiring, you should first tighten the nut or bolt to its correct tension. If possible, align the holes through which the safety wire will be passed, however, do not align these at the expense of tensioning the fasteners incorrectly.
Safety Lock Wire should always be installed so that the fastener tightens itself. In other words, the safety wiring should pull the head of the nut or bolt in a tightening direction once secured to the anchor point.
Don’t overstress the safety wiring by overwinding it – this could cause it to fail, rendering it useless as a failsafe technology.
Once the safety wire has been installed, you should always clip ends off at least 4 to 6 turns after the loop.
Ensure you get the highest quality Safety Lock Wire for the correct application.
We supply the wire on ½ or 1 kg spools, in handy ½ kg plastic tubs, or in coil form. Standard sizes are available from stock, and non-standard sizes are produced on request.
Primary materials are stainless steel 304 and 316, 321, Monel (Alloy 400), Inconel (Alloy 600) and Copper.
Materials are typically produced to the following international specifications:
DTD189A
MS20995C, QQ-W-423
MS20995NC, QQ-W-281
MS20995N, QQ-W-390