--- title: "What Are Belleville Washers (Inch Series) Used For?" description: "Belleville Washers (Inch Series) (Trade series (inch Belleville)) are used for load distribution and anti-loosening under a bolt or nut." url: https://engineeringhardware.com/applications/belleville-washers-inch/ source: Engineering Hardware & Fasteners --- # What Are Belleville Washers (Inch Series) Used For? Washers · Trade series (inch Belleville) · Application guide Typical applications, the industries that specify belleville washers (inch series), and how to choose the right size, material and finish for the joint. Belleville Washers (Inch Series) are used for load distribution and anti-loosening under a bolt or nut. They are manufactured to Trade series (inch Belleville), and selection is driven by the screw size, the fit and tolerance the assembly requires, and the service environment. - **Primary duty:** Load distribution and anti-loosening under a bolt or nut - **Governing standard:** Trade series (inch Belleville) - **Screw size range:** 1/2" to 5/8" - **Category:** Washers Application notes are general engineering guidance. Verify the property class and any approval requirement against your own design calculation. ![What Are Belleville Washers (Inch Series) Used For? application image](https://engineeringhardware.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Belleville-Washers.webp) Application guide for Belleville Washers (Inch Series) to Trade series (inch Belleville). The core duty of the type is load distribution and anti-loosening under a bolt or nut. The typical industries, the how-to-specify checklist, assembly practice and the exclusion cases are set out below. Stocked across roughly 1 to 5, they cover light-duty and instrument-scale work. ## Typical Applications for Belleville Washers (Inch Series) The most common settings where these are specified: - **Fabrication & metalwork:** bench and on-site assembly of steel frames, enclosures and weldments. - **Bolted structural joints:** spreading load over soft or oversized holes and protecting the surface. - **Vibration applications:** spring and serrated types that maintain tension under cyclic load. - **Timber & soft materials:** large-OD types that prevent pull-through. - **General machine building:** fastening covers, brackets, motors and sub-assemblies on production equipment. 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This product spans 1–5; check the full table below for the exact dimensions of each size. - **Type & OD:** Select flat for load spreading, spring/serrated for anti-loosening, or fender/large-OD for soft or oversized holes. - **Environment:** For damp, coastal or chemical exposure prefer A4/316 stainless or a suitable coating; indoors, plated steel or A2 is usually sufficient. - **Standard:** This product is supplied to Trade series (inch Belleville). Quoting the standard on your order guarantees interchangeable dimensions between suppliers. ## Installation & Assembly Practice - Place the washer under the rotating element (usually the nut) so tightening does not score the surface. - Chamfered-hole side of a hardened washer faces the bolt head fillet. - On serrated-flange hardware, do not add a plain washer — it defeats the serrations. ## Common Selection Mistakes with Belleville Washers (Inch Series) - Relying on a spring washer for locking on class 8.8+ joints — at high preload it flattens and adds nothing. - Choosing an OD too small for soft material, so the head pulls through or embeds. ## Where Belleville Washers (Inch Series) Are Not the Right Choice A washer does not replace a locking feature on its own in severe vibration, and a spring washer adds little clamp on high-strength joints. Custom manufacturing · Made to drawing ## Need a belleville washers (inch series) outside the standard range? Bearing area is usually the reason for a special washer: a larger outside diameter to spread load into a softer material, or a thicker section to resist dishing. Made by stamping or punching. Minimum order from 2,000 pieces; samples within 7 days of drawing approval. [Custom washer manufacturing](https://engineeringhardware.com/custom/washers/)[Send a drawing](https://engineeringhardware.com/custom/washers/#rfq) ## Technical Drawing Dimensioned line drawing of 1/4" Belleville Washers (Inch Series) to Trade series (inch Belleville). Side view and top view, drawn to the dimensions in the table below and redrawn for any size selected. - **Inner diameter (in):** 0.260 - **Outer diameter (in):** 0.550 - **Thickness (in):** 0.020 - **Free height (in):** 0.034 - **Load at flat (lbf):** 270 - **Material:** Carbon spring steel - **Finish:** Zinc ## Dimensions & Specifications (Trade series (inch Belleville)) | For bolt size | Inner diameter (in) | Outer diameter (in) | Thickness (in) | Free height (in) | Load at flat (lbf) | Material | Finish | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1/4" | 0.260 | 0.550 | 0.020 | 0.034 | 270 | Carbon spring steel | Zinc | | 5/16" | 0.322 | 0.688 | 0.025 | 0.042 | 420 | Carbon spring steel | Zinc | | 3/8" | 0.385 | 0.812 | 0.030 | 0.050 | 620 | Carbon spring steel | Zinc | | 1/2" | 0.510 | 1.062 | 0.040 | 0.066 | 1100 | Carbon spring steel | Zinc | | 5/8" | 0.635 | 1.312 | 0.050 | 0.082 | 1700 | Carbon spring steel | Zinc | | 3/4" | 0.760 | 1.562 | 0.060 | 0.098 | 2450 | Carbon spring steel | Zinc | Inside the plant ## Manufactured in our own plant This part is cold-formed, threaded, heat-treated and finished in-house. The stages below are where its class and finish are actually decided. 1. ![Wire rod feeding into a cold heading machine](https://engineeringhardware.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/09-wire-rod-feed-cold-heading-machine.webp) 01 **Cold heading** Wire rod is drawn to size and cold-formed into blanks. Forming rather than cutting keeps the grain flow continuous around the head, which is where a bolt is most likely to fail. Head dimensions and under-head radius checked at set-up and per shift. 2. ![Thread rolling machine producing bolt threads](https://engineeringhardware.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/03-thread-rolling-machine-bolt-production.webp) 02 **Thread rolling** Threads are rolled between hardened dies rather than cut. Rolled threads are stronger in fatigue than cut threads and hold pitch and flank angle far more consistently across a batch. Go / no-go ring gauges to ISO 965 tolerance class 6g. 3. ![Baskets of bolts staged for heat treatment](https://engineeringhardware.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/05-heat-treatment-baskets-black-bolts.webp) 03 **Heat treatment** Quench-and-temper brings carbon and alloy steel to the property class ordered — 8.8, 10.9 or 12.9 — with the furnace charge tracked so a finished lot can be traced back to it. Core hardness and tensile tested per lot to ISO 898-1. 4. ![Zinc plated bolts in a treatment basket](https://engineeringhardware.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/23-zinc-plated-bolts-treatment-basket.webp) 04 **Surface treatment** Zinc, zinc-nickel, hot-dip galvanizing, black oxide, phosphate and Dacromet, selected against the service environment rather than against the price list. Coating thickness and neutral salt spray hours to ISO 9227. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How do I choose the right size of Belleville Washers (Inch Series)? Match the nominal size to the mating thread or hole. This product is available from 1 to 5; the full dimension table on this page lists each size. ### Do Belleville Washers (Inch Series) actually stop bolts loosening? Spring and serrated washers help maintain tension under light vibration, but for critical joints a prevailing-torque locking nut or adhesive is more reliable. Flat washers mainly spread load and protect the surface. ### What material should Belleville Washers (Inch Series) be for outdoor use? For damp, coastal or chemical environments specify A4 (316) stainless or a suitably coated steel. For indoor or dry use, A2 (304) stainless or zinc-plated steel is normally adequate. ### Are Belleville Washers (Inch Series) made to a recognized standard? Yes — they are manufactured to Trade series (inch Belleville), so dimensions are interchangeable between suppliers when you quote the standard on your order. ### Can I get a quote for Belleville Washers (Inch Series) in the size and material I need? Yes. Use the technical drawing and quote form on this page to set the size and options, then send the exact configuration to our team for pricing and lead time. ## Related Pages Product page: [Belleville Washers (Inch Series) — specifications & sizes](https://engineeringhardware.com/fastener/belleville-washers-inch/) ### Belleville Washers (Inch Series) Specification Guides ### Related Fastener Applications