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Panel Latches & Catches · Trade series (compression cam latches) · Application guide

What Are Compression Latches Used For?

Typical applications, the industries that specify compression latches, and how to choose the right size, material and finish for the joint.

Compression Latches are used for closing and, where the latch draws, sealing an enclosure door against its gasket. They are manufactured to Trade series (compression cam latches), and selection is driven by the size designation, the fit and tolerance the assembly requires, and the service environment.

Primary duty
Closing and, where the latch draws, sealing an enclosure door against its gasket
Governing standard
Trade series (compression cam latches)
Category
Panel Latches & Catches

Application notes are general engineering guidance. Verify the property class and any approval requirement against your own design calculation.

What Are Compression Latches Used For? application image

Application guide for Compression Latches to Trade series (compression cam latches). The core duty of the type is closing and, where the latch draws, sealing an enclosure door against its gasket. The typical industries, the how-to-specify checklist, assembly practice and the exclusion cases are set out below.

Typical Applications for Compression Latches

The most common settings where these are specified:

  • General machine building: fastening covers, brackets, motors and sub-assemblies on production equipment.
  • Maintenance & repair (MRO): a stocked size for servicing existing plant where the original fastener spec must be matched.
  • Fabrication & metalwork: bench and on-site assembly of steel frames, enclosures and weldments.

How to Specify Compression Latches for Your Application

  • Size: Match the size to the mating part — see the dimension table below for each option.
  • Material: Choose the material and finish for the service environment — plated steel for general use, stainless for corrosion resistance.
  • 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 (compression cam latches). Quoting the standard on your order guarantees interchangeable dimensions between suppliers.

Where Compression Latches Are Not the Right Choice

Match the fastener to the load, environment and whether the joint must be reopened; the wrong class or style is the usual cause of joint failure.

Technical Drawing

Customize the parameters below — every spec field is editable, and the drawing redraws to match the values you choose. Changing the size will snap the other fields to that size's standard values; you can then override any individual value.

Sends the selected values to the quote form below.

Request a Quote

The form below follows the current technical drawing configuration. Change the drawing values above and the request details update automatically.

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Specification
Business Information

Dimensions & Specifications (Trade series (compression cam latches))

ActionSelected byGasket effectTypical application
quarter turn with axial drawpanel cutout, grip range and required compressioncompresses the door gasketoutdoor and washdown enclosures
lever-assisted compressionpanel cutout and grip rangecompresses the door gasketlarger or stiffer doors
quarter turn with adjustable drawpanel cutout and grip rangecompression set on siteenclosures with variable gasket set
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
    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
    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
    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
    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

What are Compression Latches used for?

Closing and, where the latch draws, sealing an enclosure door against its gasket. They are supplied to Trade series (compression cam latches).

Which industries use Compression Latches?

They are commonly specified in general machine building, maintenance & repair (mro) and fabrication & metalwork, among other sectors.

How do I choose the right size of Compression Latches?

Match the size to the mating part using the dimension table on this page.

Are Compression Latches made to a recognized standard?

Yes — they are manufactured to Trade series (compression cam latches), so dimensions are interchangeable between suppliers when you quote the standard on your order.

Can I get a quote for Compression Latches 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.