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Nuts · Trade series (anchor nut, MS21047 practice) · Application guide

What Are Floating Anchor Nuts (Riveted Basket) Used For?

Typical applications, the industries that specify floating anchor nuts (riveted basket), and how to choose the right size, material and finish for the joint.

Floating Anchor Nuts (Riveted Basket) are used for absorbing the accumulated hole-position tolerance of a panel with many fixings, so every screw finds its thread. They are manufactured to Trade series (anchor nut, MS21047 practice), and the choice of size, property class and finish is driven by the load in the joint and the environment it sits in.

Primary duty
Absorbing the accumulated hole-position tolerance of a panel with many fixings, so every screw finds its thread
Governing standard
Trade series (anchor nut, MS21047 practice)
Thread size range
M3 to M8
Category
Nuts

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

What Are Floating Anchor Nuts (Riveted Basket) Used For? application image

The primary duty of Floating Anchor Nuts (Riveted Basket) is absorbing the accumulated hole-position tolerance of a panel with many fixings, so every screw finds its thread. Below: the sectors that specify them in volume, the checklist used to select the right size and material for the application, installation notes, and the known limits of the type. Stocked across roughly M3 to M8, they cover general to heavy-duty work.

Typical Applications for Floating Anchor Nuts (Riveted Basket)

The most common settings where these are specified:

  • Bolted joints: the clamping counter-face on studs and bolts across every assembly type.
  • Vibration-prone equipment: where a locking or flanged style resists loosening.
  • Frames & weldments: captive or welded options for repeatable assembly.
  • 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.

How to Specify Floating Anchor Nuts (Riveted Basket) for Your Application

  • Size: Match the nominal size to the mating thread or hole. This product spans M3–M8; check the full table below for the exact dimensions of each size.
  • Locking & grade: Match the strength grade to the bolt, and choose a locking style (nyloc, all-metal, serrated flange) if the joint sees vibration.
  • 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 (anchor nut, MS21047 practice). Quoting the standard on your order guarantees interchangeable dimensions between suppliers.

Installation & Assembly Practice

  • Run the nut down by hand before applying the wrench to catch cross-threading early.
  • Tighten the nut rather than the bolt head where access allows — the torque-to-preload relation is more consistent.
  • For locking styles, note that nyloc inserts are single-use in critical joints and lose grip above roughly 120 °C.

Common Selection Mistakes with Floating Anchor Nuts (Riveted Basket)

  • Pairing a high-class bolt with a lower-class nut — the nut strips before the bolt reaches proof load; the nut class must meet or exceed the bolt class.
  • Using a plain nut with a spring washer in severe vibration instead of a prevailing-torque locking nut.
  • Re-using nyloc nuts in critical joints.

Where Floating Anchor Nuts (Riveted Basket) Are Not the Right Choice

Not on their own — they need a matching bolt or stud — and a plain nut is not a substitute for a locking type under heavy vibration.

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 (anchor nut, MS21047 practice))

Thread sizeFloat (mm)Basket width (mm)Rivet hole spacing (mm)Rivet hole diameter (mm)Locking featureMaterialFinish
M3u00b10.518.012.72.5All-metal prevailing torqueAlloy steelCadmium-free zinc
M4u00b10.620.514.32.5All-metal prevailing torqueAlloy steelCadmium-free zinc
M5u00b10.623.016.73.0All-metal prevailing torqueAlloy steelCadmium-free zinc
M6u00b10.826.019.13.0All-metal prevailing torqueAlloy steelCadmium-free zinc
M8u00b10.831.022.24.0All-metal prevailing torqueAlloy steelCadmium-free 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
    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

Do Floating Anchor Nuts (Riveted Basket) need a locking feature?

If the joint sees vibration or cyclic load, use a locking style (nyloc, all-metal lock, or serrated flange) or a thread-locking adhesive. For static joints a standard nut tightened correctly is usually sufficient.

What material should Floating Anchor Nuts (Riveted Basket) 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 Floating Anchor Nuts (Riveted Basket) made to a recognized standard?

Yes — they are manufactured to Trade series (anchor nut, MS21047 practice), so dimensions are interchangeable between suppliers when you quote the standard on your order.

What are Floating Anchor Nuts (Riveted Basket) used for?

Absorbing the accumulated hole-position tolerance of a panel with many fixings, so every screw finds its thread. They are supplied to Trade series (anchor nut, MS21047 practice).

Can I get a quote for Floating Anchor Nuts (Riveted Basket) 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.