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Rivets · Trade series (panel captive screws) · Application guide

What Are Press-In and Flare-In Captive Screws Used For?

Typical applications, the industries that specify press-in and flare-in captive screws, and how to choose the right size, material and finish for the joint.

Press-In and Flare-In Captive Screws are used for retaining a screw in a thin panel by pressing or flaring the ferrule into the prepared hole. They are manufactured to Trade series (panel captive screws), and selection is driven by the screw size, the fit and tolerance the assembly requires, and the service environment.

Primary duty
Retaining a screw in a thin panel by pressing or flaring the ferrule into the prepared hole
Governing standard
Trade series (panel captive screws)
Screw size range
M3 or 4-40 to M6 or 1/4-20
Category
Rivets

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

What Are Press-In and Flare-In Captive Screws Used For? application image

The primary duty of Press-In and Flare-In Captive Screws is retaining a screw in a thin panel by pressing or flaring the ferrule into the prepared hole. 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 3 to 6, they cover light-duty and instrument-scale work.

Typical Applications for Press-In and Flare-In Captive Screws

The most common settings where these are specified:

  • Sheet-metal enclosures: Captive screws stay with removable covers after press-in installation.
  • Rack equipment: Service panels open without loose hardware falling into the cabinet.
  • Vehicle bodywork: Press-in and flare-in forms suit formed sheet panels.
  • Industrial guards: Steel and stainless options support repeated access.

How to Specify Press-In and Flare-In Captive Screws for Your Application

  • Size: Match the nominal size to the mating thread or hole. This product spans 3–6; check the full table below for the exact dimensions of each size.
  • 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 (panel captive screws). Quoting the standard on your order guarantees interchangeable dimensions between suppliers.

Installation & Assembly Practice

  • Drill the hole 0.1 mm over the nominal rivet diameter and deburr both sides before setting.
  • Grip range must match the total joint thickness — a rivet set outside its grip range clamps poorly and works loose.

Common Selection Mistakes with Press-In and Flare-In Captive Screws

  • Setting a rivet outside its grip range, which leaves the joint loose from day one.
  • Using aluminum rivets on steel sheet outdoors — galvanic corrosion eats the rivet.

Where Press-In and Flare-In Captive Screws Are Not the Right Choice

Not where the joint must later be disassembled, and not for high-tension structural connections.

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.

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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 (panel captive screws))

Thread optionsPress-in panel hole (mm)Press-in ferrule (mm)Flare-in ferrule (mm)Drive optionsMaterial options
M3 or 4-403.25.64.8Phillips/slot or Torx/slotsteel / stainless / aluminum
M3.5 or 6-323.76.45.4Phillips/slot or Torx/slotsteel / stainless / aluminum
M4 or 8-324.48.06.8Phillips/slot or Torx/slotsteel / stainless / aluminum
M5 or 10-325.28.06.8Phillips/slot or Torx/slotsteel / stainless / aluminum
M6 or 1/4-206.29.58.2Phillips/slot or Torx/slotsteel / stainless / aluminum
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

Which industries use Press-In and Flare-In Captive Screws?

They are commonly specified in industrial guards, sheet-metal enclosures and rack equipment, among other sectors.

How do I choose the right size of Press-In and Flare-In Captive Screws?

Match the nominal size to the mating thread or hole. This product is available from 3 to 6; the full dimension table on this page lists each size.

Can Press-In and Flare-In Captive Screws joints be taken apart?

No — rivets form a permanent joint and must be drilled out to remove. Use a bolt or screw where you need to disassemble the joint later.

What material should Press-In and Flare-In Captive Screws 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.

Can I get a quote for Press-In and Flare-In Captive Screws 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.