Why are bolts and nuts mostly hexagonal

In most cases, beverages are consumed directly after purchase, cylindrical bottles are more convenient to hold; of course, even if you buy milk and drink it right away, have you noticed that in supermarkets, milk is kept in the refrigerator, while beverages are directly on the shelf. Obviously, the storage cost of the freezer is higher, and the square container design will save more space and reduce the storage cost. This is where the problem lies. Why are bolts and nuts mostly hex instead of round or square?

Below is the content list

• The extensiveness of Hex Bolts

• Hex Bolts are easy to turn

• Hex Bolts are more acceptable

The extensiveness of Hex Bolts

Hex head bolts and nuts are probably the most common shape fasteners, featuring six faces, and can be used in any application. The reason they are so popular is that the hexagon of the head is widely used. It can be grabbed with tools at various angles and can be easily tightened by hand even when needed.

Hex Bolts are easy to turn

The hex design of the bolt and nut is largely due to its ease of rotation. There are six parallel flats on hex head bolts and nuts. With the six faces of the hex head, both bolts and nuts can easily be tightened or loosened by turning one-sixth of the stroke to the next parallel plane.

Simply put, a hex bolt or nut only needs to be rotated 30° at a time to reach the next parallel plane, while a square fastener requires a 90° rotation because they only have four sides.

Hex Bolts are more acceptable

While the main reason for the hexagonal shape of bolts and nuts can be attributed to ease of rotation, from a global fastener application perspective, the hexagonal shape is the accepted standard. Although there are many dodecagonal heads, splined heads, and some special-shaped heads in aerospace applications, these are also due to higher strength requirements or special application purposes.

As we've already said, turning the square head requires more space; what about a round head? If it is a round head, how to rotate it with a tool?

Ningbo yi pian hong Fastener Co., Ltd. was established in 2001, specializing in the production of various types of high-strength bolts, nuts, and screws, with an annual production capacity of 30,000 tons and an annual turnover of 300 million yuan. Products include ANSI/ASTM, DIN, BS, ISO, GB, JS, and other standards, mainly used in the fields of high-strength seals and oil pipeline valves.