
Those in support of the lock washer without flat washer system put forward the following arguments: Some say the two should be used together while others say it is best to have a lock washer and no flat washer. There has been debate among engineering and other related industry experts about the use of lock washers and flat washers. Examples of tooth lock washers include external tooth lock washers, internal tooth lock washers, countersunk external tooth lock washers andinternal-external toothlock washers. Tooth lock washersare common though they are known to cause scratches on surfaces they come into contact with. Tooth Lock Washers : These utilize ratchet action to bite into the nut or screw head and other surface it comes into contact with. Examples of spring lock washers include Belleville spring washers, curved spring washers, finger spring washers and wave spring washers. Spring washers also help to prevent material wear because of their ability to spring back. When the fastener is subjected to vibration, the spring-back tension prevents loosening. Spring Action Lock washers: These are also be referred to as spring washers.When a spring washer is placed under a nut or screw head, it is compressed as the fastener is tightened.

The many different types of lock washers fall into one of two categories: There are many different types of lock washers, all of which perform this function in slightly different ways. The lock washer serves to prevent nuts and bolts from coming loose by slipping or turning caused by torque or vibration. The purpose of a flat washer is to distribute the clamping force of a tightened nut over the area of the clamped material.

I have posed the question of whether lock washers should be used alone or with flat washers to a few of them and they seem to have opposing standpoints. Neither have the experts.Īs a civil engineering student, I have access to some of the greatest minds in the engineering world. Is the lock washer without flat washer way really the best? If you have attempted all kinds of research and just can’t find a conclusive answer to this question, you are not alone.
