FC43®: A New Structural Panel Fastener 2012-01-1888
Structural panel fasteners have been used in the aerospace industry for longer than the previous half century. This paper presents the new FC43® Panel Fastener with a novel retaining feature which enables the use of a full shank stud. The retaining feature can be used with a variety of thread configurations and is independent of nut style or head configuration, providing an unprecedented modularity for this type of fastening system. With a stud design that is free of slots or axial recesses, the FC43® provides higher mechanical performance than existing equivalent panel fasteners. Mechanical characteristics and performance comparisons with the most commonly used panel fasteners in the aerospace industry are also presented.
