Fastener & manufacturing insights

Lockheed Martin's $300 Million Grand Prairie Munitions Expansion

Lockheed Martin is investing $300 million and adding an automated machining cell at its Grand Prairie, Texas plant. What it means for defense fastener supply.

Data Center Demand Is Stretching Electrical Lead Times: Border States

Border States' 2026 State of Commodities report, released October 12, 2026, says data center construction is lengthening lead times for electrical materials.

Army Manufacturing Rodeo to Stress-Test the Defense Supply Chain

The Army will hold a Manufacturing Rodeo early next year to find weak points in its supply chain. What that means for fastener and machined-part suppliers.

$366 Million Texas Data Center Filed in Cedar Creek: Project Longhorn

A $366 million, 498,165-square-foot data center building was filed with Texas regulators for Cedar Creek. What the filing says and what it means for bolting.

Caterpillar Plans $1 Billion Automated Plant in North Carolina

Caterpillar plans a $1 billion automated plant in Sanford, North Carolina. What a technology-heavy assembly plant asks of domestic fastener suppliers.

Gulf Coast Navy Shipbuilding: 10 Drone Vessels and a New Texas Yard

HII won a Navy contract for 10 unmanned vessels built with Louisiana partners, and Saronic broke ground on a $3 billion shipyard in Brownsville, Texas.

AMRAAM Contract Worth Up to $20.7 Billion: The Supply Chain View

Raytheon received a multiyear AMRAAM missile contract worth up to $20.7 billion. What the production ramp means for fastener and machined-part suppliers.

Data Center Construction Hits $98.5 Billion, Texas Tops $22 Billion

U.S. data center construction starts reached $98.5 billion through August 2026, with Texas above $22 billion. What that means for fastener supply.

How Cold Weather Impacts High-Strength Bolt Brittleness

Learn how cold service can affect bolt toughness and brittleness, with material selection and testing considerations for low-temperature applications.

Science of Prevailing Torque Nuts in Heavy-Duty Transmission

Explore prevailing-torque nuts in heavy-duty transmissions, including retention behavior, vibration and application-specific installation requirements.

How Engine Vibration Impacts Marine Hull Bolt Integrity

Review how marine engine vibration affects bolted connections, including preload loss, fatigue and inspection considerations for hull attachments.

How to Prevent Galling in Aerospace Stainless Steel

Explore galling in aerospace stainless steel fasteners, including material pairing, lubrication, coatings and approved assembly procedures.

Ocean Currents and Fastener Fatigue in Subsea Pipelines

Explore how ocean currents contribute to subsea fastener loading and fatigue, including material, corrosion and pipeline-support considerations.

Crevice Corrosion in Marine Stainless Steel: A Guide

Explore crevice corrosion in marine stainless steel fasteners, including stagnant zones, chloride exposure and material-selection considerations.

Understanding ASTM A325 for Marine Structural Steel

Review A325-type structural bolting for marine steelwork, including coating selection, corrosion exposure and governing project specifications.

Beyond Galvanizing: The Future of Fastener Coatings

Explore developments in fastener coatings beyond galvanizing, including corrosion protection, friction control and application-specific selection.

High-Performance 12-Point Flange Bolts in Oilfields

Explore 12-point flange bolts for compact oilfield assemblies, including access, clamping requirements, material selection and quality documentation.

Custom Anchor Bolts for Refinery Infrastructure: Stability and Strength

Review custom anchor-bolt requirements for refinery infrastructure, including dimensions, material grades, coating and project specifications.

Why Spiral Wound Gaskets Lead the Oil and Gas Industry

Review spiral-wound gaskets for oil and gas equipment, including construction, material selection and flange-assembly considerations.

Navigating Buy America Requirements for Infrastructure Pipeline Projects

Review domestic-content documentation and fastener sourcing considerations for infrastructure pipeline projects with Buy America requirements.

FAA Fastener Compliance: A Guide to Aviation Safety

Review aviation fastener procurement considerations, including applicable approvals, material records and documentation for airworthiness requirements.

Understanding NAS Standards for Bolts and Screws

Explore National Aerospace Standards for bolts and screws, including dimensions, identification and the importance of the specified standard revision.

Managing Thermal Cycling in Marine LNG Carriers

Review bolting exposed to thermal cycling on LNG carriers, including cryogenic toughness, differential contraction and fatigue considerations.

Preventing Stress Corrosion Cracking in Sour Gas Environments

Review fastener corrosion risks in sour-gas environments, including material susceptibility, operating conditions and specified qualification requirements.