Threaded Inserts
Inserts for plastics, castings and thin sheet, so a machined thread survives repeated use.
Inserts that put a real thread into a soft material - plastic, aluminium casting, thin panel. The type matters more than the material: a helical insert in plastic strips, a heat-set insert does not.
How we make it: Swiss CNC machining service →
2–4 weeks
500 pieces
ISO 9001:2015
Technical Specifications
| Parameter | Value | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Thread range | M2–M12 | metric |
| Types | Heat-set · helical · rivet | - |
| Pull-out (M4 brass, ABS) | >1,200 | N |
| Installation | Tooling provided | - |
| Wall clearance | ≥0.5 × insert Ø | rule |
| Panel thickness from | 0.8 | mm |
Available Materials
- Brass (heat-set, ultrasonic)
- Stainless 303 (helical)
- Steel (rivet nuts)
- Bronze
Typical Applications
- Plastic enclosures
- Cast housings
- Thin sheet panels
- Composites
- 3D printed parts
Surface Finishes
- As-supplied
- Passivate
- Zinc plating
- Nickel plating
- Knurled (moulded-in)
Industries Served
- Consumer Electronics
- Telecom & 5G
- Automotive & EV
- Aerospace
- Medical
What drives the price of this part
Derived from the callouts on this page. Where a driver is not on the drawing, it is not on this list.
- Part size
- Thread range at M2–M12 metric decides which machine the part lands on and how many setups it needs. Size is the driver buyers most often leave out of a first enquiry, and it is the one that changes the quote fastest.
- Material
- The first material listed, Stainless Steel 303, rates 6/10 on our machinability scale at 228 HB. On this shop's scale a harder alloy means slower passes and more tool changes, and that is cycle time the quote has to carry.
- Order size
- Minimum order is 500 pieces, where setup and tooling are amortised across the batch and per-part cost settles around cycle time and material. Below that quantity the same part costs more per piece, not less.
See how cycle time is calculated in the machining time calculator and what else moves a price in the cost driver reference.
How these parts are inspected
Matched to the callouts above and the instruments actually on the floor.
- Coordinate measuring machine (Zeiss CONTURA G2, two machines, GR&R 8.4% on the critical feature)
- Dimensional report against the drawing, with a 100% check on critical features rather than a sample
- Certificate of conformance and the mill certificate with every shipment
- Thread gauges over the full thread range on the drawing
The full equipment list, with counts, is on the capability page; the inspection sequence is on quality and inspection.
Questions buyers ask
- Which insert for a plastic housing?
- Heat-set brass for thermoplastics like ABS and PC. It melts its way in and re-solidifies around the knurl, which resists pull-out far better than a press-in insert.
- How much material must surround the insert?
- At least half the insert diameter of wall on every side. Less than that and the boss cracks during installation, not during use, which is where people usually look for the cause.
Related part families
Custom Nuts
Hex, flange, nylon-insert and weld nuts to DIN/ISO/ASTM, M3–M48, with lot testing.
Precision Washers & Spacers
Flat, conical and shim washers from 0.05 mm, stamped or fine-blanked with lapped flatness.
Electromechanical Assemblies
Mechanical parts with connectors, harnesses and sensors fitted and function-tested before shipping.