Stainless Steel Captive Panel Screws Metric Sizes M1.4-M10 Custom Available

Product Details

For cabinets and panels that need regular disassembly and maintenance, the most annoying issue is losing screws after removal, which slows down work on assembly lines and at service sites. We have been making fasteners for nearly 30 years, and this captive panel screw is built exactly to fix this problem. It comes with a locked retaining washer — even when fully loosened, the screw stays attached to the panel and never falls off, making both workshop assembly and on-site maintenance much easier.

How It Stays Captive

The structure is straightforward: there is a shoulder on the screw shank, matched with a retention washer. The washer is fixed onto the shoulder by press riveting, and it sits right in the pre-punched panel hole. The screw can slide back and forth freely, but it cannot pull through the hole.

We control the fit tolerance between shoulder and washer within ±0.03mm, so it slides smoothly without wobble or jamming. Every production batch goes through random pull-force tests, and it stays reliable after hundreds of assembly and removal cycles.

Available Sizes

We keep regular sizes in stock, and custom specs are all workable:

• Ultra-small: M1.4, M2, M2.5 — mostly for laptops and precision instruments, made to order with low MOQ
• Standard fast-moving: M3, M4, M5 in 304 stainless steel — kept in stock year-round, samples can ship the same day
• Heavy-duty: M6 to M10 — knurled thumb versions available, popular for thick sheet metal industrial cabinets
• Imperial: 6-32 and other UNC sizes — common for North American orders

Head & Drive Options

Multiple head and drive styles to match your assembly workflow:

• Socket head cap: Most picked for industrial equipment. Tightens with high torque, holds firm and resists vibration well
• Knurled thumb head: No screwdriver needed, hand tighten only. Very handy for panels that get opened often
• Slotted pan head: Low-cost and universal, works with regular flathead screwdrivers. Good for high-volume assembly lines
• Low-profile wafer head: Sits almost flush with the panel, clean look. Often used on visible electronic panels

Material & Finish Options

Pick material and finish based on your working environment and budget:

• 304 stainless steel (A2-70): Our standard pick, natural passivated. Passes 48h neutral salt spray test, works for indoor and general outdoor use
• 316 stainless steel (A4-80): For coastal, humid and mildly corrosive environments. Better chloride resistance, salt spray performance exceeds 72h
• Carbon steel C1022A / 10B21: Budget choice for indoor use. Available with eco trivalent zinc plating, black oxide or electrophoretic coating. Zinc plated version passes 48h+ salt spray
  NBR washers are fitted by default. EPDM and FKM washers can be swapped upon request.

All raw materials are sourced from Baosteel and Taigang, with full batch traceability and material test reports available. Finished products first go through full dimensional inspection via optical sorting machine, then we sample-test torque and retention force before packing.

These captive screws are widely used on server racks, telecom cabinets, medical enclosures, automotive interiors, plastic electronic housings and power distribution boxes. They work best for equipment that needs regular inspection and maintenance.

About YH Fastener

YH Fastener was founded in 1998. We have been manufacturing fasteners for almost 30 years, with two production bases in Dongguan and Lechang, covering over 20,000 square meters in total. The Dongguan plant focuses on precision small screws from M1.4 to M3, while the Lechang plant handles larger sizes and runs our in-house surface treatment workshop. From cold heading and thread rolling to plating and quality inspection, we control the whole process in house, so lead time and quality are both predictable.

We have more than 200 sets of fully automatic production equipment, with daily output over 1 million pieces. The factory is certified to ISO9001, IATF16949 and ISO14001. Our products are exported to more than 60 countries in Europe, North America and Southeast Asia, and we have long-term partnerships with many well-known electronics and automotive brands.

For custom orders, we have dedicated engineers to support you from drawing review and sample development all the way to mass production. Non-standard designs are welcome.

If you are sourcing captive screws, send us your requirements: thread size, material, head style, order quantity and any special specs. Our sales team will get back to you with pricing and lead time within 2 hours. Free samples are available for stock sizes. We also accept small-batch custom orders for non-standard designs. Feel free to reach out if you have technical questions.

FAQ