How to find the right Tab Washers AI guide
Written by an AI model from its trained knowledge.
What the AI looks for in Tab Washers
- Tab style
- DIN 93 has a single long tab, DIN 463 has two tabs, and DIN 432 has an external tab that locates in a hole or slot. The style depends on what the tab can bend against: a part edge, two faces, or a drilled hole.
- Bearing locknut sets
- For shaft locknuts, match the lock washer series to the nut and the slotted shaft (e.g., MB washer with KM nut). The inner tab must engage the shaft keyway and an outer tab a nut slot. Series are not interchangeable.
- Bendable material
- Use soft annealed steel or stainless so that tabs fold without cracking. Hard or spring-tempered tabs crack at the bend and the lock fails.
- Single use
- Replace a tab washer every time the fastener is removed. Re-bending a fatigued tab leads to it breaking off in service.
Brands that matter
- SKF: MB lock washers to pair with KM locknuts.
- Schaeffler (FAG): Bearing lock washers and locknut sets.
- Timken: Bearing locknut and lock washer hardware.
What to avoid
- Reusing a tab washer after the tab has been straightened.
- Mixing lock washer and locknut series from different standards without checking slot and tab dimensions.