As others have answered, 10 is the diameter and 32 is 32 threads per inch. I have no idea what the 10 stands for, but going smaller than that in screw sizes you have 8-32, 6-32, 4-40, and 2-56 as the common used screws. The 3 in AN3 is 3/16" diameter and that refers to the size of the shank of the bolt. Going bigger than that you have AN4 which is 1/4" (4/16), AN5 as 5/16", etc.
For your second question there really is not a smaller bolt than an AN3 that I am aware of. Smaller than that they are screws, not bolts, although there may be some special odd bolts smaller than that but they are certainly not common. Brian Kraut Engineering Alternatives, Inc. www.engalt.com -----Original Message----- From: krnet-boun...@mylist.net [mailto:krnet-boun...@mylist.net]On Behalf Of Serge VIDAL Sent: Tuesday, December 06, 2005 12:43 PM To: KRnet Subject: KR> Nuts and bolts Could somebody well versed in the secrets of the Imperial system tell me: 1 - When a thread size is expressed at, say, 10-32, what do the "10" and the "32" stand for? 2 - The AN system starts at AN3, which is 10-32. What would be the next smaller size in the standard Imperial system? Serge VIDAL KR2 "Kilimanjaro Cloud" Paris, France _______________________________________ Search the KRnet Archives at http://www.maddyhome.com/krsrch/index.jsp to UNsubscribe from KRnet, send a message to krnet-le...@mylist.net please see other KRnet info at http://www.krnet.org/info.html
