Their purpose: The main role of U-bolts is to provide a clamping force to hold two components together.

Measurement: U-bolts are measured based on the screw thread length, inside diameter, inside height and thread size. U-bolts were originally measured using pipe work in engineering speak. Hence, a U-bolt would originally be characterized by the pipe's size that it was supporting.

Price: In general, standard commodity U-bolts are inexpensive. Custom pricing is typically dictated by quantity.

Convenience: Not only are U-bolts tough and effective - as they're available in a variety of different material and strength grades to provide adequate clamping force - but they're also very easy to administer and they're versatile enough that they can apply to various applications and industries. What's more is that there's zero material waste when it comes to using U-bolts.

Definition: Five elements define the U-bolt: material type, rod diameter, inside diameter (between the legs), inside length and thread dimensions.

Finish: U-bolts can also come in specialized finishes to stand up better to the environments they're intended to function in. For instance, for a U-bolt that is going to be working in humid or corrosive environments, a corrosion-resistant material like type 316 stainless steel or carbon steel with a hot dipped galvanized finish should be on the docket.