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Tools

A key-locking insert or wire insert that goes in with the wrong tool won't hold, no matter how well the insert itself is made. Every insert and fastener FDH Aero stocks under Hardware, key-locking inserts, wire inserts, nut plates, hex nuts, and special hardware, needs tooling built for that specific insert or fastener family, not a generic hand tool pulled off a shelf. FDH Aero's aerospace tools cover that requirement directly. As an authorized distributor for three manufacturers of installation tooling, KATO Tools, Acme Tools, and WL Tools, FDH Aero stocks aerospace tools with the same full traceability and certification it applies across its aerospace fastener catalog. Sourcing aerospace tools alongside the inserts and fasteners they install means one purchase order, one quality record, and one point of contact, instead of separate accounts with three tool manufacturers on top of the fastener supplier relationship already in place. For procurement teams managing MRO and production schedules, that consolidation matters: FDH Aero already functions as a single source for hardware, and its tooling lineup closes the loop so a buyer isn't sourcing the fastener from FDH and the install tool from somewhere else.

Where These Tools Get Used

Aerospace tools for insert and fastener installation show up anywhere a technician or assembler is setting a key locking insert, driving a wire insert, or seating captive hardware like a nut plate: on the shop floor, in a maintenance bay, or on a mobile MRO kit. The tool has to match the insert diameter, thread series, and installation method the print calls out, which is why FDH Aero carries aerospace tools across three manufacturer lines rather than a single generic set. KATO Tools and Acme Tools both build installation tooling around key locking and helical wire insert families: KATO for its tangless and tanged coil thread inserts, and Acme for its key-locking threaded inserts and studs. Buyers already sourcing those insert types from FDH Aero can match them directly to the tooling built for that specific insert. WL Tools rounds out the tooling lineup with additional model families for the same class of installation work. Buyers researching aircraft rivet tools alongside insert installation tooling should confirm with a specialist which FDH Aero lines apply to their specific fastener type; this catalog page is scoped to insert and captive-hardware installation tools rather than rivet-setting equipment.

KATO Tools, Acme Tools, and WL Tools at FDH Aero

KATO Tools manufactures installation tooling for tangless and tanged CoilThread helical wire inserts, tooling that installs and seats the insert without the tang breakage that tanged designs can introduce during install. Acme Tools builds installation and removal tooling for key-locking threaded inserts and key-locking studs, the insert family Acme also manufactures to MS and NAS standards, so the tool is matched directly to the insert geometry it installs. WL Tools supplies additional installation tooling models for the same category of insert and captive-hardware work, giving buyers a third certified, traceable option alongside KATO and Acme. FDH Aero submits a certificate of conformance with every aerospace tools shipment. For a specific model number, insert size, or thread series not shown in the catalog, submit a quote request and a specialist will confirm availability. For the inserts and fasteners these tools install, see FDH Aero's key locking inserts, wire inserts, and nut plates catalogs, or browse the full hardware catalog for hex nuts and special hardware.

FAQs

What tools does FDH Aero carry for installing key locking and wire inserts? 

FDH Aero is an authorized distributor for KATO Tools, Acme Tools, and WL Tools, three manufacturers of installation tooling for key locking and helical wire insert families used in aerospace, electronics, and defense assemblies.

What is the difference between KATO Tools, Acme Tools, and WL Tools? 

KATO Tools builds tooling for its tangless and tanged CoilThread helical inserts. Acme Tools builds tooling for its key-locking threaded inserts and studs. WL Tools supplies additional models for the same category of insert installation work. Matching the tool to the insert manufacturer and model keeps the fit correct.

Are FDH Aero's aerospace tools traceable and certified? 

Yes. FDH Aero provides full traceability and a certificate of conformance on tools from all three lines, consistent with the certification standard applied across its aerospace hardware catalog.

Can I order tools and the fasteners they install in the same order? 

Yes. FDH Aero stocks key locking inserts, wire inserts, nut plates, hex nuts, and special hardware alongside the KATO, Acme, and WL Tools installation tooling built for them, so a buyer can source both from a single account.

How do I check pricing or availability on a specific tool model? 

Submit a quote request with the model number, insert size, or thread series needed, and a specialist will confirm current stock, pricing, and lead time.

Acme Tool

Kato Tool

WL Tool

Use this catalog to browse our available hardware and submit a quote request. Please feel free to submit quote requests for products that are not specifically listed. 

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