About Dowel Pin
Dowel pins locate two parts to each other with a ground, tightly toleranced diameter. They set position, not clamping force, so diameter tolerance matters far more than length.
Standards ISO 2338 · ISO 8734 · DIN 6325 · DIN 7
- SUJ2 bearing steel
- HRC58-62, ground to m6 — the standard workhorse, wear resistant.
- 304 stainless
- Corrosion resistant for wet, food or outdoor use; softer than SUJ2.
- 316 stainless
- Adds molybdenum for chloride and seawater resistance.
- S45C / 12L14 carbon steel
- Low cost for general jigs and made-to-order sizes.
- Brass / aluminium
- Non-magnetic or light duty, lowest strength.
How to choose
- Pick the tolerance first: h6 slips in and can be pulled out, m6 is a press fit.
- A pin can be shortened, never re-sized — choose by diameter.
- Use internally threaded pins where the pin must come out again.