A Common Question from Buyers
Occasionally, customers receive a fastener shipment with intact, undamaged packaging — yet the piece count appears slightly short. This is a legitimate concern, and at FULLERKREG we want to explain the two most common causes so buyers can assess the situation accurately.
Cause 1: Unit Weight Tolerance in Count-by-Weight Packaging
Fasteners are small, high-volume components. Rather than counting each piece individually, most manufacturers — including FULLERKREG — use electronic counting scales to determine quantity by weight. This method is fast, consistent, and industry-standard for bulk fastener packaging.
However, fasteners inherently carry a unit weight tolerance of approximately ±3% due to manufacturing process variation (thread rolling, heading, surface treatment). This means:
- If the sample pieces used to calibrate the scale are lighter than average, the scale will overestimate the count — and the actual quantity packed will be slightly less than the target.
- Conversely, if the sample pieces are heavier than average, the packed quantity will exceed the target.
This is a normal and unavoidable characteristic of count-by-weight packaging for threaded fasteners. It is recognized and accepted across the industry, and is not considered a quality defect.
Cause 2: Human Sampling Error
If the quantity discrepancy exceeds ±3% and the same shortfall pattern appears consistently across multiple boxes in the same shipment, the cause is more likely a sampling or calibration error during packing — for example, an incorrect reference sample weight being used to set the scale.
In this case, the issue is not inherent to the product but to the packing process, and it warrants follow-up.
What Should You Do?
- Discrepancy within ±3%: This falls within the normal weight-tolerance range for count-by-weight packaging. No action is required, but we recommend noting it for your records.
- Discrepancy greater than ±3%, or consistent across multiple boxes: Please contact FULLERKREG customer service immediately with your order number, box labels, and a description of the shortfall. We will investigate and resolve the issue promptly.
FULLERKREG's Commitment to Accuracy
We continuously calibrate our counting equipment and conduct random audits on packed shipments to minimize variance. For high-value or precision-count orders, manual counting or dual-verification packing is available upon request.
If you have any questions about your order quantity, our team is ready to assist. Reach out to FULLERKREG for fast, professional support.