Does NSA5054-12N need a separate swaging tool, and how is it removed?

Question

I am a transfer engineer at Airbus looking for a tool to install NSA5054-12N. Your website recommends CST1210, but this is a non-locking insert. Is this tool sufficient to install and secure the insert in the parent material, or do I need a separate expansion tool? Which tools are required to remove it?

Answer

If the hole is already correctly prepared and you need to remove the existing insert and install a replacement, the recommended tools are:

CST1210 combines driving and swaging in one tool. It drives the threaded insert into the prepared hole and then expands its external serrated collar, or “crown”, into the parent material. This process is called swaging and mechanically secures the insert in place. No separate expansion tool is required.

What does “non-locking” mean?

The locking designation refers to the insert’s internal thread and its interaction with the bolt, rather than how the insert is secured in the parent material. A locking insert has an internally deformed thread section that creates friction against the bolt, helping it resist loosening.

NSA5054-12N is a non-locking insert, so it does not provide this additional internal locking friction. The bolt forms a standard threaded connection, with joint retention relying on the clamping force developed when it is tightened. The insert itself still needs to be swaged into the parent material during installation.