The Cold-Formed Steel Engineers Institute has updated “Tech Note 562-22: Power-Actuated Fasteners in Cold-Formed Steel Construction.”
Power-actuated fasteners are an industry standard for the attachment of cold-formed steel (CFS) framing members, usually CFS track to concrete, concrete masonry unit (CMU) or steel structural elements.
- CFSEI Technical Notes are free of charge to CFSEI members
- For nonmembers, the updated Tech Note 562-22 is available for purchase at American Iron and Steel Institute’s Steel Store
The power-actuated category refers to fasteners that are driven directly through CFS members and into the substrate using a powder, gas, compressed air or electro-mechanically driven tool. Efficient installation of steel framing systems is greatly enhanced by the use of power-actuated fasteners.

Typical uses of Power-Actuated Fasteners. Courtesy: AISI
Tech Note 562-22 provides guidance on design, installation and good detailing practices based on AISI S100, “North American Specification for the Design of Cold-Formed Steel Structural Members.”
For CFS-to-steel applications, AISI S100 addresses all relevant limit states with equations and safety/resistance factors. For CFS-to-concrete, limited guidance is provided but not all limit states are covered.