Cubic Connector 4545 45x45x45 mm Three-Way Aluminium Corner Joint Block for 45 Series

OEM / ODM Available Free Sample Available ISO 9001:2015 RoHS REACH

A 45 x 45 x 45 mm three-way cubic corner connector for 45 series aluminium profiles, with a 26 mm counterbore and a 14.5 mm through bore on each face and a clip-on cap.

Wholesale Price $1.60 - $4.20 / pc per pc

Material	Aluminium or zinc alloy with ABS cap
Alloy Grade	6061-T6 or Zamak 3 body, ABS cap, 304 stainless inserts
Temper	custom
Section Size	45 x 45 x 45 mm cube, suits 45 mm profile faces
Slot	Suits 45 series 10 mm groove profiles
Length	Stocked, no cutting required
Tolerance	ISO 8062 die casting or ISO 2768-m machining
Surface	Natural finish, anodised on request
MOQ	200
Lead Time	18-28 days after deposit
Loading Port	Shanghai / Ningbo
Supply Ability	300,000 pieces per month
Payment Terms	T/T 30% deposit + 70% before shipment \| L/C at sight
Trade Terms	FOB \| CIF \| EXW
Certifications	ISO 9001:2015 \| RoHS \| REACH

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Connecting elements · Cubic corner joints

A cubic connector 4545 is a 45 x 45 x 45 mm three-way corner block for 45 series aluminium profiles. Each of the three faces is counterbored 26 mm with a 14.5 mm through bore concentric with it, and the counterbore is closed by a clip-on cap. The 45 mm cube matches the 45 mm face of the profile exactly, so the corner comes out flush on all three axes, and one block replaces three brackets and twelve bolts at a three-way node.

The interesting part of this connector is not the block, it is the bolt arithmetic. The cube’s 14.5 mm through bore will pass an M14 shank, and the 45 series profile has a 12 mm core bore tapped M14 — so the two match directly. But most customers do not use an M14 bolt. They screw a hole reducer into the profile and use an M8 or M6 bolt through the cube, which is cheaper and easier to torque accurately. Choosing between those options is what this page is about.

45x45x45 mm cubic connector for 45 series aluminium profiles with 26 mm counterbores and 14.5 mm through bores on three faces — The 4545 cubic connector: a 45 mm cube with a 26 mm counterbore and a 14.5 mm through bore on each of three faces.

The bore geometry, read off the drawing

Two diameters are marked on the 4545 drawing. The 26 mm is a counterbore: a recess that gives the bolt head and its washer a flat seat and provides the lip that the cap clips onto. The 14.5 mm is the through bore, concentric with it, and it is what the bolt shank passes through. On a 45 mm cube the 26 mm counterbore leaves about 9.5 mm of wall on each side, which is where the stiffness of the block comes from.

The important thing to notice is that the through bore is 14.5 mm, not 10 mm or 12 mm. That is deliberate: it is sized so that an M14 bolt passes through with clearance, which means the cube can be used with the largest fixing the 45 series core bore will take, without any adapter at all.

Feature	Dimension	What it is for
Cube body	45 x 45 x 45 mm	Matches the 45 series profile face, so the corner is flush
Counterbore	26 mm on each of three faces	Seats the bolt head and washer, and gives the cap its clip lip
Through bore	14.5 mm	Clears an M14 shank with no adapter needed
Wall at the bore	approx. 9.5 mm each side	Where the block gets its stiffness
Cap	Clip-on ABS	Closes the counterbore after tightening

Three ways to fix it, and why most people choose the third

The 45 series profile has a 12 mm core bore tapped M14. The cube’s through bore is 14.5 mm. Those two facts give you three fixing options, and they trade cost against torque control.

M14 bolt directThe bolt passes through the cube and threads straight into the profile’s M14 core bore. Strongest and fewest parts, but an M14 bolt is expensive, heavy, and needs a long hex key with a lot of swing room.

M14 to M8 hole reducerA reducer screws into the profile’s M14 bore and presents an M8 internal thread. An M8 bolt then goes through the cube into the reducer. This is the most common choice: the bolt is cheap, the torque is easy to control, and the joint is still strong.

M12 to M6 hole reducerThe same idea one size down, for light frames and for profiles whose core bore is tapped M12. Use it where the node load is modest and you want the smallest possible bolt.

Fixing option	Receiving thread	Bolt used	When it is the right choice
Direct	M14 in the profile core bore	M14	Maximum capacity, fewest parts
Reducer	M14 in the profile, M8 in the reducer	M8	The general-purpose choice for 45 series frames
Reducer	M12 in the profile, M6 in the reducer	M6	Light frames and small node loads

The thread is in aluminium, so the torque is lower than you expect. An M8 bolt into a steel thread can be taken to about 25 N m. Into an aluminium thread it should be limited to roughly 18 to 22 N m, because the receiving thread — not the bolt — is what strips. This is the opposite of the T-slot case, where the bolt is much stronger than the slot it sits in.

Pairing the cube with larger sections

The cube is 45 mm because the 45 series face is 45 mm. That is fine on a 45 x 45 mm profile, and it is fine on the 45 mm face of a 45 x 90 mm section. It is not a match for a 90 x 90 mm section, whose face is 90 mm — the cube will bolt on and the core bore threads will line up, but the block will sit as a 45 mm island in the middle of a 90 mm face with a 22.5 mm step all round.

That step is not a structural problem; the load path is unchanged and the joint is just as strong. It is a visual and a cleaning problem. On a frame where the corner is visible, or in a wash-down area where a recess will hold product, use a joining plate or a purpose-made corner for the large section instead. The joining plates range covers the 45 series in 45 x 45 mm, and the large section corners are better handled by a plate than by a cube.

Assembling a 4545 three-way corner

Face and tap all three profile ends first The cube fixes into the end of each member, so each end needs a square face and a tapped core bore. Do this before assembly, not after.
Decide the reducer before you tap If you are using a hole reducer, the profile is tapped M14 as normal and the reducer screws in afterwards. If you are going direct with M14, tap to the full depth the bolt needs — an M14 bolt needs considerably more engagement than an M8.
Fit the cube to the first member and leave it loose Bring the cube onto the first arm and tighten only enough to hold it. The corner self-aligns while the joint is loose.
Add the second and third members, then check flush The cube face and the profile face are both 45 mm, so they should be exactly flush. A step means the end face is not square, not that the cube is wrong.
Torque in two passes and fit the caps last Bring all three bolts up to about half torque, then finish them. Fitting the caps last means you can still see the bolt heads if you need to re-check.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between the 4545 cube and the 2020 cube?

Size and series only. The 2020 is a 20 x 20 x 20 mm cube for 20 series profiles; the 4545 is a 45 x 45 x 45 mm cube for 45 series. The construction is the same: a counterbore on each of three faces with a through bore and a clip-on cap.

Do I need a hole reducer?

Only if you want to use a bolt smaller than M14. The cube will take an M14 bolt straight into the profile’s M14 core bore. Most customers use an M14 to M8 reducer because an M8 bolt is cheaper and easier to torque.

Can the cube be used on a 90 x 90 mm profile?

It can be bolted on and the threads line up, but the 45 mm cube leaves a step on a 90 mm face. Use a joining plate or a purpose-made corner where the corner is visible or where a recess would trap product.

Is the cube stronger than three brackets?

The node is far stiffer, because the load goes through the block in compression rather than through a bracket in bending. It also uses a quarter of the parts. The capacity is set by the thread in the profile end, not by the cube.

Do you supply the bolts and reducers?

Yes. Tell us the series and whether you want the direct M14 fixing or a reducer, and we will supply the cubes, caps, bolts and reducers bagged as a kit per corner.

Send the node count and the fixing preference

Tell us how many three-way corners the frame has and whether you want the direct M14 fixing or a reducer to M8 or M6. We will confirm the tapping depth and quote the cubes, caps and hardware as a kit.

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