Bolts and Joints

C OMPILED BY SAMRITH LOGAN KONG

NOTES BY DENISE STURM , STEPHANIE WILSON, SAMRITH LOGAN KONG

Better with use

o Threaded fasteners are more efficient with successive use as long as

yield is not reached

o Friction is reduced with each use

• Friction

o 80% of Torque is caused by friction

o Coatings affects friction

o Lubrication is used to decrease friction

o Lubrication should be used to accurately duplicate torque

o Friction is increased with locking mechanisms or adhesives: anaerobic

or cyanoacrylate

o Anaerobic adhesives(loctite) act as a lubricant until it sets

o Slow tightening speed will increase friction to a point

o Fast tightening speed will decrease friction to a point

• Best practice is to replace bolts after yield

• Two ways to store energy

o Compression (C-Clamps)

o Tension (Bolts)

 Energy stored in tension is better

• Would expect conrod bolt design to go to yield (single use design)

• Origins of bolts

o Middle ages(torture devices)

 o First machine(Guttenberg bible press)

o Threaded fasteners used for 700 years

• Fastener Strength

o Fine thread fasteners are stronger

 In tension – larger stress area

 In shear – larger minor diameter

o Coarse threads are stronger

 Thicker thread

o Load on fine thread fasteners is higher and are less likely to loosen

o Metric threads have a prescribed radius

 Relieves stress

• Head designs

o Socket head

 Week head design

o Solid Hex

 Strong head design

 Better transmission

 More contact points

• Reduced diameter bolts

o Longer life in assembly and removal

o Used by Navy

o High vibration use

• Tightening

o Bolts by definition are to be tightened from nut side(if nut is used)

o Tighten nut side because of less mass

 o Many bolts – tighten in star pattern to properly distribute pressure

• Change grade for vibration issues G8 G5

• Interference fits allow more bolt load than clamp load

• Where should energy be stored

o Bolt

o Joint

• Joint is only as strong as the weakest spring

o Weakest will fail first

o Limits life

• Shear joint failures are safer than tensile joint failures

• Joint stiffness

o Must identify the stiffness of joints

o Joints are used as the fulcrum for bolts

o Joints must withstand the bolt strength

o Use approximation to determine stiffness(joint rate)

 Hard joints

• <30° from snug to torque is hard joint(low rate)

• Expect to see 25% increase when auditing

 Soft joints(plastics, rubber)

• >30° from snug to torque is soft joint(high rate)

• Expect to see 20% decrease when auditing

 Snug – all components touching without movement

• Torque angle is more reliable than torquing

o Procedure- tighten to snug, mark surface, continue tightening to

certain angle

• Stress/strain curve for gasket(soft joint) is non-linear.

• 50% of loose bolt issues result from geometry problems

o Position/bad chamfer/size

o Can get higher torque if tap is too small

o Can get lower torque if tap is too big

• Torque

o T=Fn (force times moment arm)

o The longer the moment arm(handle), the less force required to achieve
torque(n goes up, F comes down to get same T)

o Reference point on handle is to be used for force application

o Torque is a result of Resistance to Rotation (RTR)

o Holding down the end to stabilize will affect torque

o Torque measurements are affected by operator

• Energy distribution

o 42% consumption under bolt head

o 44% loss in friction of threads

o 12% consumed in strain or stored energy

o 2% torsional wind up

• Preload

o Measure elongation

 Measure length of bolt before and after torquing

 Best method of determining preload

o Evaluate elongation of bolt for preload

• Grip Length for blind holes (length of thread : diameter of bolt)

o Ratio 8:1

o Most use 3:1

o Manufacturers use 4:1

• Bolt length

o Longer bolts cost more

o Manufacturers will go as short as possible for cost savings

• Hand tools

o Two types

 Indicating

• Dials

• Click

 Limiting

• Breakaway wrench

o Click Wrenches

 ±4% accuracy clockwise

 ±2% accuracy counterclockwise

• Powertools

o Continuous

 Gear driven

 Delivers more energy

• Good for joints that require more energy

 Smaller profile

 Easy to measure(transducer)

 Stall Devices

• Accuracy 10%-15%

• Cost $100s

 Clutch Devices

• Accuracy 5%-10%
 • Cost $1000s

 Transducer Controlled Devices

• Accuracy 3%-5%

• Cost $10,000s

o Discontinuous

 Impact wrench

 No torque reaction to the operator

 Better speed

 Better ergonomics

 Power to weight ratio is good

 Higher clamp load with the same amount of torque

• On joints 270° or less

 Non shut-off Devices

• Accuracy 6%-12%

• Cost $100s

 Shut-off Devices

• Accuracy 10%-15%

• Cost $1,000s

 Transducer Controlled Devices

• Accuracy 4%-6%

• Cost $10,000s

o Air Vs Electric

 Power to velocity rating better for electric

 DC – Less expensive

 Air – Less expensive to maintain

 

• Multi nut-runners

o Expect 12% difference between bolt loads

o May have to increase torque on some bolts to achieve even load or

sealing