Critical joints require controlled bolting throughout their service life to maintain performance, enhance safety and improve uptime. Valley Forge & Bolt's family of load-indicating fasteners makes it possible to monitor bolted joints and always know a fastener's tension regardless of its service interval. James Brooks, Valley Forge & Bolt's director of engineering and business development, recently discussed how this can improve controlled bolting programs and ongoing condition monitoring. Brooks is an engineering graduate from the University of London (U.K.) and has significant experience in the field of specialty engineered fastening solutions, including more than 10 years of experience in critical bolting.
BIC: What is controlled bolting?
BROOKS: Simply put, it means tightening your fasteners to the appropriate tension or clamp load for the application. For many years, the only way of measuring the elongation or tension in the bolt was by controlling torque. But Valley Forge & Bolt has changed the paradigm with our load-indicating fasteners.
BIC: How can controlled bolting positively impact plant and machine health?
BROOKS: Although controlled bolting is widely associated with installation, it is just as important throughout the lifecycle. Once tension has been achieved at the installation, there is an inevitable tension loss that follows start up and continued operation. If not caught in time, plants can experience wildly expensive machine failure and, worse, potential safety issues. Our products consistently monitor the relaxation in the bolt tension.
BIC: How do load-indicating fasteners improve controlled bolting?
BROOKS: Because our technology measures elongation in the bolt without using torque, we have direct tension monitoring in our Maxbolt⢠and SPC4 bolt products. They show very accurately -- within +/-5 percent of minimum yield -- what the elongation of your bolt is. By measuring only torque, the elongation can be off by +/-20 percent, but our products measure tension directly. You're in a much better place in terms of efficiency, safety, and the ongoing health of your equipment and processes.
BIC: How are load-indicating fasteners used for condition monitoring?
BROOKS: Our SPC4 load-indicating fastener system was specifically created to make ongoing bolt monitoring much easier. Wireless-compatible SPC4 meters easily integrate into condition-monitoring systems for remote readings and in-use monitoring. It removes the high costs and complexity from condition monitoring of critical bolted joints. The bolts are now controlled for life. Any technician at any experience level can achieve accurate, consistent and repeatable bolting not only at the time of its installation, but throughout the service life.
For more information, visit www.vfbolts.com or call (800) 832-6587.
