15.10.2020 | Catégorie : Spectrum

Controlled tightening

Indispensable for precise connections


An increasing number of bolted connections have to be tightened to a specified torque and the results documented. The reason is strict safety regulations and quality requirements. It is only a defined bolted connection that can ensure a joint will withstand the anticipated loads in subsequent operation. But that is not all: sensitive materials such as carbon, magnesium alloys and plastics are being used more frequently these days. An incorrect preload force could damage the components or prevent the desired connection properties being achieved.

Take aerospace, for example: there are many safety relevant bolted connections in a turbine and around the landing gear. These must be tightened to very strict specifications. This is why accurate torque tools are indispensable in production and maintenance.

In power station construction and power generation, an incorrectly tightened fastener can become a very expensive matter. If a power station has to go offline, every minute translates into losses for the operator that must be avoided.

Last but not least, torque technology has long been indispensable in construction: steel girders and fastening elements must be absolutely reliable and last for many years – often under extreme conditions, as is the case with bridges, for example. Torque technology has been indispensable in this field for many years because this is the only way sufficiently high, durable clamping forces can be generated. The sole exception is bolted connections where the bolts are in shear, where, in contrast to bolts in tension, the force transmission is perpendicular to the fastener axis.

In conclusion, we can say that applying exactly the right force is the crucial factor in many fastener tightening jobs.