Hydraulic Bolt Tensioners Ensure Safety
Nuts and bolts are two of the most commonly used items when building just about anything. If you are not welding, gluing, riveting, or otherwise affixing two things together, nuts and bolts are doing the job. Without the proper torque and bolt tension, those nuts and bolts are not working properly. That could lead to catastrophic failure. Many laymen think of bolts as static objects that are rigid and nearly impossible to damage. That is a big mistake. Those in the know are fully aware of the potential disaster that could befall something when bolts have incorrect tension and fail. A bolt must have the proper level of tension to hold things together as designed. The nut needs to have the correct torque level to maintain that tension. The nut and bolt must be in good condition to provide the proper mechanical application. A hydraulic bolt-tensioning system ensures the best results.
Why Bolt Tension Matters
A bolt is designed to provide tension that holds things in place. That tension needs to be within about 80 percent of the bolt’s maximum tensile strength to safely maintain the mechanical tension needed to hold things in place. Bolt-tensioner systems improve processes in many industries, including:
- Petrochemical
- Oil and gas refining
- Power generation
- General construction and maintenance
- Custom fabrication
When done properly and maintained regularly, industrial bolts will hold up indefinitely. Bolt-tensioner systems ensure you have the ideal level of bolt tension and maintain them over time.
How Bolt Tensioners Help
The best bolt-tensioner systems consider the maximum strength of the bolts used. It applies up to 80 percent of that tension to prevent damage to bolts. That helps to keep the industrial bolts at the ideal tension levels so that they do not suffer damage and fail over time. When bolts are overly tensioned, they lose their strength through stretching and cracking. Eventually, they can break and fail completely. Depending on their use, that could lead to a catastrophic failure. Hydraulic bolt-tensioning systems provide precise adjustments to all bolts at once. The hydraulic systems attach to the nuts and apply equal pressure to attain the 80 percent tension rating in each bolt. The tensioners also can consider pre-existing bolts that may have suffered damage from over-tightening in the past. When overly torqued, a bolt can stretch, suffer microcracks, and potentially fail. The hydraulic bolt-tensioning systems determine the proper load level for each bolt’s maximum tension. Then they aim for 80 percent of that amount for the ideal tension level.
Types of Hydraulic Bolt Tensioning Systems
There are essentially two types of bolt-tensioning systems. There are systems that tension all bolts at once. Others will tension half at one time followed by the other half immediately afterward. Tensioning all bolts at once speeds up the process but might cause a damaged bolt to fail. When you do half and half, a damaged bolt will not cause an immediate problem because the other half are still in position. That makes it easier to identify and replace faulty bolts and attain the ideal level of tension. Both types of hydraulic bolt-tensioner systems essentially work the same way. They fit over the stud, loose the nut, and apply tension to the bolt. Once the ideal tension level is reached, the nut gets tightened to the proper torque specs. That gives you the ideal tension level on each bolt and the best mechanical application for your machinery.
Aztec Bolting
Our expert team provides a variety of bolting services, including tool calibration services, torque tool repair. We're happy to work with you to find the solution for all your bolting applications and processes. For more information about on-site and emergency services, talk to the Aztec team.
