Torque Wrenches Vs Tensioners
Torque wrenches and bolt tensioners are among the most common way of tightening
large bolts.
In most cases, bolts wind up under more stress and need to provide more clamping
force as the equipment grows more powerful or heavier. When dealing with larger
bolts, hydraulic wrenches or tensioners are necessary to tighten bolts to a point
that they’ve created sufficient clamping force.
Bolts can provide support to the objects they are clamping; their main purpose is
to deliver clamping force. This force comes from the spring tension intrinsic to
the tightened bolt. As the bolt is tightened, it undergoes a microscopic stretching.
But the bolt’s original make-up includes an elasticity of material that leads it
to want to revert to its shape before this stretching occurred. This tension leads
to the clamping force, and works to prevent loosening with the help of the friction
from the bolt’s threads.
Therefore, guaranteeing and maintaining proper clamping force will ensure that enough
spring tension is created in a bolt upon tightening. Torque wrenches and bolt tensioners
each create this spring tension by stretching bolts, although they use different
methods to get to that goal.
Bolt Tensioners
A bolt tensioner preloads a bolt and stretches it before a nut is installed. The
tensioner gets held to the threads of the bolt and pushes against the flange of
the surface that is being bolted. By doing this, the tensioner provides a steady
amount of stretch to the bolt, thus making sure the bolt receives consistent stretch
and clamping force.
There is a downside to using bolt tensioners, in that the user needs to consider
a number of factors in selecting a tensioner with each application. This Includes;
Bolts can provide support to the objects they are clamping; their main purpose is
to deliver clamping force. This force comes from the spring tension intrinsic to
the tightened bolt. As the bolt is tightened, it undergoes a microscopic stretching.
But the bolt’s original make-up includes an elasticity of material that leads it
to want to revert to its shape before this stretching occurred. This tension leads
to the clamping force, and works to prevent loosening with the help of the friction
from the bolt’s threads.
- The size of the nut
- The diameter of the bolt
- The thickness of the washer
- The washer diameter
- The bolt grade and load requirement
- The free stud protrusion length
With a tensioner, the amount of bolt stretch is regulated by the hydraulic pressure
applied to the tool. Because the bolt will be pre-stretched by the tensioner, the
user will need a minimal amount of torque to tighten the nut on the stud. The clamping
pressure needed comes from the release of the tensioner, which allows the bolt’s
innate elasticity to supply clamping pressure
Torque Wrenches
A torque wrench generates spring tension through the amount of rotational force
it applies to a bolt. As the wrench applies this force, the threading pulls the
nut face and bolt head close, stretching the bolt and generating clamping force.
It’s the most commonly found method of supplying load to a bolt. A large amount
of torque is necessary to provide high clamping force. A hydraulic wrench can supply
this kind of force.
Torque in hydraulic wrenches is controlled by hydraulic fluid pressure; the higher
the pressure, the greater the amount of torque applied to the bolt. Hydraulic fluid
does not compress, which means it provides highly consistent and precise torque
values.
For the highest potential accuracy when determining torque for a specific application,
it is vital to consider a number of other factors that can affect the amount of
clamping force applied by a particular level of torque. This includes,
- The number of times the bolt has been used
- The bolt’s cleanliness and finish
- Whether a lubricant has been applied to the threads and the nut face
- Whether flat washers have been used
For more information on bolt tension and tightening torque wrange, please go
through our site www.gulfinconme.com
and get a quote