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Last year Bossard proudly partnered with Stress Indicators, Inc., an engineering and manufacturing company that specializes in producing unique visual indicating devices.

One of the products manufactured by Stress Indicators, Inc. are SmartBolts. SmartBolts are fasteners with a visual indication system, and the benefits of such a product are enormous.

Necessitated by the inability to measure tension in an application, torque has been relied upon to determine the proper preload when installing a fastener.

This is where SmartBolts come in. Benefitting from a unique visual indication system embedded into the head of the fastener that measures tension rather than torque, SmartBolt products eliminate the need to assume certain factors in the bolted joint’s environment.

With SmartBolts, guess work when determining joint preload with torque is no longer part of the equation. By measuring tension with the use of SmartBolts products, not only are you achieving an accurate and secure joint, but you are also able to do so while expending a minimal amount of time, in addition to saving on maintenance costs and increasing safety in the work area.

Fastener and nut size, lubrication and the presence of rust are all factors that can have an influence when using torque to measure joint security. SmartBolts offers an alternative to this by directly indicating tension, offering a solution that is independent of those previously mentioned factors. With SmartBolts, a solid connection is more than assured.

Using torque specifications for fasteners can be limiting because it accounts for one coefficient of friction. This leaves no ability for adjustments for changes in friction. Direct Tension Indicating (DTI) SmartBolts eliminate possible nut factor variations, including but not limited to changes in lubrication, surface finish or the mere presence of a foreign material.

To learn more about the innovative line of SmartBolts products that Bossard has to offer, contact Bossard at ProvenProductivity@bossard.com.

Providing effective solutions to your fastening challenges is our bread and butter at Bossard. Our innovative solutions come standard, ensuring almost certain success no matter what your challenge might be.

One of Bossard’s crowning achievements is the ecosyn®-drill self-drilling screw. These screws are designed for optimum use with aluminum and galvanized steel with a hardness of HV 125 (420 N/mm2). Manufactured from case-hardened steel, these ecosyn®-drill self-drilling screws use their drill bit point to produce their own hole in which the threads dig in for a tight bond.

The biggest advantage of using ecosyn®-drill self-drilling screws is that no drilling or thread-cutting tools are required. These screws can be fastened quickly and efficiently without the use of a plot hole, resulting in substantial savings of up to 50 percent compared to drilling and tapping a hole.

The drill point is a special form which eliminates the common problem of drifting around the surface of the component before drilling commences. There is no need to center punch the drilling point with these self-drilling screws.

There are several application areas that are best suited to the ecosyn®-drill screws:
• Sheet metal construction
• Heating and ventilation ducts
• Household machines
• Vehicle body construction
• Window frames and blinds
• Façade construction
• Green-house frames

To lower costs and boost your savings, there is no better alternative on the market. To learn more about the ecosyn®-drill self-drilling screws or inquire about other innovative fastening solutions, contact Bossard at ProvenProductivity@bossard.com.

Innovation is a part of Bossard’s DNA, and our development of high-quality fastening solutions is excellent proof of that. With the goal of turning challenges into opportunities, Bossard has made a name for itself by offering effective and efficient products that fulfill customer’s needs.

The ecosyn®-fix screw is but one fastening innovation that Bossard has to offer.

This machine screw, complete with an integrated conical washer, was designed to replace the need for multiple fastening elements – flat washer and split lock washer combinations – and instead provide a single solution. Specifically, the ecosyn®-fix screw was created for holding printed circuit boards in small and major appliances, along with sheet metal applications to vehicle construction, household appliances and electronic equipment.

When properly tightened, the ecosyn-fix is vibration resistant due to the spring action of the conical shaped head. The large washer face excels at reducing damage to the surface of components by spreading out the clamp-force.  “Spreading out the clamp-force” is what makes ecosyn-fix an ideal candidate for softer materials.

The contact surface under the head also provides a large area to increase friction and inherently prevents vibrational loosening.

In addition to cost-savings from replacing the standard screw/spring washer/flat washer assembly, the ecosyn®-fix screw also presents cost-saving opportunities in inventory management. Fewer fasteners to stock and assemble improve overall assembly time in production. The ecosyn®-fix screw is also well suited for bowel feeding in automated assembly tools.

Bossard takes steps to ensure the quality of such fastening solutions, so that customers can take comfort in using products that are safe, effective and economical. The ecosoyn®-fix screw is but one of the brilliant ecosyn® products available from Bossard. For more information about the benefits of ecosyn®-fix screws or to discuss other fastening products and solutions, contact Bossard at ProvenProductivity@bossard.com.

For several decades now, experts across the fastener industry have dedicated considerable time and effort to improving the overall design and, most importantly, dependability of their products. But even when you factor in the years of hard work that has been devoted to perfecting fasteners, very little of that work contributes to or guarantees the reliability of the joint.

When selecting your fastener, it is important that you first understand the mechanics of how a threaded fastener sustains loading and how specific tightening procedures also factor into the equation. There are a number of factors to consider in the design of bolted joints, in addition to a basic understanding.

Whereas a loose or untightened bolt would fail in a matter of seconds, a bolt that has been fully tightened would be capable of surviving when used as part of an application. Though you might think otherwise, a tightened bolt just sustains a small portion of a load once it has been applied the joint, rather than sustaining the full effect.

This concept can often seem in opposition with common sense, but understanding that the bolt does not sustain the full effect is of paramount importance. Weight applied to a nut loose on the bolt leads to a full increase in force on the bolt shank. When the same weight is applied to a tightened nut, the force on the bolt shank increases, but the increase is a fraction of the full effect.

Thus, no significant load increase applied to a fastener would be sustained, that is until the load exceeds the fastener’s preload. Hence, the importance of understanding and factoring in preload.

With the use of a special fastener, one can gain a better understating of the load transfer mechanism involved in a bolted joint.

To learn more about the importance of bolt preload, contact Bossard at ProvenProductivity@bossard.com.

Using the proper torque is an important part of a reliable bolted joint. Insufficient torque can lead to the fastener being loosened by vibrations while excessive torque can cause stretching and breaking of bolts. Once the proper torque has been determined for a joint, it is a good practice to perform periodic audits to ensure you are reaching your targets.

There are three general methods of testing to ensure that the proper torque has been applied.

First Movement Test

This particular method requires the use of a torque measuring tool, and is best used to determine residual torque. Residual torque is the amount of tension leftover in a joint after fastening a threaded fastener.

First, mark the tightened fastener and surrounding application. Slowly apply force to the tool, in the same direction used to tighten it, until the first movement in the fastener is noted. The reading recorded should provide you with an idea of the original torque applied to the joint.

Loosening Test

This method is similar to the first, with one fundamental difference. Instead of tightening the fastener, this test applies the torque in the direction that loosens the fastener. Should you choose this method, you’ll record a torque reading once the fastener breaks loose, and that should give you an accurate indication of the approximate torque applied to the joint.

Marking Test

For the third and final testing method, mark the surface of the tightened fastener and continue that mark onto the surface that is being clamped. Then, loosen the fastener and retighten until the marks are aligned. This allows you to measure the torque required to return the fastener to its original location, and thus the original torque applied.

Knowing how to properly utilize each method is equally important to understanding the importance of such tests. To learn more about torque and methods for measuring it, contact Bossard at ProvenProductivity@bossard.com.