Sensor Products has introduced a bolted joint analysis software package
called BoltFast, which aids determination of thread fatigue endurance
limits, joint embedding and optimal tightening torque for given friction
conditions. The package enables 'what if' routines to be carried out on a
bolted joint that otherwise would have required extensive analysis and
testing.
There are three main components: joint analysis, which determines whether
or not a bolted joint is capable of sustaining the forces acting upon it;
thread analysis, which calculates the forces necessary to strip internal
and external threads as well as fracture a fastener, and torque analysis,
which provides a means of determining the correct tightening torque and
anticipated clamp force. This last component takes into account the
different friction values between thread and nut, together with the
effect of tensile and torsional stresses.