Real-Time Graphing and Critical Joint Design

See NASA quote.

Why SureBolt?

Measures tension not torque,

Patented whole echo method,

Graphs tension changes in real-time,

Instrument is built into the PC,

13.3" Color TOUCHSCREEN

Friction varies too much, bolt to bolt,

Not fooled by friction variations,

Using lubrication still leaves large friction variations,

Avoid flange leaks,

SureBolt

Prove to safety you took a reliable tension reading,

Far greater reliability,

All other bolt gages are one-point bolt gages,

No more zero-crossing peak jumping,

ALL other bolt gages have problems with peak jumping,

Dramatic improvement due to a new patented DSP technique,

Proven by NASA,

Can record over a million bolt tensions with their waveforms,

Playback built in,

Excel compatible data files,

Flange bolts easily grouped together,

Critical bolts,

Verify your design,

Safety,

Tension verification,

Accuracy,

Much easier to use,

Graphical help,

On-line help,

Dynamic help,

13" Color Screen instead of 5" black & white screen,

Full keyboard instead of a few cryptic keys,

Record field notes with your tension data,

You can use long file names,

Large on-screen buttons,

Familiar WinXP/2000 operating system,

Full featured laptop - Panasonic Toughbook Model 72 computer,

1 year limited warrantee,

No need to transfer data to another machine,

No hidden information,

To sum it up, vastly easier and more reliable.

Press here for a detailed point by point comparison to all other bolt gages.

Real-Time Graph of Bolt Tension

Real-Time Graph of Bolt Tension
This screen shows SureBolt's real-time graphing option.
Notice SureBolt's sensitivity as the bolt was tensioned in 5 different steps.
Scroll down to see an example of using the "Spare" parameter (top middle) in your critical joint design.

Back to SureBolt: A More Reliable Bolt Gage

The SureBolt "Spare" value can record your loading conditions along with your bolt tension data. NASA used this feature in testing the Space Station node.

Example of a Critical Joint Design: Suppose you want to verify your critical joint design in a pressure vessel - in this case your loading condition is pressure. You need to experimentally verify how the bolt tension changes as the pressure is increased. You may also want to verify the pressure when your critical joint separates. You may also want to verify that this bolt does not reach its "yield" point (permanent elongation of the bolt).

Record the echo when there is no tension in the bolt and no pressure in the pressure vessel. The Spare parameter is set to zero.
Pre-tension the bolt and record.
Record the pressure and bolt tension at increasing pressures.
Verify that the change in bolt tension is acceptable. Verify critical joint separation - if the bolt's tension increases substantially, your joint may have separated.
Remove the pressure. Loosen the bolt. Make sure the bolt's tension returns to zero (or close to zero). If not, the bolt may have reached "yield".

This is a simplified example of some of the many variables that you need to measure or calculate in your bolted joint design. SureBolt can help with these parameters and others. For an excellent tutorial on bolted joints see Bolt Science's web page.

FAST-DAQ
Let us know how we can help you.

Telephone: (800) 732-7832
Postal address: 1022 Antelope Trail, Winter Springs, FL 32708, USA

Send your email to with questions or comments about how we can help. Contact us here, or type in the email address shown above (Due to spam, we have replaced the text email address, with the image email address shown above).

Note: Privacy. We will NOT give your contact information to anyone.

No more guessing as to which "one point" is the right point.

The FIRST whole echo method (patented DSP Technique).

SureBolt picture

Built into a
Panasonic Toughbook

Visitors Since 1-22-02 Hit Counter
Last Modified: September 27, 2011