At Stress Indicators, we field calls and e-mails from people around the world who have bolting challenges. They all have the goal of finding a solution. For many of them, using the versatile SmartBolts® Visual Indication System™ provides the answer. Here are six bolting challenges we hear frequently from customers. Do any of the following scenarios apply to you?
It takes my team too long to conduct repetitive maintenance activities.
SmartBolts reduce the time it takes to conduct maintenance by providing workers with a visual indication of bolt tension. In a typical two week maintenance cycle on an installation of 1,000 fasteners, SmartBolts can reduce maintenance time by 80%. Workers need only conduct a visual inspection, and the SmartBolts Visual Indication System will identify those bolts which must be tightened.
Installation and maintenance activities are cutting into my company’s profit margins.
The SmartBolts Visual Indication System is an improved bolting method that can reduce installation and maintenance costs by as much as 50%. The visual indication of tension available with SmartBolts allows for proper installation without special tools, and once installed, SmartBolts can be inspected from a distance without any tools. SmartBolts users also require less complex training, less expensive tools, and are more likely to identify bolting issues before they become expensive failures.
I have too many bolts that I’m responsible for.
It’s difficult to manage the installation and maintenance procedures for bolts that vary in size, shape, and required preload. Instead, let SmartBolts do the hard work for you. The visual indicator is designed to indicate at the level of tension that is correct for your application. Once installed, a SmartBolt will visually indicate whether it is properly tensioned for the life of the fastener. This visual indication is always visible, always on, and operates in real-time. It’s one less thing you need to worry about.
Bolts are breaking after my team installs them.
When a bolt breaks, it’s usually the result of an improper installation. Fortunately, with SmartBolts, this is a fairly easy problem to fix. Improper installations are often caused by improper bolt preload (when a bolt is either tightened too much or not enough). DTI SmartBolts make installation easy – simply tighten the bolt until the indicator turns black. If the indicator remains red, the bolt has not been sufficiently tightened.
Bolts can fail even when installed as instructed. Instructions can be subjective, unclear, or include references to torque. Torque often leads to wide variations in the actual tension applied to a bolt. SmartBolts don’t experience this problem because its indicator only responds to bolt tension, and tension is the primary factor that ensures a bolted joint is properly installed. As a result, SmartBolts create a more secure bolted joint.
My team’s bolting tools are too heavy and cumbersome.
Sometimes, the most important bolts in an application are the most difficult to reach. They could be elevated high above the ground, or wedged within a confined space. In these types of environments, cumbersome tools are not only inconvenient, they can quickly become a safety hazard. Only a wrench is required to install SmartBolts, and once tightened, inspections require no tools at all.
Bolts are used in applications that promote safety and protect people from injury.
SmartBolts are the safer alternative to other common bolting methods. When bolts are a critical component in an application that protects people from injury, it is imperative to know if these bolts become loose. The visual indicator of a DTI SmartBolt clearly displays a bright red color when it is loose. No tools are necessary; this indication that can be seen at-a-glance from anyone nearby. The SmartBolts Visual Indication System is the best option for an intuitive, clearly visible, and accurate display of bolt tension.
The SmartBolts® Visual Indication System™ is an all-in-one bolting solution that provides both a fastener and an indication of fastener tension. SmartBolts can help reduce your reliance on expensive tools, save your organization both time and money, and promote a safer work environment for your co-workers. The scenarios we’ve listed above are only a sampling of the ways in which SmartBolts have benefited our customers. For more information about how SmartBolts can help you, we invite you to contact us at [email protected] or call +1 (240) 631-7246.
