MRI Macines
Electrical Connection Joints
Machine Building
When a bolt loses tension, WILL IT STOP THE MACHINE?
A machine assembly can appear secure without revealing whether its bolted connections maintain the tension needed to hold components in position.
From MRI machines to heavily loaded machinery, reliable performance depends on secure connections. Vibration and repeated loads can reduce bolt tension, allowing movement that causes misalignment, component damage, and downtime.
The challenge is not simply tightening bolts during assembly. It is knowing whether the required tension remains once the machine goes to work.
A torqued bolt isn’t always a tight bolt.
Torque doesn’t measure tension, it measures rotational force. The friction between the bolt head, threads, and mating surfaces absorbs most of what your wrench applies before it ever becomes clamp force.
Torque Applied
The wrench reaches the specified value.
85–90% Lost to Friction
Absorbed under the bolt head, in the threads, and between mating surfaces.
10–15% Becomes Bolt Stretch
Only a fraction of applied torque translates into useful tension and actual clamp force.
Torque tells you what was applied. Tension tells you what is holding the joint together.
Applications
Critical connections ACROSS MACHINE BUILDING PROJECTS
SmartBolts® provide a direct visual indication of bolt tension at the fastener, making the condition of critical bolted connections easier to verify during installation and throughout service.
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Case study
Proven in machine building projects
See how SmartBolts® have been applied to real machine building challenges, helping operators address bolting issues, improve inspection confidence, and support more reliable equipment performance.
GE Healthcare Case Study
GE Healthcare integrated SmartBolts® into its SIGNA™ MRI machines to secure critical electrical connections. This case study explores how the built-in Visual Indication System™ simplifies installation and inspection, helping maintenance teams verify bolt tension, identify loose connections, and support reliable operation.
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Ready to ensure your critical bolted connections are properly secured?
SmartBolts® give your team a clear visual way to check critical connections before loose bolts become bigger problems.