Advantages of Flange Bolts and Nuts
Why Are Flange Bolts and Nuts Becoming More and More Popular?
The flange bolts and nuts replace the form of bolts and nuts and gaskets and they are becoming increasingly popular.
We know that in the traditional sense, we add a gasket under the bolts and nuts to disperse the load and prevent damage caused by excessive pressure on the joint surface. The purpose of adding flange bolts and nuts below is actually the same. Why does this design become a better choice?
The most familiar and commonly used method for controlling bolt tension is through indirect torque control, but we also know that this method is not particularly precise in controlling axial tension, because during the tightening process, most of the torque is used to overcome the friction between the contact surface below the bolt head and the thread. Only about 15% is actually used to generate axial tension.
Compared to the form of bolts and gaskets, flange bolts can effectively improve the variables during the tightening process mentioned above. Let's take a look together.
Standard gaskets are usually softer than the nuts or bolts they are paired with. They often undergo plastic deformation under higher compressive stresses. Once deformed, the clamping force will significantly decrease. And the nuts and bolts on the flange surface will not be affected by this, because the gasket surface is integrated with the bolts and nuts, and the material strength is the same.
Some people may say that using hardened gaskets is finally enough, right? There is another issue here, which is the misalignment of the gasket installation. The opening in the middle of the washer is usually much larger than the diameter of the bolt, because it is necessary to ensure that the transition fillet below the bolt head does not touch the washer. The presence of such a large gap can cause the gasket to become eccentric during tightening, leading to local stress concentration and increasing the risk of indentation and joint surface damage.
In addition to the above two factors, research has also found that when tightening bolts or nuts, the gasket will also rotate. Although it is not common, it is not easy to detect when it occurs. Once followed, the relationship between the applied torque and bolt tension may change. Under the given tightening torque, the actual bolt tension produced does not achieve the expected effect. In summary, flange bolts and nuts have significant advantages compared to gaskets.
The flange bolts and nuts replace the form of bolts and nuts and gaskets and they are becoming increasingly popular.
We know that in the traditional sense, we add a gasket under the bolts and nuts to disperse the load and prevent damage caused by excessive pressure on the joint surface. The purpose of adding flange bolts and nuts below is actually the same. Why does this design become a better choice?
The most familiar and commonly used method for controlling bolt tension is through indirect torque control, but we also know that this method is not particularly precise in controlling axial tension, because during the tightening process, most of the torque is used to overcome the friction between the contact surface below the bolt head and the thread. Only about 15% is actually used to generate axial tension.
Compared to the form of bolts and gaskets, flange bolts can effectively improve the variables during the tightening process mentioned above. Let's take a look together.
Standard gaskets are usually softer than the nuts or bolts they are paired with. They often undergo plastic deformation under higher compressive stresses. Once deformed, the clamping force will significantly decrease. And the nuts and bolts on the flange surface will not be affected by this, because the gasket surface is integrated with the bolts and nuts, and the material strength is the same.
Some people may say that using hardened gaskets is finally enough, right? There is another issue here, which is the misalignment of the gasket installation. The opening in the middle of the washer is usually much larger than the diameter of the bolt, because it is necessary to ensure that the transition fillet below the bolt head does not touch the washer. The presence of such a large gap can cause the gasket to become eccentric during tightening, leading to local stress concentration and increasing the risk of indentation and joint surface damage.
In addition to the above two factors, research has also found that when tightening bolts or nuts, the gasket will also rotate. Although it is not common, it is not easy to detect when it occurs. Once followed, the relationship between the applied torque and bolt tension may change. Under the given tightening torque, the actual bolt tension produced does not achieve the expected effect. In summary, flange bolts and nuts have significant advantages compared to gaskets.
