WHITE PAPER FGC PRESET CAM OVER PRECISION TORQUE WRENCH
In any application where the fastening of bolts and screws is critical—which includes the aerospace, automotive, medical device, electronics, and packaging industries, to name a few—businesses depend on torque tools to deliver the precise amount of force necessary to hold a fastener in place indefinitely. Whether you’re in manufacturing or maintenance, the most important attributes your torque wrench should have are quality and reliability. And the best way to be sure the wrench you’re investing in will hold up on the line is to choose the right torque wrench technology. Applying the right amount of torque to each fastener maximizes its holding potential. When too much torque is applied, it can strip or crimp threads, damage the fastener, or harm the assembly. Under-tightening can cause a screw or bolt to work free under stress, vibration, and fall out. What is Torque? Torque is a “turning” or “twisting” force and differs from tension, which is created by a straight pull. However, we use torque to create tension (see Figure 1).
As the nut and bolt are tightened, the two plates are clamped together. The thread angle in the bolt converts the force applied into tension (or stretch) in the bolt shank. The amount of tension created in the bolt is critical. A bolt tensioned properly works at its optimum efficiency and will resist coming undone. However, if the tension is too low, the nut could vibrate or work loose. If the tension is too high (overstretched), the bolt could break. Every bolt has a correct optimum torque/tension figure for each fastening application. It is important to have these figures available so that the end product will be safe, efficient, and economical. Torque Wrench Mechanisms In essence, all torque wrenches do the same thing. They apply a radial force to a fastener to tighten it or loosen it. In addition, the torque wrench must have some mechanism to limit the amount of torque their operator applies. The type of torque limiting mechanism is what separates different torque wrench technology. Each class of wrench relies on different torque limitation methods, and different methods are most effective for different applications. Selecting the appropriate wrench is important as it will determine the type of technology and budget invested for the fastening solution.
TORQUE
FORCE
CLAMPING FORCE ON JOINT
TENSION IN BOLT
Figure 1
3
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