Valley Forge & Bolt Reduces Joint Failure with Maxbolt

Maxbolt Load Indicating Fasteners, a patented product of Valley Forge & Bolt Mfg. Co., can revolutionize how a company looks at fasteners, while reducing downtime, premature wear, and catastrophic joint failures.

Joint failure is considered a major safety issue and keeping up with replacements is expensive. Maxbolt features an accurate and durable load-monitoring device inserted into each fastener. At a glance, technicians will know when proper load is achieved. During operation, technicians will know if load ever falls out of spec on any bolt, addressing the need immediately instead of waiting for critical equipment failure.

Now, even inexperienced operators can assemble complex bolted joints with uniform clamp loads within +/-5% of design specification. With Maxbolts, measurements are based on tension and the inaccuracies of torque control are eliminated, ensuring optimum initial conditions before an assembly is placed into service.

Once in service, Maxbolts provide monitoring to warn users of initial relaxation and any subsequent loosening during operation, with a quick glance required to confirm clamp load status.

Custom Maxbolt labels can show desired operating ranges using a green zone or pinpoint precise clamp load values. The Maxbolt Load Indicating System provides safety and reliability in a bolted joint, acting as a constant barometer of the integrity of the joint.

There are two technologies to choose from in order to meet ASTM F-2482, the standard for load-indicating externally threaded fasteners, while maintaining values to within +/-5% accuracy: Maxbolt and SPC4. Unlike Maxbolt, for which a reader is integral to the bolt, fasteners with SPC4 allow technicians to verify load by attaching a probe to a datum disc usually located on the head of the fastener and reading the load value.

To learn more, visit www.vfbolts.com.