32 Technology ®
temperatures. If there an al-
metal lock rut (Fig. 4 that came off
a turbocharger, echaustmarifald
or boiler vessel, the inside wil Look
lke Fig. 6. The gold colored nuts are
cadmium plated andwil fail from Liquid
Metal Embrittlement at temperatures
exceeding 400 or 204°C. LMEis time
dependent so failure will teke longer at
lower temperatures than higher Zine
plating will else cause LME but at much
higher temperatures,
How was the fastener
installed?
Thi rakes a huge dilference
because fastener can never beevenly
tightened by hand. Trread frictions
vary and so does heinstaller’s ‘eel’
Someimas the length of standard
wrenches does not provide the proper
leverage for higher gracesof fasteners,
‘Torque wrenches are fine but not
always accurate due to 3 multitude of
variables, resily include friction
Pneumatic wrenches are mostly
unregulated to ou put torque. They ty
ta seek atall point from thread friction.
Ifthe threads were lubricated, they will,
have either strped the nut threads or
stretched the fastener intoyield
Airnrenches are quick, They can
cause galling and thread locking af
stainless steel fasterers, even ifthey
are ofdifierent types of stainless
itisthe speed thatdestrays the
fastener. The speed cf assembly can
also cause an inderlnaced joint and
subsequent metal fatigun becauce 3
high compression rate is createdas
the nut slarrs into the jont surface,
‘This compressive force hasan equal
and opposite reaction or recoil which
willleave the pint nat ac tight ac
expected.
Fig. 6. ipactwrenck flat ona nut
‘Theimeact wrench wil shay
leave tell-tale Signs of abuse. h the
photograph above, the hex corners
of the nut cleariy displays markings
from the socket on the installation
side [right of the hex corners. There
arealse markings onthe off-sde let
which appear not only framremoval
butfremthe recoil af the socket as
theimpact qnes ferward and instantly
recoils back
Ancillary components used.
‘hisbosiaaly reans to dheck he
grade strength or preperty class of
thebolt drut tabesure thenut
is compatible with the strength ol
the bo. Knot, here willbe stripped
theeads and /o fatigue marks on the
fracture surlece because dap led
was ost
Clamp load is alco lect ifa wreught
flotwesher was usedwith a Orade
18.8 meiric| bolt or higher. IF he
washers have indentations, clamp
load was lost. Thewashers inthe
{ollawngphatagraph have caused
1a massive loss af clamp load. Metal
fatigue fram this last clamp Lead will
causea rapd bolt falure
Fig?
‘Types of external loads and
amount of toad
Proper belt salection depend:
enknewing what he service loads
are, Ifthe balt i bent, itwes rathe
correct strength or dameter or the
application, Heavy vibration and impact
loads will couse metal fatigueit the
bolts are nat properly tightened and
‘meintsined, There should also be
‘enough tolts in tre connection to carry
the loadane reduce the individual bolt
stress,
Environment
Fa8
Some corrosive ervironments can
lead te trees: corrosion-cracking,
where the grain boundaries become
under chemca altack, Standing water
wil set upan electrolyte cell and
cause hydrogen embrittement.
Other tmes,when theres rust in
the fracture zone, itcansignily that
the fare was rot new and had been
propagating for come time, Thic coud
‘also cause ether stressinitiaton sites,