Tech Articles

Here we discuss the use of fasteners for ASME pressure vessels and piping in industrial applications. If you've ever worked with these fasteners, you may have come across some confusing names such as B7, B8, 2H, and A193. Fear not, each of these labels are meaningful...

A gasket is a mechanical seal that fills the space between two or more mating surfaces with the goal of preventing leakage from or into the joined objects while under compression. Gaskets allow for less-than-perfect mating surfaces on machine parts, and they can fill irregularities...

It is important to recognize that not all bolt tightening sequences are created equal. Since the 1930's, the Star Pattern has been used as the primary sequence for bolted flange joint assemblers. It has been used for pipe flanges on both ASME B16.5 and ASME B16.47 flanges...

The critical element of a bolted joint is the clamping force on the gasket, and that is determined by applying the exact torque required to the fastener. Generally, in most joint designs, people achieve the clamp load by using a specified torque value with a torque wrench to generate bolt tension on the fastener...

Here we will be discussing the comparison of two methods for achieving correct fastener preload in bolted joints: bolt torquing and bolt tensioning.

Our ultimate goal in bolting is to achieve the correct fastener preload, also known as bolt load or axial load. When applied appropriately...

Over the past 40 years, bolt lubricants have been associated with disassembly, and many in the oil and gas industry have referred to them as "anti-seize." However, until recently, there was little understanding of how bolt lubricant affects the Nut Factor on a fastener, which then affects tightening torque and bolt tension. In this article, we will explore what bolt lubricant is, its brief...