Product category:
Tooling and tools
News Release from: SKF UK | Subject: Hydrocam
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 21 May 2002
Hydraulic bolt tensioners relieve the
pressure
SKF Engineering Products has launched Hydrocam, a cost-effective range of hydraulic bolt tensioners, which provide a reliable, accurate and safe bolted assembly.
Despite their apparent simplicity, bolted joints are subject to conditions which are becoming more and more challenging This often creates major problems and highlights the limitations of traditional torquing methods
This article was originally published on Engineeringtalk on 1 Aug 2008 at 8.00am (UK)
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To combat this, SKF Engineering Products has launched Hydrocam, a cost-effective range of hydraulic bolt tensioners, which provide a reliable, accurate and safe bolted assembly.
Despite the need to accurately control preload levels to achieve optimum bolted joints, traditional torquing methods tend to create high preload scatter, flexing and torsional strains.
However, Hydrocam develops an axial pressure to provide improved tightness, with less chance of shearing and loosening under load.
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The range also efficiently uses the fastener's mechanical conditions, leading to a reduction in bolt fatigue under dynamic loading.
Bolted joint failures can result in very serious and expensive consequences, often due to bad mounting conditions.
Hydrocam helps overcome this by using an annular hydraulic jack placed around the screw, stretching it axially.
When the required stress level is reached, the nut is hand-tightened and then the pressure released, resulting in a preloaded bolt without any frictional or torsional stresses.
This same tool can also be used for simple bolt disassembly.
Hydrocam is ideally suited for civil engineering applications, where access is often difficult and conditions severe - such as tightening operations for the clamp bolts on the primary load-bearing cables of suspension bridges.
Other applications include guaranteeing the performance and reliability of heavy-wear machines such as wind turbines, providing fast tightening with no interruption to service.
The bolted assemblies of diesel engines are another application where bolts are placed under heavy mechanical stresses.
In the aeronautics industry, Hydrocam is used to tighten small bolts with high accuracy, leading to a time reduction in assembly operations.
In addition to the standard range, which includes tensioners for thread diameters from M20 to M150, and efforts up to 4650kN, SKF also designs and manufactures specific tensioners to meet particular requirements.
These provide the ideal solution for engineers dealing with special threads of unlimited size, longer piston strokes, increased hydraulic efforts, complex space conditions or when tensioners with piston stroke limitation are required.
For tensioners (or other hydraulic equipment) to be powered by high pressure, SKF also offers a complete range of pumps, hoses and distribution-blocks - all fitted with ball couplings. Request a free brochure from SKF UK ...
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