Smart Tightening Strategies and the transition to clamping force

However, modern, complex production demands and often compels factories to source components from multiple suppliers, leading to friction variations that can impact the final product’s torque and clamping force. Therefore, attaining only target or peak torque will not ensure a properly tightened screw. Unlike target torque, clamping force offers a more precise and reliable measure. Essentially, it measures the force between the screw head and the component it is seated on, providing insights into joint stress and helping eliminate quality issues. 

However, the demands of modern, complex production often compel factories to source components from multiple suppliers, leading to variations in friction that can impact the final product’s torque and clamping force. Therefore, attaining only target or peak torque will not ensure a properly tightened screw. Unlike target torque, clamping force offers a more precise and reliable measure. Essentially, it measures the force between the screw head and the component it is seated on, providing insights into joint stress and helping eliminate quality issues. 

Precision driven by clamping force enhances cost efficiency and quality by reducing the need for rework and recalls, ensuring accuracy from the first turn of the screw. Without measuring clamping force, manufacturers may face numerous challenges in their tightening processes. Incorrect tightening can significantly impact production if left unaddressed, leading to issues such as misalignment, dimension discrepancies, and floating screws, all which prevent proper clamping. These problems collectively reduce productivity, increase rework and scrap rates, and decrease quality, ultimately raising costs and impacting the brand's reputation.

To overcome these challenges Smart Seating Strategies offer an innovative solution, that goes beyond the traditional target torque approach. By focusing on measuring and controlling clamping force, these strategies ensure consistent and high-quality tightening, even in the face of friction variations. 

The Smart Torque Seating Monitoring Strategy is ideal for applications that demand precise peak target torque values with continuous clamping force monitoring. By employing pass and fail limits for clamping force, it delivers a robust production control, that ensures components meet exact specifications. Here one benefits from gaining more control over the tightening process while following the final torque requirements. However, it does require occasional rework to address any detected inconsistencies. Whilst it excels at detecting clamping force variations, it does not automatically correct them.

The Smart Seating Control Strategy represents a more advanced approach, eliminating the need for rework by making real-time adjustments during the tightening process. This strategy continuously monitors the seating point and proactively adjusts the final torque to achieve the desired clamping force. By automatically compensating for friction variations, screws are fully and appropriately seated with correct clamping force having been applied, ensuring flawless results without any rework required.

This approach not only guarantees consistent clamping force but also aligns with the expectations of both manufacturers and end customers who require peak torque results to be documented. The Smart Seating Control Strategy thus enhances the overall quality and reliability of the tightening process, minimizing errors and ensuring high standards of production.

Atlas Copco’s MicroTorque solutions employ the latest smart algorithms for Smart Torque Seating Monitoring and Smart Seating Control strategies which are delivering significant improvements. It is easier to set up, requires fewer input values, and provides greater accuracy. By ensuring consistent tightening processes, we aim to make your manufacturing experience more seamless and effective.