Grace Under Pressure

Abstract

Developed in response to a NASA requirement to remotely measure tension in critical bolts on the International Space Station, the SureBolt(TM) Correlation Bolt Gage is the first ultrasonic system to capture an entire "echo" pulse for determining the change in time of flight of an ultrasonic signal traversing a fastener for tension measurement. The standard SureBolt system hardware has the capability of recording over 1 million bolt tension readings-with their complete waveforms-in Microsoft Excel-compatible format. The user- friendly Tension-Not-Torque(Copyright) software interface offers tension change graphing in real time, and a place to store field notes, special parameters, tension calibration constants, and temperature changes for each measurement. The technology has been used on fasteners as small as fine-threaded, 1-inch bolts, and as large as 18-inch-diameter by 30-foot-long tie rods. SureBolt is finding increased application within NASA and the aerospace industry, as well as in the automotive and nuclear industries.