ABSTRACT
You may have had to deal with a sagging cabinet door or a rattle in an appliance caused by a loose fastener. Using common sense, you retightened the fastener by turning it as hard as you could, while hoping it wouldn't break or strip the threads. This is exactly what must be done on the production line to ensure that the assembled joint does not become loose in service. Tighten the fastener as much as possible without damaging anything. To accomplish this, you need to determine the behavior of the joint as it is being tightened and devise a fastening strategy that produces consistent results. Although bolted joints may appear very similar, they each have their unique characteristics. A small variation in dimension, coating, surface finish, etc., may affect the tightening process considerably. This chapter will help you analyze a joint and select the appropriate fastening strategy.
