OK, L.C.... and all... just catching-up.
A brief definition for precision. had this discussion with another mechanic turned engineer.
Screws to him were any male fastener that could be turned by a screwdriver. Bolts were male fasteners with external drives [hex, 2Xhex, etc] that were engaged into nuts and nutplates [etc].
However, a long-time-ago-and-far-away, a senior engineer clarified the definition of screws and bolts.
Screws are primarily intended for tensile loads with no value for shear, since the shanks were fully or mostly threaded. Typical use is for lightweight non-structural assembly; or mechanical assembly in-conjunction with precision shear-only-pins or interlocking surfaces. Head style and drive are irrelevant for the function of a screw... internal or external recesses or drives all in-use. Head sizes all tend to be relatively uniform in size. Low strength screws often have cut threads with rolled optional for larger diameters or where strength and reliability are premium. Thread styles tend to be 'lower quality/older style'... but not always... for engagement with common nuts/nutplates, machined or helical-coiled inserts, tap-threaded holes, etc. Often screws are machined from rod-stock... not always.
Bolts are intended for a combination of shear and tensile loads... typically having a relatively shorth thread [1.3-to-2.5-Dia].. with the remaining shank surface precision ground for shear-bearing in holes. Typical use is 'size dependent'... small-Dias for light structural use... larger for heavy structural use. Head style and drive are irrelevant for the function of a bolt... internal or external recesses or drives all in-use. Obviously head style also follows function for low or high tensile use [shear, shear-tensile, primarily tensile, high-tensile-fatigue, etc]. All bolts currently in use have rolled threads... and usually, not-always... cold-worked [roll-squeezed] head-to-shank fillets. Also bolt-thread styles have evolved controls over thread roots/flanks/tips, thread runout to the shank and tips... geometry/surface-finish cold-working. For all current [non-obsolete] bolts... the body shape/head-profile are inevitably made from high-quality/precision forged blanks for desirable grain control and finishing.
OK, OK, OK... male fasteners with long/necked shanks for absorbing high tensile energy, but no shear, are still essentially a special case that is a closer to screws that true bolts. Frankly, as a long-time structures/mechanical guy I have rarely encountered these bolts for any other application that special mechanical assembly.
And YES, bolted joints can be designed for high tensile performance [sustained and cyclic]… often used in pure tensile applications where the holes are simply oversized to the point that the bolts simply cannot 'see' shear loading... to gain maximum tensile performance... and sometimes allow for 'sloppy' tolerance assembly'.
Now having exhausted myself with this discussion... exactly what is Your joint configuration... screws or bolts [PN?] in what tolerance holes with what style nuts/washers [etc]???????????
NOTE. Years ago I worked on a 1960s jet that was intended for a relatively short combat life in VN... ~3500-Hrs. During a routine inspection for service life extension, we had several wings removed and the attaching steel lugs, front/rear spar, were to be inspected at the fatigue-cracking critical spar-cap holes in these joints. During bolt removal, the nuts/washers were mostly found loose... for practical purposes the nuts only had free-running torque [about what the self-locking feature should provide. This phenomena was prevalent for every bolted-hole in the lugs/spar-caps. When lug-sets were removed for further inspection, there was hidden primer/spar-cap rubbing/fretting and noted spar-cap hole wear/elongation. This was a major/important find during a condition inspection...and the BIG question/concern: Where did the torque-tension preload go on all the lugs-to-spar-cap bolts/nuts... and why the hole damage?
Background... Jet typically flew high-weight ordnance delivery missions with +/-G profiles during attack/FAC missions. The assembly drawings revealed the following... Bolt hole were sized for core drills thru the steel-aluminum-steel stack-up... so tolerances varied from 0.001-to-0.004... CLEARANCE... every hole/bolt combo. IF recall correctly... NAS110X series bolts, MS21042 nuts and AN960 steel washers were installed.
Yeah... we figure-out the problem and the recommended solution... which was accomplished by a field-team per TCTO [USAF equivalent to a Service Directive].
So, for conversation-sake... I'll ask...
L.C … Exactly what is Your joint configuration... screws or bolts [PN?] in what tolerance holes with what style nuts/washers [etc]???????????
In MY example... any see 'Where did the torque-tension preload go on all the lugs-to-spar-cap bolts/nuts... and why the hole damage'?
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FYI, NOTE... IF this is a serious high/wide temp-range bolting situation...
SAE ARP700 High Strength Elevated Temperature Bolting Practice
ASTM A453 Standard Specification for High-Temperature Bolting Materials, with Expansion Coefficients Comparable to Austenitic Stainless Steels
ASTM A193 Standard Specification for ALLOY-STEEL BOLTING MATERIALS FOR HIGH-TEMPERATURE SERVICE
Regards, Wil Taylor
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