BoltSense® FAQ's | Copper State

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

LMF+® can be used in almost any conventional bolting application such as Rotational equipment bolts, liner bolts, foundation bolts, slew ring, high pressure pumps, pipeline flanges, fluid sealing, gear boxes, gear rings, pinions, cranes and many more.

LMF+® can be installed on any headed or threaded end of fasteners. It can be used in hex bolts, 12 points, square heads, round heads, and double-ended studs. In some cases, such as a socket head cap screw, it may be necessary to switch to a 12 point or install in the threaded end due to the broach.

Since 2015 Data Monitoring Fasteners have been used successfully around the world. It is currently in use on 6 continents in many industries including Mining, Wind Energy, Oil & Gas, Petrochemical, Construction and more.

The LMF+® instrumentation will not generally compromise the integrity or strength of a headed fastener. Bolts typically fail in the threaded region where the tensile stress area is the smallest. The LMF+® sensor in retrofit into a 1mm radius hole in the shank of a headed fastener, and the stress area and strength in this section will exceed the stress area in the threaded section. For studs or any threaded end, the fasteners may slightly derated which in nearly all cases is negligible. For example, the derated value for 2.25” diameter 8 T.P.I. bolt would be less than 1%. Tensile and shear tests have verified this, and can be reconfirmed upon customer request.

The LMF+® meets the highest standard for an accuracy in load indicating fastener specification ASTM F2482M-21 level (LT1), “The load-indicating fastener shall be calibrated to ±5% accuracy up to the proof load of the fastener unless otherwise specified at the time of order.” Calibration certificates and records can be provided for each fastener.
The calibration process is robust and uses a calibrated digital pressure dial connected to a hydraulic actuator. Cross checks are routinely conducted using calibrated equipment such as tensile testing machines and electronic strain gauges.

Yes, LMF+® has been proven to sustain expected and many unexpected in-service conditions.
Upon customer request, 3rd party vibration and shock tests can be conducted at amplitudes, frequency ranges, and other parameters that match and exceed the expected application.
The strain gauge is not susceptible to fatigue failure as it operates below its endurance limit.

Caps and components are stock items from the supplier and available for immediate replacement.
Damaged caps can easily be replaced in the field and while in service.

The BoltSense app and GDN provide the ability to simultaneously read thousands of fasteners.

Typical battery life is approximately 3-4 years and can easily be replaced in the field or caps with new batteries can be supplied from Copper State in exchange for units with depleted batteries.

Numerous failure modes were considered during the design of this proprietary technology: Mechanical failures, electronic failures, extreme temperature failures, electromagnetic interference, vibrations and shock, water/moisture/dust ingress, battery polarity reversal, and loss of contact with the battery.
LMF+® comes standard with IP65 water resistance and can be sealed to IP68.
Corrosion resistance is improved by features such as gold plated pcb pads and application specific sealing systems.
LMF+® can be easily programmed to provide readings at desired intervals. At 1-hour intervals, the battery will generally exceed 4 years.
LMF+® module production conforms to BSI ISO-9001 management and documentation standards and supplies a variety of instrumentation for mission critical applications including Royal Navy propulsion systems, hydroelectric power plants, mines, wind turbines, automotive engines, and rail.

Any conventional tool such as impact wrench, hydraulic torque wrench, pneumatic torque multiplier, and tensioner.

Yes, the LMF+® can be used to verify or determine the calibration of a tool or the actual nut factors in an assembly. We also offer a BoltSense Auto Shut-Off Control System that will turn your tool off when the bolt reaches the correct tension.

The Bluetooth® signal can typically be read at least 150 feet away, but depending on the environment, could significantly exceed that distance or in some cases have reduced range. In the near future we will have a 1+ km range with Sub GHz radio transmission. Wireless transceivers can be placed and transfer data to the Internet so that they can be viewed anywhere.

The Global Data Network enables automated, remote monitoring and trending of bolt preload over an extended period of time.
When preload drops below a pre-determined level, reports are automatically deployed via email or text messages to key stakeholders. This ensures maintenance is only conducted on bolts requiring attention and allows immediate action to be taken on those installed in mission critical applications.
The data generated also enables maintenance teams to build a picture of recurring incidents, informing proactive investigation, troubleshooting, and predictive maintenance.

Transmission Dynamics and Copper State together have decades of experience in assisting customers in critical fastener applications, mechanical engineering, sensor hardware/software design and advanced data analytics.
Transmission Dynamics are global leaders in combining these skill sets to help identify and resolve root causes to reduce maintenance costs and extend asset life.

The Load Monitoring Fastener includes a cap that will continually send out data at predetermined intervals which can be captured and stored locally or on the Internet. This information can be accessed and used during installation and while the equipment is in service.
The Load Indicating Fastener is used in conjunction with a detachable cap that enables real time data collection. The Detachable Reader Caps can be used during installation and to spot check the status of a fastener when the user has physical access to the fastener.
Load Indicating Fasteners can easily be converted to Load Monitoring Fasteners instantly by attaching a Bluetooth transmitting cap.