The Importance of Friction in Your Bolted Joint: Part 2
When doing research for your bolted joint it is important to understand the coefficient of friction of the finish of the fastener . There are many different options for coatings that will give you different ranges in values. Typically, those values are tested to a certain specification. Whether it’s an OEM specification, or per the ISO 16047 standard, each one can have minor differences (if you have questions on standards reach out to a LPS Bossard engineer). So, what do those values actually mean and how are they relevant to your joint? Most of the testing that is done to validate the values of the coating is done on M10 surrogate bolts with a standard hex head cap screw . They are tested in lab conditions with either a plain finish washer or nut that is cleaned and degreased or with different variations done in a lab setting. The cause for concern is using those values in your joint. The values can change depending on your bearing surface and your mating threads (material, surf...