Hydratight Sweeney launch BoltSafe

Following a worldwide distributor agreement with ScanSafe of Norway, Hydratight Sweeney are launching an intelligent sensor for lifetime monitoring of critical bolt applications in the quarrying and mining industries.

BoltSafe is fitted as a washer which measures the compressive force between the nut and its surface. Embedded in each sensor is a strip of amorphous metal. BoltSafe works because as a compressive force is applied the magnetic properties of the strip change proportionally, thus allowing load measurement. A portable data-capture device retrieves this loading measurement plus information about the sensor from an embedded application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) which has a built-in memory containing information about the sensor's ID, serial number and calibration constants.

Two types of sensor are available, the CMS model which is hard-wired, or the PMS model which is interrogated using an inductive probe. Either can be used with a portable battery-powered data-retrieval device.

The data-capture device has a built-in memory and can store information from more than 256 sensors. It allows the operator to read data from several bolts to check loading, load the information on to a PC and collate it against information from previous inspections.

The CMS series is designed for continuous measurement, where any number of sensors can be connected in a net-work. A PLC or other control system makes the pretension readings.