Bolted joints do not fail loudly. They fail by millimetres.
A bolted joint loses preload through vibration, thermal cycling, embedment and relaxation. There is usually no visible sign. The joint simply loosens, the clamped component starts to move, and the failure presents somewhere else entirely — a cracked flange, a fatigued bracket, a structural member that was never the weak link.
BoltWatch replaces the torque-wrench spot check with continuous measurement of what actually matters: the tension in the bolt.
What it does
- Continuous tension measurement at the joint, rather than a periodic torque reading
- Loss-of-preload detection — alarm on relaxation before the joint moves
- Wire-free, battery-powered sensing that installs as part of the standard bolt-up
- Trend and history per joint, so you can see which joints actually need attention
Where it fits
Vibrating rotary equipment and crushers · structures and steel frames · lighting and communication towers · bridges and heavy civil structures — any bolted joint where preload is safety- or availability-critical and where a periodic torque check is either impractical or misleading.
BoltWatch is the approved S5 product name for this sensor.
Instrumentation Pilot — 90 days, one critical asset
We instrument one of your critical assets for 90 days and hand you a
defensible condition-monitoring business case — the evidence pack you can take to your own
superintendent. If the data does not justify a rollout, you have lost a project, not a career.
A$4,900 · fixed scope · consultancy-led
Program review, functional-safety gap assessment, sensor installation and a written recommendation.
No infrastructure required on your site.
Frequently asked questions
How do you detect a loose bolt on vibrating equipment before failure?
BoltWatch measures bolted-joint tension continuously, replacing the torque-wrench spot check. You see loss of preload as it happens rather than discovering it later as a cracked flange, a fatigued bracket or a structural repair. It suits vibrating screens, crushers, structural joints and towers.
Why do bolted joints fail silently?
A joint loses preload through vibration, thermal cycling, embedment and relaxation, usually with no visible sign. The joint simply loosens, the clamped component starts to move, and the failure presents somewhere else entirely. Continuous measurement catches the loss of tension itself.
What does BoltWatch measure \u2013 torque or tension?
Tension \u2013 the preload actually clamping the joint. Torque applied at the wrench is only a proxy for it, so BoltWatch measures the quantity that decides whether the joint holds.