System and method for predicting lifespan of bolt

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system and a method for predicting the lifespan of a bolt. More specifically, the system comprises: a bolt unit which includes a manganese material; and a pin unit which penetrates at least a portion of the bolt unit, the system predicting the state of the bolt by separating the pin unit from the bolt unit in a fastened state and then performing an evaluation on the state of the pin unit.

Description

System and method for predicting the life of a bolt

[0001] The present invention relates to a system and method for predicting the life of a bolt, and more particularly, to a system and method for predicting the life of a bolt that can predict damage due to fatigue load, etc., without disassembling the bolt while the bolt is fastened.

[0002] Generally, a bolt refers to a screw with a hexagonal or square head used to fasten or join two objects. These bolts can break over time due to fatigue loads and other factors, potentially leading to serious accidents.

[0003] In the past, in order to predict the fatigue life of a bolt, workers would set up an environment identical to the operating environment of the bolt and repeatedly experiment and modify the fatigue prediction model of the bolt to predict the fatigue life.

[0004] Recently, Republic of Korea Patent No. 10-2462127 (November 3, 2022) discloses a system and method for predicting the fatigue life of a bolt using artificial intelligence.

[0005] However, conventional methods, such as the above, only predicted the average lifespan through repeated experiments, neural network learning, and other methods, and were limited in their ability to truly understand the current condition of the bolt. Furthermore, there was no way to directly determine the bolt's condition without dismantling it.

[0006] The present invention has been devised to solve the problems of the prior art as described above, and its purpose is to provide a system and method for predicting the life of a bolt that can predict damage due to fatigue load, etc., without disassembling the bolt while the bolt is fastened.

[0007] The problems to be solved by the present invention are not limited to the problems mentioned above, and other problems to be solved by the present invention that are not mentioned herein will be clearly understood by a person having ordinary skill in the technical field to which the present invention pertains from the description below.

[0008] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a system for predicting the life of a bolt comprises a bolt part manufactured including a manganese material, and a pin part provided to penetrate at least a portion of the bolt part, and the pin part is detached from the bolt part to which it is fastened, thereby predicting the state of the bolt part by performing a state evaluation on the pin part.

[0009] In addition, in a bolt life prediction system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an evaluation unit that performs a condition evaluation of the pin portion is further included, and the evaluation unit is characterized in that it predicts the fatigue life of the pin portion that has separated from the bolt portion.

[0010] In addition, the bolt portion according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes an insertion groove formed in the center of the bolt portion along the longitudinal direction of the bolt portion, and the pin portion is formed in a shape corresponding to the insertion groove and is inserted into the insertion groove.

[0011] In addition, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an 'l' or '+' shaped fitting groove is formed at the end of the pin portion, thereby making it easy to detach the pin portion from the bolt portion.

[0012] A method for predicting the life of a bolt using a bolt life prediction system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is characterized by including a fastening step in which the bolt part is fastened, a detachment step in which the pin part is detached from the bolt part after the fastening step, and an evaluation step in which the condition of the pin part is evaluated by the evaluation part after the detachment step.

[0013] By a means for solving the above problem, the life prediction system and method of the bolt of the present invention is effective in that, when the bolt is fastened to a fastening object, a pin is inserted and fixed into a hollow (insertion groove) formed in the bolt, the pin is replaced at regular intervals and a fatigue test is performed on the pin, and the condition (fatigue load, etc.) or life of the bolt is predicted based on the fatigue test results of the pin, thereby enabling the condition of the bolt to be confirmed without disassembling the fastening of the bolt, thereby providing a life prediction system and method of the bolt.

[0014] In addition, the bolt life prediction system and method of the present invention has the advantage of minimizing the influence on the fastening force of the bolt portion when the pin portion is inserted into the bolt portion or removed from the bolt portion by forming threads in different directions in the bolt portion and the pin portion, respectively.

[0015] In addition, the bolt life prediction system and method of the present invention has the advantage that a fitting groove is formed at the end of the pin portion, so that the pin portion can be easily inserted into the bolt portion and the pin portion can be easily removed from the bolt portion.

[0016] The effects of the present invention are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and effects of the present invention not mentioned herein will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains from the description below.

[0017] FIG. 1 is a drawing showing the configuration of a bolt life prediction system according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 (a) is a drawing showing a pin part being inserted into an insertion groove while a bolt part is fastened, and FIG. 1 (b) is a drawing showing a state evaluation performed by an evaluation part on a pin part that has detached from a bolt part.

[0018] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the detailed configuration of a bolt portion and a pin portion of a bolt life prediction system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] FIG. 3 (a) is a drawing showing an 'l'-shaped fitting groove formed at the end of a pin portion of a bolt life prediction system according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 (b) is a drawing showing an '+'-shaped fitting groove formed at the end of a pin portion.

[0020] FIG. 4 is a drawing showing a method for predicting the life of a bolt according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 5 is a flowchart showing a method for predicting the life of a bolt according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] The terms used in this specification will be briefly explained, and the present invention will be described in detail.

[0023] The terms used in this invention have been selected from widely used, common terms, taking into account their functions. However, these terms may vary depending on the intentions of those skilled in the art, precedents, the emergence of new technologies, etc. Therefore, the terms used in this invention should be defined based on their meaning and the overall content of the invention, rather than simply their names.

[0024] When a part of a specification is said to “include” a component, this does not mean that it excludes other components, but rather that it may include other components, unless otherwise stated.

[0025] Below, with reference to the attached drawings, embodiments of the present invention are described in detail so that those skilled in the art can easily implement the invention. However, the present invention may be implemented in various different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein.

[0026] Specific details, including the problems to be solved, means of solving them, and the effects of the invention, are included in the embodiments and drawings described below. The advantages and features of the present invention, and methods for achieving them, will become clearer with reference to the embodiments described below in detail, along with the accompanying drawings.

[0027] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0028] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, in a bolt life prediction system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a bolt part (100) manufactured including a manganese material and a pin part (200) provided to penetrate at least a portion of the bolt part (100) are included, and the state of the bolt part (100) is predicted by performing a condition evaluation of the pin part (200) by detaching the pin part (200) from the bolt part (100) to which it is fastened. In addition, the system further includes an evaluation part (300) that performs a condition evaluation of the pin part (200), and the evaluation part (300) predicts the fatigue life of the pin part (200) detached from the bolt part (100).

[0029] First, the bolt portion (100) is provided. The bolt portion (100) refers to a screw with a hexagonal or square head used to fasten or attach two objects, and may be, for example, a bolt applied to turbines, low-temperature storage tanks, plants, piping, aviation, defense, etc. More specifically, the bolt portion (100) includes a head portion (101) formed in a circular or polygonal shape, a screw portion (102) formed to have a diameter smaller than the head portion (101) in a downward direction of the head portion (101), and a bolt thread (103) formed in a spiral shape along the outer circumference of the screw portion (102). At this time, the bolt portion (100) in the present invention is a fastener for fastening, and is not limited to the hexagonal bolt presented in the drawing.

[0030] In addition, the bolt portion (100) is manufactured from manganese steel, replacing nickel alloy steel, which is expensive and has an unstable supply. That is, since the bolt portion (100) is manufactured from manganese steel, it has superior toughness and tensile strength compared to existing steel materials at low temperatures (LNG tanks at approximately -196°C). For example, the bolt portion (100) can be manufactured from manganese steel containing 22.5% to 25.5% manganese.

[0031] In addition, the bolt portion (100) includes an insertion groove (110) formed in the center of the bolt portion (100) along the longitudinal direction of the bolt portion (100), and the pin portion (200) is formed in a shape corresponding to the insertion groove (110) and is inserted into the insertion groove (110). That is, the insertion groove (110) is a cylindrical groove formed in the vertical direction along the bolt portion (100), and a spiral groove having a shape corresponding to a pin screw thread (202) to be described later is provided on the side.

[0032] Next, the pin part (200) is provided. The pin part (200) is provided in a form that penetrates the bolt part (100) along the longitudinal direction of the bolt part (100). More specifically, the pin part (200) includes a pillar part (201) provided with a diameter corresponding to the insertion groove (110), and a pin thread (202) formed in a spiral shape along the outer circumference of the pillar part (201). At this time, the pin part (200) in the present invention is a mechanical element that fixes parts of a machine or the like, and various shapes such as a parallel pin and a tapered pin can be applied, and is not limited to the cylindrical pin presented in the drawing.

[0033] Next, the evaluation unit (300) is provided. The evaluation unit (300) may be, for example, a fatigue testing device that tests the fatigue resistance of a material, and serves to check the internal state of the pin unit (200) excluding damage, etc. that can be detected through the external appearance of the pin unit (200). At this time, the evaluation unit (300) in the present invention may be provided in any form as long as it can measure the damage state, fatigue load, internal cracks, etc. of the pin unit (200), and is not limited to the fatigue load evaluation device presented in the drawing.

[0034] Meanwhile, when the bolt part (100) is fastened to the fastening target, the pin part (200) is inserted into the bolt part (100). In this state, after a preset time has elapsed or at preset intervals, the pin part (200) is removed from the bolt part (100) to check the condition of the pin part (200). The condition of the pin part (200) can be evaluated by a worker visually checking the appearance of the pin part (200) to determine whether damage, etc. has occurred. In addition, the condition of the pin part (200) can be evaluated by performing a fatigue test on the pin part (200) through the evaluation part (300), thereby predicting the condition of the bolt part (100).

[0035] In other words, if the pin part (200) that has separated from the bolt part (100) is damaged in appearance, it is determined that the bolt part (100) is also damaged, and the bolt part (100) is replaced. Furthermore, even if the pin part (200) is not damaged in appearance, if it is determined that the pin part (200) has a short lifespan or is defective based on a fatigue load evaluation, the bolt part (100) is also determined to be defective, and the bolt part (100) is replaced. In this way, there is an advantage in that the state of the bolt part (100) can be predicted through the pin part (200) without causing the bolt part (100) to separate from the fastening object.

[0036] On the other hand, the bolt portion (100) and the pin portion (200) are formed with threads in different directions. For example, referring to FIG. 2, the bolt threads (103) are formed in an upward right direction, and the pin threads (202) are formed in different directions, that is, by forming the bolt portion (100) and the pin portion (200) with threads in different directions, there is an advantage in that the influence on the fastening force of the bolt portion (100) can be minimized when the pin portion (200) is inserted into the bolt portion (100) or the pin portion (200) is removed from the bolt portion (100).

[0037] In addition, an 'l' or '+' shaped fitting groove (210) is formed at the end of the pin portion (200) to facilitate detachment of the pin portion (200) from the bolt portion (100). That is, referring to Fig. 3, the fitting groove (210) is formed on the upper surface of the pin portion (200) to facilitate detachment of the pin portion (200) from the bolt portion (100) using a rotating mechanism such as a driver.

[0038] Hereinafter, a method for predicting the life of a bolt using a bolt life prediction system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0039] Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the method for predicting the life of a bolt of the present invention includes a fastening step (S100) in which the bolt portion (100) is fastened, a detachment step (S200) in which the pin portion (200) is detached from the bolt portion (100) after the fastening step (S100), and an evaluation step (S300) in which the condition of the pin portion (200) is evaluated by the evaluation portion (300) after the detachment step (S200).

[0040] First, the fastening step (S100) is performed in which the bolt part (100) is fastened to a fastening target while the pin part (200) is inserted into the bolt part (100). After the fastening step (S100), after a preset time has elapsed, the detaching step (S200) is performed in which the pin part (200) is detached from the bolt part (100). Thereafter, an evaluation step (S300) is performed in which the state of the pin part (200) is evaluated by visually checking the detached pin part (200) by a worker or performing a fatigue test through the evaluation part (300).

[0041] Here, based on the condition evaluation result of the pin portion (200), the condition of the bolt portion (100) is predicted, and if the condition of the bolt portion (100) is determined to be a good product, the fastening state of the bolt portion (100) is maintained, and an insertion step (S400) of inserting a new pin portion (200) into the insertion groove (110) is performed. In addition, based on the condition evaluation result of the pin portion (200), the condition of the bolt portion (100) is predicted, and if the condition of the bolt portion (100) is determined to be a defective product, the fastening of the bolt portion (100) is dismantled, and a new bolt portion (100) is fastened.

[0042] As a result, the system and method for predicting the life of a bolt of the present invention has the advantage of being able to check the state of the bolt part (100) without disassembling the fastening of the bolt part (100), by inserting and fixing the pin part (200) into the insertion groove (110) formed in the bolt part (100) when the bolt part (100) is fastened to a fastening target, performing a fatigue test on the pin part (200) while replacing the pin part (200) at regular intervals, and predicting the state (fatigue load, etc.) or life of the bolt part based on the fatigue test results of the pin part (200).

[0043] In this way, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the technical configuration of the present invention described above can be implemented in other specific forms without changing the technical idea or essential features of the present invention.

[0044] Therefore, the embodiments described above should be understood as being exemplary and not restrictive in all respects, and the scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims described below rather than the detailed description above, and all changes or modifications derived from the meaning and scope of the claims and their equivalent concepts should be interpreted as being included in the scope of the present invention.

[0045] [Explanation of symbols]

[0046] 100: Bolt section

[0047] 101: Head

[0048] 102: Screw

[0049] 103: Bolt thread

[0050] 110: Insertion groove

[0051] 200: Pinbu

[0052] 201: Pillar section

[0053] 202: Pinnasasan

[0054] 210: Insertion groove

[0055] 300: Evaluation Department

[0056] S100: Conclusion stage

[0057] S200: Detachment stage

[0058] S300: Evaluation stage

[0059] S400: Insertion stage

Claims

1. A bolt part made of a manganese steel material; and A pin part penetrating at least a part of the bolt part; comprising, By separating the pin part from the fastened bolt part and performing a state evaluation on the pin part, a bolt life prediction system characterized by predicting the state of the bolt part.

2. According to claim 1, Further comprising an evaluation unit for performing a state evaluation on the pin part; The evaluation unit, A bolt life prediction system characterized by predicting the fatigue life of the pin part separated from the bolt part.

3. According to claim 1, The bolt part, An insertion groove formed in the central part of the bolt part along the longitudinal direction of the bolt part; comprising, The pin part, A bolt life prediction system characterized by being formed in a shape corresponding to the insertion groove and inserted into the insertion groove.

4. According to claim 3, At the end of the pin part, a fitting groove in the shape of an 'l' or a '+' is formed to facilitate separating the pin part from the bolt part. A bolt life prediction system characterized by this.

5. Using the bolt life prediction system of claim 2, A fastening step in which the bolt part is fastened; After the fastening step, a separation step in which the pin part separates from the bolt part; and After the separation step, an evaluation step of performing a state evaluation of the pin part by the evaluation unit; A bolt life prediction method characterized by including this.

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