Every Fastener Has an Origin.
The Rise of API 20E
Going the extra mile to create a more traceable bolt.We comply with ASTM specifications so we know we have designed a quality bolt; we comply with API 20E specifications so we know our bolts are traceable. API 20E requires that fastener companies who want to present API compliance as a credential contractually commit to API licensing by agreeing to hold and produce documentation showing the date of fabrication, what standard was utilized in the the production of the bolt, and that the bolt meets the specifications required by the license.
?Learn more about Doxsteel Fasteners’ traceability.
The FELT Test
A new spin on an old idea.
Standard salt fog tests on high performance fasteners are only designed to determine the level of red rust that accumulates on the bolt. Through the years since its invention it has been able to provide companies with vital information to expand their knowledge of bolt corrosion and failure. However, it is a test with many flaws. Its measurement of red rust is largely subjective and does not produce concrete numbers. Testing is performed on a company’s best-produced fasteners and don’t account for inconsistency and compromising shipping conditions. The tests are also never performed when the bolt is in tension, so it does not accurately reflect the real world conditions of the fastener. In short, it does not tell us the one thing we need to know: will the fastener seize?
We knew we had to update the salt fog test for use in today’s environment, so we immediately got to work designing a new way to test our bolts. We call it the Fastener End of Life Test (FELT).
When we produce a set of fasteners, we keep samples of each production batch for testing. We place them under tension and put them in a salt fog environment to simulate their real world applications. Every 120 days, we open a sample to check its condition. If the fasteners still turn, we know that the bolts in the field are still performing and provide our customers with a progress report. We keep enough samples from each batch to continue the test for eight years, and as an old batch is opened a new batch is closed. If at any time a sample should fail to turn, we recommend our customers schedule a turnaround before the fasteners seize in the field. Our customers can use this information avoid the costs that come from lengthy shutdowns as well as avoid the necessity of a hot bolting scenario. With every part specifically numbered and traceable to the heat load and batch, our customers can target the bolts that are failing and won’t have to shut down the entire facility or pull up wellheads from the bottom of the ocean.
The FELT test also helps us build a better fastener. Keeping our products in constant evaluation tells us more and more about what they can do and helps identify any potential weakness in our process. When it comes to designing the best fastener we can, we are always looking to improve our methods.
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“Hot bolting terrifies me because it means someone’s life is on the line. It reminds me of an explosion that happened at our company that killed several people and burned others. Those are my people out there, and when you have hydrocarbons running through a line it’s scary.”
