Ordering and Additional Information

How do I order Invert-A-Bolt™ Products
You can call the customer support line at Elijah Tooling, Inc. or simply order on-line. We accept Cash, MasterCard/Visa, AMEX and Terms (Purchase Order with approved credit).

Where can I find more information about Invert-A-Bolt™ Products?
We can help with most questions regarding the use and application of Invert-A-Bolt products, even tooling concepts.

For additional information:
Phone: Toll Free 877-462-BOLT
Fax: 940-482-8307
e-mail: info@invert-a-bolt.com

If I order an Invert-A-Bolt™ product when can I expect to receive it?
Generally, Invert-A-Bolt™ fasteners and insertion tools are stocked. For modular components and cutting tools the lead time is from 1 to 5 weeks depending upon the product. Common Modular fixtures are made to order, thus will take several weeks before shipping. Once your products are shipped, you will receive a tracking number by e-mail which will allow you to track your shipment. For more specific information regarding your order, please call the customer service at
Toll Free 877-462-BOLT.

Who else uses Invert-A-Bolt™ Products?
Our market exposure is greatest in the Aerospace industry, but we have also made sales to the commercial OEM industry as well as the Semi-conductor industry. As our market exposure increases we expect to service manufactures of all types in many industries since our fasteners and modular fixtures can be applied to a multitude of manufacturing processes. Our customer list includes: Boeing, Bombardier, Cessna, GKN, Focus: Hope Manufacturing, Heroux-Devtek, Lockheed, Raytheon, Sikorsky Aircraft, United Space Alliance, Veeco, Warner-Robbins AFB, as well as many of their suppliers.  In short, these products are suited for manufacturers in many diverse industries.

Installation and Related Issues

Why is it necessary to buy the Insertion Tool?
Due to the unique design of the Invert-A-Bolt™ outer housing, it would be rather difficult to install the housing completely without the insertion tool designed just for that purpose (flush mount application). The Invert-A-Bolt™ work supports do not require any special installation tools, however, the other products do require installation tools. See the applicable catalog page to determine the correct part number for the insertion tool.

The insertion tool is a 3-prong spanner wrench.

What is the best way to create the hole to install Invert-A-Bolt™ fasteners?
We sell specialized step-drills which can significantly cut the time spent to prep your fixture. These step drill eliminate 3 operations: drill, c'bore, c'sink for lead in to the threading operation. Thread milling is probably the fastest way to thread your holes if you have a lot of them, otherwise a tap is adequate for producing the thread. We sell hole prep kits which consist of a Spot Drill, Step Drill and Tap. Recommendations and step-by-step instructions can be obtained at Installation Details Page. Also, drilling, milling and thread mill programs can be obtained at Down Loads. For applications in which excessive vibration is an issue, a Spiralock® tap should be used to create the receiving side hole used to accept the stud.

What is the maximum torque I can use to tighten my Invert-A-Bolt™ product?
Generally, the torque wrench or pneumatic wrench should be set to a maximum torque of 30 ft-lbs. for the installation of the housing into the plate. Torque settings for pulling the stud into the mating material will vary based upon the IVB product being used. In general a setting of 30 ft-lbs. should be adequate. Higher settings may be used with the 1/2" & 5/8" diameters up to 45 ft-lbs. Excessive torque in soft metals may result in stripping of the threads in the receiving side hole.

I'm having problems stripping the hex head of the stud? What am I doing wrong?
See previous FAQ concerning maximum torque values. Typically this problems occurs when a pneumatic wrench is used at a torque level set higher than the recommended level. To alleviate the problem, consider setting the torque level lower, use a rachet type wrench when engaging the product with the part, or use a ball-end hex wrench. Note, a refurbishment kit can be purchased to replace the internal components of the fastener, including the stripped stud. If you are using a "C" type fastener, consider going to an "N" type fastener, which will have a thicker wall at the hex.

 
I'm having a problem screwing my Fastener into the hole. What can I do?
Double check the counter-bore hole size. It should correspond to the minor diameter of the outer thread of the housing. This hole size is critical to the successful installation of the fastener. Also insure that the receiving hole has been prepared to the Installation and Operating Instructions.

Maintenance and Related Issues

Is maintenance required for Invert-A-Bolt™ fasteners?
Generally maintenance is not required for most of the fastener designs, especially if the cap is used to protect against the accumulation of debris inside the fastener.

The exception is for the AA02-001-001 fastener as well as the work supports which have a small snap ring in the top of their housings (called a drive ring) which requires maintenance as follows:

• Remove the retaining ring from the back of the fastener. Remove the internal components. Remove the drive ring in the top of the housing and re-install a new drive ring. Re-install the internal components in reverse order of removing them.

• These fasteners can be easily refurbished to like new condition.

What happens if one of the Invert-A-Bolt™ fasteners fails?
There is a full 90 day warranty on Invert-A-Bolt™ fasteners and insertion tools. The company will replace any defective part due to defects in the material or workmanship of the product. If the warranty period has expired, the product can be refurbished.

I'm having problems with metal chips getting into the housing. What can I do?
Typically this situation occurs in vertical machining when the Invert-A-Bolt™ fastener is in the "dis-engaged" position and is not being used. The flow of coolant and chips in this situation may result in accumulations inside the housing. This is a common hazard to vertical machining applications in which the Invert-A-Bolt™ fastener is not dedicated in its use. Your product is shipped with a cap that closes the hole in the top and it should be used when the IVB fastener is not in use.

What is the Refurbishment Kit?
Refurbishment kits include all the components that are internal to the fastener. They do not replace the housing. Also, fasteners can also be sent to us (for an additional fee) and be refurbished.

Performance and Related Issues

What about the performance of Invert-A-Bolt™ fasteners versus clamps? (How they save me money)
There are several factors which affect overall performance when considering a comparison between clamps and Invert-A-Bolt™ fasteners:

a) Typically a machine operator spends a great deal of time searching for the right length bolts (for the heel and stud of the clamp) when initially setting up a job run. (This is a common problem when a NC program counter-bores a hole to a certain depth requiring a "right length" bolt to accommodate the hole.) The machine operator may actually cut bolts or modify the mill fixture if the right length bolts cannot be located. This time can be multiplied if a double sided part is being milled (and thus two sets of bolts are required). Often the bolts are not kept with the mill fixture and thus, for every job run, this process (and wasted time and effort) is repeated.

b) Various time and materials issues concerning the clamp as an obstruction to the machining process. (NC Programmer - must program around the clamps and find efficient machining sequences while considering clamp changes, Machine operator - must move clamps during machining operations. Two different sets of bolts may be required for the clamp changes when considering double sided parts. The probability of hitting clamps and causing damage to the part, endmill, and/or machine tool is high.)

c) Additional material required on the mill fixture to position clamps. (Typically clamps are 2" to 4" long and the mill fixture is increased in size to accommodate this stickout away from the part stock.)

d) If the part configuration requires bolting from the backside, no special mill fixtures (bridge fixtures, double sub-plate fixtures, etc.) are required.

Other thoughts:

The Invert-A-Bolt™ fastener is not necessarily ideal for every machining application. Ideally, it can be applied to parts that can be "picture framed" and tooling tabs can be used to hold the part during machining. Some of the highlights of the product are:

a) The inverted bolt is maintained in a "housing" which is secured in the mill fixture. The housing is threaded and thus allows for easily replacing the Invert-A-Bolt™ assembly should it become damaged. This also allows for the bolts to always be available at each production run (or whenever it is used). There is no need for a machine operator to find right size bolts.

b) The bolt contained in the Invert-A-Bolt™ assembly sticks up into the part approximately .45" or less. Only the stud part of the bolt sticks up into the part. This allows for a minimal obstruction surface of Diameter X .45" for each Invert-A-Bolt™ Fastener. This provides a much smaller obstruction during the machining process and requires no changes. (In fact, the stud can also be recessed completely during the process which could allow for the tooling tab to be milled completely off during the machining process.)

c) No additional stock is required on the mill fixture outside the part stock limits.

d) Because only the stud sticks up into the part (the "footprint" of the IVB fastener is the diameter of the stud), part stock requirements can be reduced.

e) All machining operations required to make the mill fixture (holding the Invert-A-Bolt™ fasteners) are performed from one side. There is no requirement to flip the mill fixture over to prepare or install the Invert-A-Bolt™ products. This means all preparation is from the front side of the mill fixture.

f) Multi-Purpose Holes™, Work Supports, Fasteners and Modular Components can be used to create an Invert-A-Bolt™ Common Modular Fixture allowing for a mill fixture that can accommodate both conventional clamping as well as Invert-A-Bolt™ products. A very flexible and efficient mill fixture concept can be designed since all the IVB Products are installed from the front of the mill fixture and use a threaded housing.

g) By using Invert-A-Bolt™ products, the need for helical inserts in an aluminum mill fixture is eliminated.

h) Invert-A-Bolt™ products are being used in production environments at many manufacturers across the United States. The products are well received and being used successfully in many part/mill fixture applications/configurations.

I'm having problems bringing the stud up into the part. What can I do?
We have found that occasionally the chamfer on the "receiving" side is not created by the user. Either add the chamfer or increase its size to enhance the ability of the stud to align itself with the receiving hole and thus alleviate the problem. See the Installation and Operating Instructions page for additional information.

I'm having problems with studs sticking up above the housing, what can I do?
(This question applies to AA02-001-001 fasteners and Work Supports only). First, insure that the stud has been properly screwed down into the housing. If it continues to "pop up" then the drive ring has failed and requires replacement. This is a result of wear on the drive ring. A refurbishment kit can be purchased to replace the drive ring.

Why Universal Fixturing?
For many milling applications and manufacturing solutions, using universal fixturing is a very efficient use of resources and an excellent holding solution for many manufactured parts. Here are some of the advantages for using universal fixturing as opposed to conventional fixturing: Reduce overall tooling costs by:

• Eliminate dedicated fixturing and creating a "standard" tooling plate.
• Eliminate tool design and tool build for dedicated mill-fixtures.
• The tool once in service is used perpetually for all applicable part configurations. This has several advantages:

° The tool is not stored "somewhere out there", its always in use and doesn't require additional storage area(s) to be utilized. (Not to mention, identification, indexing, and other inventory considerations.)
° Eliminate maintenancing of dedicated mill-fixtures.
° Eliminate perpetual capital investment in dedicated fixturing.
° The cost of the tool can be spread over many parts to reduce "one-time" tooling expense.
° Eliminate load and unload time for dedicated mill fixtures.

• Establish standardized work holding techniques.
• Eliminate duplicate fixturing.

In addition, by constructing or purchasing a universal fixture using Invert-A-Bolt™ components the following advantages can be realized:

• Provides the unique benefits of Invert-A-Bolt™ products.
• Provides use of other modular fixturing components together with Invert-A-Bolt™ products.
• Since Invert-A-Bolt™ products are designed to allow for tolerance variations, the cost of the Invert-A-Bolt™ Universal Fixture is lower than other commercially available products because precision locating requirements are reduced.

Strength, materials and Related Issues

What materials are the Invert-A-Bolt™ products made from (and what hardness)?
This information is included in the applicable catalog pages. See also Failure Analysis

Have the Invert-A-Bolt™ products had any failure tests performed?
Yes. Failure testing has been performed on the AA02-001-001, AA02-010-001, and AA03-010-001 fasteners. Following is an excerpt from the AA03-010-001 Test Report:

"Six fasteners of the above part number were received for tensile and shear testing (three each). Due to the specialized nature of the fastener, it was necessary to produce a unique test fixture to allow for proper testing. The test fixture was designed such that the same fixture could be used to perform both the tensile and shear test.

The test results for both tensile and shear testing follow. In all cases the tensile failures occurred in the hex recess area of the 1/2-13 threaded end as would be expected. the shear failures occurred partially in the hex recess area. Of special note - the shear failures were not typical of shear failures in standard fasteners. Instead of the normal abrupt shearing action, these fasteners deform and slowly tear. For purposes of this report, shear failure was defined as the initial point of macro deformation."

 

AA03-010-001 Tensile Test
Serial #	Width	Dia. or Gauge	Area (sq.in.)	Yield (lbs)	Yield (psi)	Ultimate (lbs)	Ultimate (psi)	Elong (%)	Red. of Area (%)	Type
1		1/2"-13	.1419			14,762	104,030*
2		1/2"-13	.1419			15,485	109,120*
3		1/2"-13	.1419			12,433**	87,610*

* The psi (stress) is calculated from the thread stress area (.1419); however, this number is not accurate because it is based on a solid cross-section and this part has a hex recess which subtracts from the cross-sectional area.
** The third test result was not valid because the 1/2"-13 screw was not properly engaged into the test fixture.

AA03-010-001 Single Shear Test
Serial Number	Diameter	Shear (lbs)	Shear (psi)
1S	1/2"-13	13,243	93,330
2S	1/2"-13	12,928	91,110
3S	1/2"-13	11,256	79,330

 

Following is the test data for the AA02-001-001 (1" dia. housing x .801" length, 1/2"-13 Stud) product:

AA02-001-001 Tensile Test					AA02-001-001 Shear Test
S/N	Dia. or Gauge	Area (sq.in.)	Ultimate (lbs)*	Ultimate (psi)	S/N	Dia. or Gauge	Area (sq.in.)	Ultimate (lbs)	Ultimate (psi)
1	1/2"-13	.0928	10,363	111,670	1	1/2"-13	.0928	9,874	106,400
2	1/2"-13	.0928	11,413	122,980	2	1/2"-13	.0928	11,878	128,000
3	1/2"-13	.0928	10,957	118,060	3	1/2"-13	.0928	11,173	120,400

*Note: All failures occurred at the housing.

Following is the test data for the AA02-010-001 (1" dia. housing x 1.150" length, 1/2"-13 Stud) product:

AA02-010-001 Tensile Test					AA02-010-001 Shear Test
S/N	Dia. or Gauge	Area (sq.in.)	Ultimate (lbs)*	Ultimate (psi)	S/N	Dia. or Gauge	Area (sq.in.)	Ultimate (lbs)	Ultimate (psi)
1	1/2"-13	.0928	13,354	143,900	1	1/2"-13	.0928	6,080*	65,520
2	1/2"-13	.0928	14,633	157,670	2	1/2"-13	.0928	11,314	121,920
3	1/2"-13	.0928	15,386	165,790	3	1/2"-13	.0928	12,266	132,180

*Note: Housing was backed off from screw.

Should I use a locking solution to insure that the housing does not move due to vibration and other factors?
Using a locking solution (like Loctite(R)) to secure the Invert-A-Bolt™ housing is not recommended. This practice defeats the unique characteristic of the Invert-A-Bolt™ product to be easily maintenanced from the top of the fixture or completely replaced, if need be. The housing is designed with a left hand thread so that movement will be away from the part.

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