Bolts and screws are used in countless industrial applications as a detachable, high-strength connecting means. An accurate knowledge of the conditions in the region where the bolts are located is essential to choose the right type and dimension of bolts. A finite element analysis can be used to determine the behavior of a bolted connection considering also non-linear effects, calculating loads in pre-stress state and in working conditions.
The VDI guideline is often used in the analytical design of bolted connection and can be as well used with the results of a FE-Analysis. CADFEM (Suisse) AG has developed an automated procedure in ANSYS Workbench for design and verification of bolts according to the VDI Norm. This ANSYS Workbench Extension allows engineers an efficient workflow in bolt design and verification. Similar ANSYS Workbench Extensions for strength and fatigue analyses of structures and weld seams according to the FKM Guideline are provided by CADFEM to increase the productivity of Design Engineers using the finite element method.