TORQUE: The False Indicator of Your Clamp Performance

The performance of any product is determined by the output delivered by the product to the input invested. Many a time OEM & end-users of the hose clamp presume that the input torque applied to the clamp is itself the measure of the clamps performance, but that’s not the case! Today in this article I will burst some of the myths regarding the clamp performance & losses associated with it.

1. The working of a Worm Drive Hose clamp-

When the torque is applied the threads on the screw engaged in the strip pull the strip against the housing thereby producing an effective clamp joint. In this so-called small action, there are a series of complex events which takes place. The input torque applied is first converted to effective tensile force which is stored in the form of strain energy & second is the conversion to heat energy due to frictional losses of mating components. This strain energy is the potential energy stored in the band due to its elastic deformation, it is the same energy that is stored in the case of a stretched bow. And it is this strain energy that produces the useful clamping force by causing the micro elongation of the band which can be calculated from the area under the curve of the Force Vs Displacement graph. This effective clamping force generated is termed Band Tension which in turn makes up for an effective clamping joint. We will further discuss the concept of Band tension & losses in subsequent points.