As the market-share leader in modular bus duct, General Electric has made many improvements over the years to its product line, Spectra Series Busway to enable them to stay ahead of the competition. One of the most important improvements GE has adopted has been incorporating DTI SmartBolts into their Spectra Series Busway product line.

DTI SmartBolts start life as ordinary bolts and are then converted into instrumented bolts by Stress Indicators, Inc. SmartBolts continuously show the tensile load on the bolt by means of a color indicator permanently installed in the head of the bolt. The DTI indicator changes color from red to black as the bolt is tightened. Using SmartBolts, one can visually inspect the fastener at any time and know that the bolt is bearing the proper tensile load (learn more at www.smartbolts.com).

GE has offered SmartBolts in its premium line of busway under the “Joint-Guard” private label since 1998. The Joint-Guard option has been well received by GE’s customers, and has developed into an international standard for first-quality electrical distribution systems. With SmartBolts, GE has created a competitive advantage for its product in a commodity market where any distinguishing feature is highly valued.

Modular busway is used in factories, plants and multi-story buildings as a means for distributing electrical power throughout the structure. The busway system is comprised of segments including straight sections, elbow sections, T- sections, etc. Using this modular approach, standard busway components may be assembled to meet the custom electrical distribution layout requirements of any given plant or building. But, since the busway system can carry as much as 600 volts and 5000 amps of current, joining the segments together requires great care to ensure proper electrical continuity from one segment to the next. One key bolt -- the “Joint Bolt” -- must be properly tightened and remain tight to ensure proper operation of the system. This is where DTI SmartBolts have provided the solution for this critical joint.

If the Joint Bolt is not properly tightened at installation, several types of failure can occur. There can be a loss of current flow or a dangerous build-up of heat (creating a fire hazard). In some cases, the current can create a blinding, explosive arc as it tries to find the easiest path across the joint. This can shut down the entire electrical system, and trip circuit breakers. Searching for the faulty joint can be a time consuming effort, resulting in expensive downtime. Because of the risks of a loose joint bolt, it is critical to get the proper tension on the bolt not only at the time of installation, but also to perform periodic maintenance checks of that bolt to make sure it has not come loose. DTI SmartBolts, under the name Joint-Guard, address this problem directly.

Dan Way is the Director of Global Marketing for GE Busway products. He realizes the value of Joint-Guard featuring SmartBolts to retaining customers and winning new business from the competition. As Mr. Way describes “With the Joint Guard, in a riser application, a maintenance person takes the elevator to the top of the building, walks down looking at each bus joint on his way, and all he’s doing is a visual,” Way says. “If the head is black, it’s still tight; if it’s red, you have to schedule an outage to go fix something. It’s a real easy visual inspection.”

“In an industrial application with bus duct installed horizontally 30 feet in the air, we can typically have the bus duct so the joint is visible from the floor,” Way continues. “We have several automotive customers that use a high-intensity light and a pair of binoculars and they inspect the joints from 30 feet below.” With standard bolts in such an application, a company would have to power down, interrupt production, and use a lift to gain access to each joint. With a joint every 7 feet on average, one can see the time and labor savings the DTI SmartBolt offers GE’s busway customers.

For More Information Contact:
Stress Indicators, Inc.
6307 Wiscasset Road
Bethesda, MD 20816
Tel: (240) 631-7246
Fax: (301) 320-3303
inquiries@smartbolts.com