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Getting Started with iSpac:
A typical input sequence to perform a joint calculation
(you can download here the iSpac file corresponding to this example, and jump directly to the section 22 to open the completed form)
From the home page :
1. Open a "simple-gasket bolted joint" calculation form
- Click on "EN1591-1 Calculation Forms".
- In the list of forms, click on "Simple-gasket bolted joint (EN1591-1)".
2. Write comments on the calculation form
- Click on "Comment: (none)". A comment box is opened.
- Write your comment in this box, for example:
the "Getting Started" typical joint
- To cancel your input : click on the cross symbol at the end of the box title line.
- To validate your input : click on the tick symbol at the end of the box title line. Once you have validate your input, your text appears in the comment line.
3. Input the dimensions of the first flange
- Click on "Dimensions".
- Click on "Flange #1". The list of flange types appears.
- Click on "Integral flanges". The list of integral flanges types appears.
- Click on "11: Welding neck flange". The dimensions input form appears.
- to add comments on flange 1: same principle as in section 2.
- Click on "Body" to input the dimensions of the flange body.
On the left hand side there is the list of the dimensions to be input.
On the right hand side a schematic drawing illustrates these dimensions.
- Click on "Reference : not standard". A list of standards available for this type of flange (11: Welding neck flange) appears.
- Click on "European pre-standards (pr EN)".
- Click on "prEN 1092-1 (DIN 1994)". The list of PN available in this standard appears.
- Click on "PN40". A table giving all the dimensions corresponding to PN40 per DN appears.
- Click on "DN200" in the first column of the table.
All the input cells corresponding to PN40 DN200 of prEN1092-1 (DIN1994) are filled.
- Input
0 in the eW cell (It means that no washers are used). All the input cells of the flange body are filled.
- Click on "Connected tube".
- to add comments on connected tube of flange 1: same principle as in section 2.
- Fill the cells: AS with
219.10, eS with 6.30. All the input cells of the connected tube are filled.
- Click on "Face"
- Click on "Flat face". That is the only thing to do to define a flange with flat face.
- Click on "Corrosion".
- Fill the cells: ci with
0 (no internal corrosion is considered here), ce with 0 (no external corrosion is considered here).
The whole flange #1 is dimensionally defined.
4. Input the dimensions of the second flange
- Click on "Flange #2". The list of flange types appears.
- Click on "Blank flanges", then "05 : Blind flange". The dimensions input form appears.
- to add comments on flange 2 : same principle as in section 2.
- Click on "Body" to input the dimensions of the flange body.
On the left hand side there is the list of the dimensions to be input.
On the right hand side a schematic drawing illustrates these dimensions.
- Click on "Reference : not standard". A list of standards available for this type of flange (05 : Blind flange) appears.
- Click on "European pre-standards (pr EN)", then "prEN 1092-1 (DIN 1994)", "PN40", "DN200".
All the input cells corresponding to PN40 DN200 of prEN1092-1 (DIN1994) are filled except eG.
- Input
5 in the eG cell.
- Input
0 in the eW cell (It means that no washers are used). All the input cells of the flange body are filled.
- Click on "Face", then "Flat face".
- Click on "Corrosion", set ci and ce to
0 (no corrosion is considered here).
The whole flange #2 is dimensionally defined.
5. Input the dimensions of the bolt
- Click on "Bolts". The list of bolt types appears.
- Click on "Stud bolt".
On the left hand side there is the list of the dimensions to be input. On the right hand side a schematic drawing illustrates these dimensions.
- Click on "Reference : not standard". A list of standards available for this type of bolt appears.
- Click on "ISO". then "ISO 262 (1973)", "Standard pitch", "M27".
All the input cells corresponding to the M27 bolts with standard pitch according to ISO 262 (1973) are filled.
6. Input the dimensions of the gasket
- Click on "Gasket". The list of gasket types appears.
- Click on "Flat gasket of low hardness, composite or pure metallic materials".
On the left hand side there is the list of the dimensions to be input. On the right hand side a schematic drawing illustrates these dimensions.
- Click on "Reference : not standard". A list of standards available for this type of gasket appears.
- Click on "European standards (EN)", then "EN 1514-4 (1997)", "PN40", "DN200".
- the input cells corresponding to the inside and outside diameters of PN40 DN200 gasket according to EN 1514-4 (1997) are filled.
- Input
3 in the eG cell.
All the input cells of the gasket dimensions are filled.
7. Input the material characteristics of the first flange
- Click on "Materials".
- Click on "Flange #1".
- Click on "Flange material".
- to add comments on flange material : same principle as in section 2.
- on the right hand side of the page, click on "Database".
- Click on "Steel", "C & C-Mn steel", "high tensile strength".
A table with C & C-Mn steel characteristics appears.
- To use this data as characteristic for flange 1 material, click on the "Select all" button at the bottom of the table.
The data used in the calculation appear in the input table of flange 1 material.
- Below the input table of flange 1 material, select the type according to prEN13445-3 (for flange). Select "
type 1: non-austenitic steel, or A < 30%".
- on the right hand side of the page, click on "Copy".
- Click on "Shell material".
- on the right hand side of the page, click on "Paste". The data used in the calculation appear in the input table. These are the data copied from the flange material.
8. Input the material characteristics of the second flange
- Click on "Flange #2".
- on the right hand side of the page, click on "Paste". The data used in the calculation appear in the input table. These are the data copied from the flange#1 material.
9. Input the material characteristics of the bolts
- Click on "Bolts".
- to add comments on bolts material : same principle as in section 2
- on the right hand side of the page, click on "DataBase".
- Click on "Steel", "Low chromium (<=3%) steel", "high tensile strength".
A table with Low chromium (<=3%) steel characteristics appears.
- To use these data as characteristics for bolts material, click on the "Select all" button at the bottom of the table.
The data used in the calculation appear in the input table of bolts material.
10. Input the material characteristics of the gasket
- Click on "Gasket".
- to add comments on gasket material : same principle as in section 2.
- Click on "Mechanical model".
- on the right hand side of the page, click on "ENV1591-2 (2001)".
- Click on "Metal jacketed gasket", "Soft iron or steel jacket with graphite filler".
A table with the corresponding characteristics appears.
- To use these data as mechanical characteristics for the gasket, click on the "Ok" button at the bottom of the table. The data used in the calculation appear in the input table of gasket mechanical model.
- Click on the value
20 in the T column.
The value corresponding to this temperature appears in the first line of the table, which is the input line.
Input 10 in the alpha cell.
To validate this data, click on the tick button at the end of the input line.
- Click on the value
500 in the T column.
The value corresponding to this temperature appears in the first line of the table, which is the input line.
Input 10 in the alpha cell.
To validate this data, click on the tick button at the end of the input line.
- set c1 to
0, gh to 0.01.
All the input cells of the gasket mechanical model are filled.
- Click on "EN1591-2 Leak model".
- on the right hand side of the page, click on "ENV1591-2 (2001)",
- Click on "Metal jacketed gasket", "Soft iron or steel jacket with graphite filler".
A table with the corresponding characteristics appears.
- To use the Leak-tightness data as Leak model for the gasket, click on the "OK" button at the bottom of the table.
The data used in the calculation appear in the input table of gasket EN1591-2 Leak model.
- Other Leak model can be defined (potential model). We do not use this model in this example of application.
All the material characteristics are defined at this stage.
11. Input the calculation conditions parameters of the joint
- Click on "Conditions parameters".
- Click on "Joint".
- As temperature model, select "Isotherm".
- As common nominal design stress model, select "Safety factor applied on Re".
- In the top right corner of the page, click on "Units", then select in the pressure unit "Bar", then click on the "Ok" button.
- The pressure inputs previously in MPa are now given in Bar.
- In the Assembly condition, fill the following cells: NR with
1, FA and MA with 0, KRe,J with 1.05.
- On the right hand side of the page, click on "add" to create another calculation condition.
- In the pop up box, input the name of the new calculation condition (the name "condition #1" is given by default) : "test" for example.
- In the New conditions, fill the following cells : P with
20, TJ with 20, FA and MA with 0, KRe,J with 1.05.
- On the right hand side of the page, click on "add" to create another calculation condition.
- In the pop up box, input the name of the new calculation condition (the name "condition #2" is given by default) : "Calculation" for example.
- In the New conditions, fill the following cells : P with
15, TJ with 150, FA and MA with 0, KRe,J with 1.05.
- On the right hand side of the page, click on "add" to create another calculation condition.
- In the pop up box, input the name of the new calculation condition (the name "condition #3" is given by default) : "Operating conditions" for example.
- In the New conditions, fill the following cells : P with
12, TJ with 100, FA and MA with 0, KRe,J with 1.5.
12. Input the calculation conditions parameters of the Flange #1
- Click on the "Flange #1" tab.
There is no further input to do here.
13. Input the calculation conditions parameters of the Flange #2
- Click on the "Flange #2" tab.
There is no further input to do here.
14. Input the calculation conditions parameters of the Bolts
- Click on the "Bolts" tab.
- In assembly conditions, fill the following cells: C with
1, µ with 0.2.
No other data are required concerning the bolts in the calculation conditions.
15. Input the calculation conditions parameters of the gasket
- Click on the "Gasket" tab.
- As "Leak model", select : "
EN1591-2 (QI/P)".
- As "Model of Qmax", select : "
EN1591-2, 2001 (Qmax,y)".
No other data are required concerning the gasket in the calculation conditions.
16. Perform EN1591-1 calculation
- Click on the "EN 1591 Calculations" tab.
The results of a pre-calculation are given. These are all the EN1591-1 joint parameters required for the calculation. You can quickly check the calculation parameters concerning the dimensions and the calculation conditions for every components.
- on the left hand side of the page, input your PIN in the dedicated cell and click on "Calculation".
17. Effective tightening limits
The first results of the calculation are given in the part entitled "Effective tightening limits".
First, iSpac gives a result summary with the following tightening boundaries:
- The required tightening to respect the leak-tightness criterion.
- The critical tightening limit to respect the mechanical resistance criterion.
- The plastic limit tightening force which gives the tightening force for which the yield stress is reached in the whole section of bolts or flanges.
- The elastic limit tightening force which gives the tightening force for which the yield begins to occur in the bolts or flanges sections.
Details are then given for each of these force limits. Yellow marking indicates the component and the calculation situation which govern the considered force limit.
18. Tightening device selection
- Click on the "Bolting-up method" tab.
- On the right hand side of the page, click on "Database".
- Click on "Wrench, operator feel or uncontrolled".
The scatter of initial bolt load, corresponding to the selected tightening device, of a single bolt, below and above nominal value is given.
Click on "OK" to select this tightening device.
19. Nominal tightening
- Click on the "Nominal tightening" tab.
The effective tightening results and scatter are combined to compute the nominal tightening ranges:
- Required nominal tightening (the below scatter leads to the required tightening limit).
- Critical nominal tightening (the above scatter leads to the critical tightening limit).
- Plastic nominal tightening (the above scatter leads to the plastic tightening limit).
- Elastic nominal tightening (the above scatter leads to the elastic tightening limit).
When no nominal tightening can be provided regarding the tightening limits and the scatter of the tightening device, the indication N/A is given.
- Input 1.9 E6 in FB0nom and type the [ENTER] Key (or click on the "Calculate" button).
For the given nominal tightening force, iSpac calculates at each condition the following minimun and maximun values:
- Bolt elongation,
- Elastic rotation of the flanges.
To modify the nominal tightening force, click on the "Modify" button.
20. Save your calculated form
- Click on the "Save" button in the top right corner of the page. A "Download" dialog box appears.
- Select "Save the file to disk", and click "OK" to download the form. A "Save" dialog box appears, with
a proposed filename coming from the comment field of the assembly.
- Select the directory you want to store the form, and click the "Save" button.
21. Restart the form application
- Click on the "Clear" button in the top right corner of the page. A dialog box appears to confirm the action.
- Click "OK" to proceed. The screen looks now like in section 1.
22. Open a saved form
- Click on the "Browse..." button. A "Open" dialog box appears
- Locate and select the file created in section 20, and click the "Open" button.
- Click "OK" to open the form.
For a already calculated form, the joint parameters are in read-only mode (except comments).
To modify the joint, first click the "Modify" button on the right in the "Joint Definition" section (a dialog box pops up to confirm).
After changing some parameters, you can then re-submit a new calculation, as described in section 16.
Remarks about saving
You can save the form at any step of the input process, and re-open it later for further processing.
It's a good practice to save the form on a regular basis during a long input process, and also before submitting a calculation.
The forms are NOT stored on the iSpac server, you have to save them on your local computer if you want to store your inputs and calculation results.
