What could occur if a bolt is over-tightened?

When a bolt is over-tightened, it applies excessive pressure beyond its design limits. This can lead to several negative outcomes, the most significant of which include the risk of the bolt breaking, stripping the threads, or damaging the material that is being fastened.

Breaking indicates that the material of the bolt can exceed its tensile strength, leading to failure. Stripping threads occurs when the outer threads on the bolt or the internal threads of the nut or hole become damaged due to too much pressure, making it impossible to secure the connection properly. Additionally, the material being fastened can suffer stress fractures or deformation, undermining its integrity and potentially leading to failure in the assembly.

Underscoring the importance of proper torque specifications and the potential repercussions of over-tightening is crucial in both engineering and maintenance practices to ensure safety and reliability.