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Threaded fasteners are one of the most commonly used connection methods for mechanical structures. Its primary function is to generate appropriate clamping forces and fasten the connected parts. An inappropriate preload can cause loosening, fatigue fracture, and other problems. This will affect the safety and reliability of mechanical equipment. The precise control of the preload has become a critical issue in mechanical assembly processes. Over the past few decades, various tightening measures and methods have been proposed to address this issue. However, many problems continue to exist with practical applications that have not been reviewed comprehensively and systematically. First, various control methods were summarized systematically, and their advantages and disadvantages in engineering applications were analyzed. Torque control is the most widely used tightening method owing to its simple operation and low cost. Therefore, the research on the torque control method was summarized systematically from three aspects: the torque–preload correlation formula, effective friction radius, and friction characteristics during tightening. In addition, the special circumstances that may increase preload uncertainty were discussed. Finally, based on a summary of the current research status, the prospects for future research were discussed. This study would aid researchers in extensively understanding the problems in preload control.

Byline: Yujin. Xu, Zhun. Wang, Guan. Liu, Xiao. Zheng, Yuezhen. Wang, Wei. Feng, Xiaojing. Lai, Xia. Zhou, Pu. Li, Honglian. Ma, Jin. Wang, Xiao. Hu, Ming. Chen Purpose: To evaluate [...]

The benefit of local ablative therapy (LAT) for oligo-recurrence has been investigated and integrated into the treatment framework. In recent decades, stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) has been increasingly used to eliminate metastasis owing to its high rate of local control and low toxicity. This study aimed to investigate the outcomes of SBRT for patients with lung oligo-recurrence of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) from our therapeutic center. Patients with lung oligo-recurrence of NSCLC treated with SBRT between December 2011 and October 2018 at Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital) were reviewed. The characteristics, treatment-related outcomes, and toxicities of the patients were analyzed. Univariable and multivariable Cox regression were performed to identify the factors associated with survival. A total of 50 patients with lung oligo-recurrence of NSCLC were enrolled. The median follow-up period was 23.6 months. The 3-year local progression-free survival (LPFS), progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) after SBRT were 80.2%, 21.9% and 45.3%, respectively. Patients in the subgroup with LAT to all residual diseases showed significantly improved OS and PFS. No treatment-related death occurred after SBRT. SBRT is a feasible option to treat patients with lung oligo-recurrence of NSCLC, with high rates of local control and low toxicity. LAT to all residual diseases was associated with better survival outcomes. Future prospective randomized clinical trials should evaluate SBRT strategies for such patients.

The straightness error of guideway connected with machine bed can exceed the allowable value due to the pretension relaxation in bolted joints. It is inevitable that the relaxation caused by creep displacement of contact surfaces at ambient temperature. The spring and damping elements are introduced to equivalent the contact surfaces. A mathematical model is established for characterizing the relaxation. The effects of equivalent parameters, surface roughness, and initial tightening torque on pretension relaxation are ulteriorly analyzed. It is found that the relaxation degree of pre-tightening force increases with increase of elastic element stiffness, surface finish, and initial tightening torque. The straightness of guideway subjected to different bolt preloads is studied based on the finite element method (FEM). Finally, experiments are conducted to verify the proposed model and FEM. The results show that the model error is 6.67%, and the straightness error in horizontal/vertical direction is 7.79%/7.28%.