Tension Control in Bolted Joints 2
Were most joints not massively over-designed to accommodate inaccurate tightening, simple tightening procedures could prove catastrophic. Designers will specify more or larger bolts than needed in order to ensure that the joints are clamped together with the amount of force required. Fewer or smaller fasteners can be used when accurate control of bolt tension or preload is assured during assembly. For most applications the over-design of the joint has been far cheaper than controlling the assembly process.
