The words accuracy and precision are often interchangeably used for one another. But they are far from synonyms. Simply put, accuracy refers to how close a measurement is to the true value while precision is how close the measurements are to each other for the same value.

Accuracy points to how ‘accurate’ (or how far away) the mean of measurements is to the actual value. Precision on the other hand, is the normal distribution of measurements.

Measuring instruments are often marketed with an accuracy of e.g. ±1%. However, this percentage should be complemented with a value for the precision.

Strainlabs Bolts are calibrated to an accuracy of 99% and ± 3% precision upon delivery. Translating this into an industrial situation means that a bolt, with an actual preload of 100 kN will be measured to be 99 kN with extreme values of min 96kN and max 102 kN. In an industrial environment, this is considered very accurate and precise.

Strainlabs has designed the balance between accuracy, precision, battery lifetime, cost, and user-friendliness as a result of leading the digitalization of bolted joints forward. There is another flip-side – since the parameters are driven by the software a majority of the settings are adjustable to specific requirements and applications. Welcome to the Internet of Bolts!