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PRE-LOAD VERIFICATION PROTOCOL

DOCUMENT ID: AVS-PROC-004
APPLICABILITY: CLASS III ASSEMBLIES // GRADE 8 FASTENERS

HALT: IF ANY STEP IN PHASE 1 FAILS VISUAL INSPECTION, ABORT ASSEMBLY. DO NOT APPLY TORQUE.

PHASE 1: VISUAL INSPECTION

Verify 6-radial dash marking on bolt head.
Absence indicates Grade 5 or lower. Rejection mandatory.
Inspect threads for nicks, galling, or deformation.
Damage >0.002in requires replacement.
Confirm washer face is free of burrs.
Burrs create uneven load distribution.
Check substrate surface for rust/paint flaking.
Clean to bare metal within 1.5x washer diameter.

PHASE 2: LUBRICATION SEQUENCE

Apply Ni-Cr Anti-Seize to external threads only.
Do not coat under-head bearing surface.
Rotate nut to distribute lubricant evenly.
Ensure full coverage of lead-in threads.
Wipe excess from bolt shank.
Excess attracts contaminants.

PHASE 3: STAR-PATTERN TORQUING

For multi-bolt flanges (>4 bolts), follow the star sequence. Single-pass torquing is prohibited.

PASS 1: Seat nuts to 30% of target torque.
PASS 2: Advance to 60% of target torque.
PASS 3: Final tighten to 100% specification.
Wait 60 seconds after Pass 3 before re-check.
Re-verify all bolts in reverse star sequence.
Acceptable variance: ±5% of target.

FAILURE LOG

If re-verification shows variance >5%, record the following: