The difference is quality. Companies invest in torque tools to improve their products’ quality. Using torque tools, manufacturers and service professionals can ensure that each fastener they touch will not fail due to being too loose or tight. Often, a company’s reputation and market share depend on the reliability of its products. Human lives depend on a company’s ability to torque its fasteners properly for certain critical products, like implantable medical devices. So, for good reason, companies need their torque tools to guarantee proper fastening. As a result, a company’s products are only as reliable as the torque tools used to screw or bolt them together. To ensure the dependability of their products, companies must carefully research the quality of their tool vendors. One way to and effectively vet the reliability of a torque tools manufacturer or service center is to check if they’re certified under ISO standards.
ISO Certifications for Torque Tool Manufacturers and Service Centers
First things first: what is ISO, and why do their standards matter? The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is a non-governmental organization dedicated to creating and promulgating blanket standards for companies and governments across the world. ISO’s standards cover quality assurance management, testing and calibration laboratory management, and information security management. These standards are developed by experienced professionals in their relative fields and are updated over time. By publishing these standards, ISO establishes best practices for companies to follow. It gives companies guidelines for success, increasing industrial productivity and improving public safety. It also offers other companies a way to determine at a foundational level the quality of the different businesses from which they purchase tools or services. A company doesn’t have to be ISO certified to create high-quality products or services. However, if a company is ISO certified, its offerings can assume a certain level of competency and quality. When investing in potentially costly products where high quality is essential—like torque tools—ISO certification can be valuable proof of reliability.
ISO Standards Relevant to Torque Tool Manufacturers and Service Centers
The most relevant ISO standard for torque tool manufacturers is ISO 9001:2015. In addition, torque tool service centers and calibration laboratories should be guided by ISO 17025. The first standard, ISO 9001:2015, is the most current version of the ISO’s organizational quality assurance standards. These standards lay out best practices for repeatedly producing high-quality products. The standards also cover methods for testing the quality of products with multiple layers of quality control procedures. A company following this standard can be expected to produce each of its products at a consistent level of quality. In the case of torque tool manufacturers, tools produced under these standards will reliably deliver the torque amounts they are specified for.
Companies who purchase ISO certified tools can sleep easy knowing they will work as advertised. The second standard, ISO 17025, pertains explicitly to testing laboratories. This standard establishes guidelines for laboratory testing and calibration. Since torque tools must deliver precise amounts of torque, it’s important that they are calibrated well and often. Without in-house expertise and calibration equipment, it’s difficult or impossible for a company to know whether the service center they use is calibrating their tools correctly. So, seeking a center with ISO certification is a sound way to find a laboratory you can trust with your tools.
It’s relatively easy to check if a manufacturer or service center is ISO certified. Typically, these certifications will be displayed on a company’s website. If you don’t find the information there, call them and ask. Remember that certifications do expire, so be sure to look for certification dates. ISO certifications are points of pride for companies that earn them so they won’t hide the information. As you shop around for torque tools or consider your tool service options, check the company’s certification status for a few seconds. Knowing your tools are manufactured and serviced by a quality business will reduce your uncertainty about the quality of your products.
Mountz Service Centers
With 59 years of trusted expertise in torque manufacturing, Mountz stands as a beacon of reliability in torque calibration services. Our seasoned technicians boast unparalleled training, ensuring meticulous calibration and repair work with an unwavering commitment to quality control and safety standards.
Mountz features two calibration labs in the US and one lab in the UK. To see our full range of products, shop our store. Contact us anytime to ask a question. To inquire about price, request a quote. If you’d like to see our equipment in person, schedule an appointment. To get the latest torque-related news, follow us on LinkedIn.
