Efficiency separates companies. Given the same costs for supplies and access to the same demand, companies operating in the same space are competing based on who is able to produce more, faster, and at a lower cost. Increasing production line efficiency can be achieved by many means, and the most effective methods depend on the nature of your operation. We’ll look at one way to improve process efficiency today: choosing the right tools for the job.
For assembly or service operations, the tools you use are synonymous with the work you do. Without the ability to tighten or loosen fasteners, you wouldn’t be able to create your products or perform repairs. For high-speed applications requiring foot-pounds of torque—such as working in tire shops or manufacturing heavy equipment—air tools are often the most effective implement for the job. But even though air tools, like impact drivers and pulse tools, both have the power and speed to keep your operation moving, differences in their delivery mechanisms can significantly impact the efficiency of your company’s operations.
Impact Drivers vs. Pulse Tools for Heavy Fastening
When producing heavy equipment—such as farm implements, power plant machinery, oil and gas assets, as well as aerial, naval, and terrestrial vehicles—fasteners must stand up to a significant amount of stress. The large fasteners that can handle these loads typically require torque values between 5-10 foot-pound on the low end and up to 300 foot-pound or more on the high end.
While some hand tools, like click wrenches and cam-over wrenches, can provide this amount of torque, they are significantly slower than air tools like pulse tools and impact drivers. So, one simple way to increase efficiency if your operation relies on hand wrenches is to upgrade to high-speed pneumatic tools. The speed increase will allow you to produce more pieces in the same amount of time.
Both impact wrenches and pulse wrenches deliver torque using a discontinuous compressed air drive. They both deliver torque in a series of sharp taps against the fastener head. What separates pulse tools from standard impact wrenches is the inclusion of an internal hydraulic clutch. The simple difference greatly distinguishes the tools in terms of control.
Controlling Torque With Pulse Tools
Without the hydraulic clutch, impact wrenches are not designed for torque control, So, their operator is likely to use them to tighten each nut to its maximum torque or until the wrench is unable to turn the nut. Pulse wrenches, in contrast, use their clutch to slip when the desired, preset amount of torque is reached. As a result, nuts and bolts tightened by pulse tools will be torqued to the amount specified by your design team or the piece’s manufacturer.
It’s essential to be able to deliver the appropriate amount of torque to each fastener. Delivering more torque than is specified can damage the plates your bolt is holding together. It can damage the fastener itself as well since the increased tension load can overwhelm the fastener’s material and cause it to shear, deform, or warp. Conversely, applying too little torque to a fastener can be just as dangerous, as it can come loose under stress.
Products assembled with improper torque values should be picked out for rework or scrapped during the quality assurance phase of your production process. Reducing this lost time or lost product is a simple way to improve your operation’s efficiency. Improperly torqued fasteners which make it past your quality assurance process can fail under real-world conditions, potentially leading to legal complications or recalls.
Improving Worker Safety and Equipment Longevity with Pulse Tools vs. Impact Wrenches
In addition, the added control of pulse tools helps reduce the impact on the tool’s operator. The tool’s hydraulic fluid acts as a built-in shock absorber, dissipating the reaction force of the toolhead’s impact on the fastener. This allows operators to work longer and faster without incurring musculoskeletal injuries from the action of the tool, increasing worker safety, happiness, and productivity.
The same shock absorption abilities of pulse tools also protect the tools themselves. Without the internal hydraulic fluid mitigating the impact of the toolhead on the fastener, impact drivers must take each hit on their rigid frames. This continual jarring of metal on metal will wear out parts, further decreasing accuracy and contributing to tool failure. Impact drivers must be inspected regularly to ensure their metal shows no signs of fatigue. Pulse tools also require maintenance, but this is typically limited to tool calibration and the replacement of hydraulic fluid.
While both impact drivers and pulse tools can be effectively used to manufacture or service heavy-duty products and equipment, the hydraulic clutch in pulse tools makes a significant impact in terms of efficiency. By precisely controlling torque, reducing stress on operators, and minimizing stress on the tool itself, pulse tools decrease lost product, enhance worker safety, and extend equipment lifespans.
