How Air Tools Can Benefit Your Shop And Employees

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Many manufacturing businesses create assemblies in the shop that are shipped out to customers or used to complete a larger component. Assembling the parts can require some specific specifications, and using correctly set air tools can ensure that the torque is correct on the parts and can offer some additional benefits for your business. 

Air Tools And Torque

When you are using air tools to tighten bolts or screws in an assembly, the torque setting on the tool can be set so that when the fastener reaches the right amount of torque, the tool stops tightening it. The benefits of using a system like this are that the fasteners are not stressed by being over-tightened and they won't loosen up over time because they are not tight enough. 

Because the air tools are preset for the torque required, it reduces the time spent checking bolts or screws as the assembly is being put together. The worker driving the fasteners can put them in and tighten them until the tool indicates they have reached the spec, and then they can move to the next one. When you are putting together many pieces over an entire day, these tools can decrease the time involved in the assembly process and increase the shop's productivity overall. 

Reduced Fatigue

It is a well-established fact that repetitive actions can take a toll on the body, and after a while, workers who are driving fasteners by hand can get fatigued. Using air tools in the shop can help reduce that stress and fatigue for operators who are putting these parts together repeatedly. 

The amount of force required to tighten the fasteners is handled by the air tools, so all the operator needs to do is push a button to drive a screw or tighten a bolt. If the air tools are supported with arms or a coil and cable, the worker does not even need to support the tool's weight all day, further reducing strain on the body.

The air tools used in the shop could allow people with limited strength to do jobs that would require a lot of grip and arm strength if the fasteners were tightened manually. That can mean more cross-training and versatility in your facility, making it possible for people to do several different jobs throughout the day, further reducing fatigue from repeating the same process over and over again.

Maintaining Your Tools

Air tools do not require a lot of maintenance to work correctly. Most tool manufacturers recommend a couple of drops of air tool oil in the air fitting on the tool before you start using it to lubricate the moving parts inside. Keeping the tools lubricated, clean, and stored in a dry area will keep them running correctly, and if one does stop working, the tool can often be rebuilt or repaired by a qualified tech or by the manufacturer.

To learn more about industrial air tools, contact a company like WM.F. Hurst Co., LLC.


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