When we say power tool, an idea comes in our minds about a tool which uses some power to perform some activity. The power is of some form but necessarily not muscle power. It may be electric, pneumatic, natural power such as wind, hydro, etc. Power tools find use in industries, in the garden, in home tasks such as cleaning, around the house for the purpose of drilling, cutting, etc. There is a wide range of 350+ tools including cordless screw drivers, drill machines, impact wrenches, rotary hammers, surveying equipment, and range finders.
Power tools are either stationary or movable. Movable tools are generally hand held. Hence, movable/portable tools possess low power and weight but they are convenient to operate but safety aspects should be taken into consideration with utmost care while using them. The safety aspects include using tools with proper guard, earthing, etc. Stationary power tools however, often have advantages in speed and accuracy, and some stationary power tools can produce objects that cannot be made in any other way.
Safety is of paramount importance in the use of power tools. A smooth and controlled performance in power tools is obtained through the kickback stop feature. An integrated sensor detects sudden jamming, which can be caused by tilting in metal or a change in substance and cause the tool to kick. The integrated sensor stops the motor immediately to prevent potential accidents caused by the user being thrown off balance.
– By Ashok Kumar
Safety First
Accidents with power tools are quite common leading from minor injuries to major injuries such as bone fracture, etc. It is also on record that many times, accidents have resulted in fatalities. This happens as a result of overpowering by powerful drill, grinding wheel, hacksaw, etc. We cannot overlook such dangers while using power tools. Accidents take place as safety aspects are overlooked while using them.
It is not only the responsibility of users but manufacturers should also give proper attention to safety aspects while designing/manufacturing power tools. This is why impact drivers are so popular and are favoured in many high torque scenarios. There is competition among manufacturers of power tools having higher and higher torques. At the same time, it is essential to provide enough safety features to reduce accident risks in power tools. To think, the torque in drills is higher than the torque of impact drivers of only a few years ago. Major brands have been competing over who gets to say that they have the most powerful drill or any other power tool. Several brands are now boasting about how their most powerful drills deliver well over 1,000 in-lbs of torque, previously impact driver- only territory in tools of this size.The torque levels are already so high that at full power even the additional side handle is not enough to control a drill that binds without really bracing your body. So at what point are we going to say that we have had enough, that we have reached the limit of what is safe or necessary, that we are happy with what we have, and that we don’t need any more torque?
Wouldn’t it be a better option for users to offload their high torque needs to their impact driver? At this point, manufacturers should be developing auger bits and hole saws that are designed to work with impact drivers. And if the 1/4” quick-connect chuck is not strong enough for such bits, maybe it is time for manufacturers to move away from them, or to adopt a dual chuck system like what is found in the Bosch Socket-Ready impacts.
Latest Developments
The latest development is availability of cordless drills. The power to operate such drills is provided by batteries. The torque requirement is most important considerations in cordless drills as it decides the battery capacity. As we have come to expect from cordless tool manufacturers, with each new flagship drill model that comes out, we want a tool with more torque than what the previous model had. My question is, do we really need more torque or are we just after bragging rights for the highest number. Universal motor, which can operate on AC as well as DC, with brushes has been commonly used uptil now. Speed of these motors is about 10-20% more when operated on DC. These motors produce more torque also on DC. Now we have tools which use brushless motors. These motors allow the tool to be smaller in size, without compromising on power. This motor delivers up to 27% more torque, 25% more power, 30% faster screw driving and works more energy-efficiently with a longer lifetime than conventional motors. A smooth and controlled performance in these power tools is obtained through the kickback stop feature. An integrated sensor detects sudden jamming, which can be caused by tilting in metal or a change in substance and cause the tool to kick. The integrated sensor stops the motor immediately to prevent potential accidents caused by the user being thrown off balance.
New Launches
With Dewalt having launched next-generation compact brushless drills, it’s probably a matter of time before they upgrade their premium 3-speed drills as well. And if so, will they take the belt?
In regard to runtime, higher capacity 4.0Ah, 5.0Ah, and even 6.0Ah packs have become the norm. For more compact drills, 2.5Ah is the sweet spot right now. Brushless motors, with their higher efficiency, squeeze runtime to its very limits.What we’ve noticed is that brands have hit a ceiling. How much more torque can a drill/driver possibly deliver before it starts being ridiculous? Individual battery cells seem to be topping out at 3.0Ah right now, although there’s room for manufacturers to improve upon the maximum continuous current rating. We wouldn’t expect to see same size battery packs with 7.0Ah or greater capacities anytime soon.
As run time on single charge increases, the battery capacity also increases. It has been observed that Lithium-ion batteries provide optimum power with maximum endurance.
It is achieved by managing the interaction between the Lithium-ion battery, motor and gears, creating the perfect conditions for the tool to continuously perform with outstanding efficiency. Up to 800 screws are possible with a single battery charge, preventing you from ever having to leave a task unfinished. M/s Bosch have started manufacturing power tools near Chennai using latest technology. The price of these power tools is less than the imported tools. Their aim is to increase market share from 10% to 25% in the near future.
