Air impact wrenches make so many jobs easier, but if you’re operating without the right know-how they can also cause plenty of damage. This is because you’ll generally need different levels of torque depending on what you’re doing. For example, if you’re loosening bolts that have been in place for a long time, you’ll likely need more torque to get the job done. When you’re tightening bolts though, if you used the same amount of torque you can risk damaging the thread or even breaking the bolt.
Read on to find out more about torque control for air impact wrenches.
Why is Torque Control Important?
In really simple terms, if you’re not using enough torque, the work you’re doing will be more difficult. Pneumatic tools are designed to make things easier, and you’ve probably spent considerable money setting up a compressed air system. It stands to reason that you’re going to want tasks to be as simple and efficient as possible.
On the other side, too much torque can cause significant damage to your projects. Threads on bolts can be stripped, or the heads can even be snapped clean off. These sorts of mishaps are going to cause frustration while wasting time and money. Understanding the need for proper torque control can ultimately save you money, and make your operations more efficient and productive.
What’s the Best Way to Control the Torque?
Controlling the torque on your air impact wrenches will come down to the type of tools you’re using, and the system you’ve set up. Most air wrenches on the market today have torque control settings, but if not, you’ve got a couple of options.
Regulate Line Pressure: This is a complicated way of doing things, and it doesn’t give you a great deal of precision. This means decreasing the working pressure available in your whole system by adjusting the compressor. Bear in mind, this means pressure is reduced for every tool working on that compressor. It’s also not an efficient way of doing things if you need frequent changes in torque.
Regulate Tool Pressure: This involves attaching a regulator to the air hose before you attach the wrench. This gives you the freedom to change torque without impacting other tools. This option is easier, but still may not be as efficient as using torque-controlled wrench because you still may need to change the pressure for different tasks.
Fortunately, modern air impact wrenches have built in torque control, allowing you to increase and decrease with relative ease. It is still important that you understand the level of torque you need, and refer to product manuals when working on specific jobs. While the newer products are much easy to use, they can’t decide the right level of torque by themselves. Many do, however, come with torque-limiting capabilities to prevent overload.
Contact Airtools WA For the Best Advice on Pneumatic Wrenches
Check out our range of quality air impact wrenches today and find something for your budget and needs. If you’re not sure about getting the right torque from your air impact wrench, we’ve got experts on hand to help you out, so contactAirtools WA today.
