In the modern world of production, technology is growing rapidly. Technological advancements are happy every day, letting us manufacture goods more efficiently, cheaply, and faster. Basic industrial tools, including torque wrenches, are also getting digitized. In terms of technological development, you can categorize torque wrenches into two main categories – analog and digital. In order to gain a competitive advantage in the market, you have to use a digital torque wrench.
What is a Digital Torque Wrench?
Torque is often linked to how tightly fasteners are connected. So, you can define a torque wrench as a tool that helps to drive fasteners, including nuts and bolts to a certain torque. Digital torque wrenches have the same function as analog torque wrenches, only that digital ones come with technology-assisted precision and sensory signals, which alert users once a pre-set torque has been reached.
Why Use Digital Torque Wrenches
These digital tools have completely revolutionized the fastening sector by providing reliable and accurate torque measurements, and at the same time, offer advanced features, which improve efficiency and precision. These tools often incorporate microprocessors and electronic sensors to digitally display and measure torque values; thus, eliminating the importance of guesswork or manual interpretation. Digital torque wrenches also provide several other benefits, including:
1. Avoiding Backlash
These tools have an inbuilt mechanism that prevents users from applying too much torque. This is mostly called backlash. You may as well set specific torque values, and your wrench will shut off automatically when those values are reached, avoiding over-tightening.
2. Instant Feedback Notification
Digital torque wrenches are often equipped with a feedback notification feature. The notification can be in the form of visual, audio, or both. Audio notifications include special tones, a vibration, and beeps, while visual ones are flashes or color-coded lights. These notifications help to inform users that the wrench has delivered pre-set torque values. This boosts the accuracy of the torquing work, enabling you to prevent under or over torquing.
3. Consistent Storage of Data
These tools have the capacity to store collected data. Most of them store their use history in a memory system. With this, you can disseminate the data into computers so you can share it with your team. This feature comes in handy in ensuring future audit goals and quality control.
4. Programmable Settings
An advanced digital torque wrench allows the user to program a specific torque value, sequence, or tightening angle, making it suitable for a complex assembly task where several fasteners must be tightened in a very specific order.
5. User-Friendly
Digital torque wrenches have a very user-friendly surface, where numbers are clearly displayed. On the other hand, an analog torque wrench uses a conventional gauge with a needle showing minuscule numbers. At times, users of these tools have to wink their eyes so as to see the numbers. However, a digital torque wrench has a built-in light that helps to improve the visibility of readings even in a low-light environment.
The bottom line is that using digital torque wrenches comes with many benefits. Apart from offering unparalleled accuracy, they also have user-friendly surfaces, programmable settings, and consistent storage of data.
