Torque multipliers offer lightness, resilience

4th April 2014

By: Donna Slater

Features Deputy Editor and Chief Photographer

  

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An increased focus on safety and a better understanding of the importance of applying correct torque forces by companies, has led to an increased demand in the market for torque multipliers, says hand tool manufacturer Gedore Tools South Africa (SA).

“All Gedore multipliers come complete with a traceable factory-test certificate to ensure job safety and assure quality,” notes Gedore Tools SA marketing manager Bruce Hodgkinson.

“Larger multipliers have built-in overload protection and an anti-wind-up ratchet to increase safety when operating the tool,” he says.

“The increasing torque multiplier sales over the last year have been really good,” notes Hodgkinson, adding that the company launched a new range of these tools with its 2013 catalogue.

The Dremoplus Alu range of torque multipliers features 12 different torque multipliers, which are all manually operated and cover a torque range from 250 Nm to 54 000 Nm.

Torque multipliers, used with hand-operated Gedore torque wrenches, remove the physical effort from the tightening task, therefore, allowing a smooth and slow torque application, which is a prerequisite for tightening accuracy, he adds.

“The torque multipliers are also more slender and 30% lighter than other products on the market, owing to the housing being manufactured from high-performance metals, such as chrome vanadium steel and aluminium,” says Hodgkinson, adding that the tools offer convenient and safe operation, even in areas where space is limited, such as in workshops, mines and factories, as well as in the context of machinery and earthmoving equipment.

As it is a lightweight product, with the lightest multiplier weighing about 1.9 kg, torque multipliers are also easily transportable, adding to operator comfort. A few bigger models, such as the 54 000 Nm model, which weighs 65 kg, require that they be hoisted in place.

“Big torsion forces cannot simply be supported or ‘held’ by an operator; therefore, our multipliers are equipped with a reaction arm. This reaction arm redirects the ‘holding forces’ to a suitable machine element such as a frame, a bracket or even to an adjacent bolt,” he says. L-arms and/or Z-arms are available on different models. These increase flexibility for different applications and user requirements.

“A high degree of resilience and long life are attributed to the planetary gear of the multiplier being coated in a ceramic-teflon coating,” says Hodgkinson.

The multiplier has a patent-filed impact operation, which means that grooves and notches inside the unit are eliminated. This decreases component stress, as there are fewer weak points in the gear housing, making the gear lighter and more stable.

Gedore’s range of torque multipliers are accompanied by an extensive range of torque products, including torque wrenches from 1 Nm to 3 000 Nm.

The company also manufactures a range of impact sockets, from 10 mm to 120 mm, which can be used with the multipliers.

Edited by Creamer Media Reporter

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