What is a Cordless Impact Wrench?
A cordless impact wrench is most usually a battery powered tool designed to tighten a nut or other fixing, although other varieties do exist. An impact wrench works by using a motor to spin a mass inside the tool called a hammer. The hammer stores energy which is rapidly transferred to the drive shaft of the tool, which is called the anvil. The power transfer occurs very fast and is deliberately intermittent. Peak torque can be very high, but as this transfer process only occurs for a short period of time very little of the energy makes its way back to the tools operator.
What Designs are Available?
The usual design for a light industrial cordless impact wrench is very similar to that used in automotive designs. That is to say that it is a small torque gun style of product. The difference between a battery powered tool and one powered by compressed air comes from the fact that the power comes from a batter inserted into the base of the handle, rather than a compressed air line.
These pistol style impact wrenches are the more powerful of the cordless designs available, but for jobs where access is limited they can be too bulky to use and so another format is required.
Angle head cordless impact wrenches are used where there is a desire for mobility and increased flexibility of use. A typical tool in this class can offer a number of head positions, not just 90 degrees and so can be used in a variety of positions as demanded by the work environment.
What are the Advantages of a Cordless Impact Wrench?
Cordless power tools are generally less powerful that their corded cousins, there is no denying it, but the gain in flexibility of use is great. If work is to occur at a distance from a power source then a cordless tool is a huge help as all that is required is a few batteries and work can continue with minimal disruption.
Cordless impact wrenches are also safer in the workplace as they leave no dangling cables to trip over.
Angle head tools are designed for ease of use in tight working environments and generally come with their own LED lights as natural light is often restricted in these cramped environments. While these tools lack the power of more conventional pistol grip designs they do have exception reach due to their elongated design and narrow heads. The can be excellent additions to an automotive workshop for this reason alone.
While cordless impact wrenches will never replace heavier industrial units in terms of power there is no doubt that they do offer increased flexibility of working. Surely any workplace that values safety of the workforce should consider replacing old cabled tools with a safer alternative that is a cordless impact wrench?
