Boost Your Productivity with Leading-edge Portable Power Tools
Your operators will work smarter and not harder thanks to the advances in portable power tools to perform beveling, magnetic drilling and parts separation, among other functions.
Posted: August 18, 2023
The latest lightweight portable power tools are operator friendly with ergonomic designs and powerful levels of torque to provide more strength to get jobs done safely, efficiently and effectively.
Pipe Weld Preparation Tool Ideal for Highly Alloyed Materials
Esco Tool (Holliston, MA) offers an I.D. clamping pipe beveler that features robust construction to bevel highly alloyed materials such as super duplex and P-91 without requiring cutting fluids. The Prepzilla MILLHOG® Pipe Beveling Machine is a self-centering I.D. clamping pipe weld preparation tool that features robust construction with proprietary bearings, gears, and heat-treated hardened clamping. Ideal for highly alloyed materials such as super duplex stainless steel and P-91, it has a blade lock system with cutting blades that transfer heat away from the pipe surface to prevent work hardening without using cutting fluids.
Producing high torque at low rpm, the Prepzilla MILLHOG Pipe Beveling Machine has a range of 1.575” I.D. to 8.625” O.D. with only one mandrel and eight sets of interchangeable clamps. It is equipped with a 3-blade holder, can perform any angle of bevel, face, and bore simultaneously, and has a 2 hp pneumatic motor with electric and hydraulic motors also offered.
More Power and Features Added to Two-speed Mag Drill
Hougen Manufacturing, Inc. (Swartz Creek, MI) has released the HMD905 portable magnetic drill, which offers a major performance improvement to the mid-range line of Hougen magnetic drills. The HMD905, made in the USA, fills the gap with great power to weight ratio by giving steel fabricators more strength and torque while still maintaining the small lightweight footprint.
The drill has several features and innovations to help metal fabricators be more productive. The LED pilot light is built into the base of the magnet and allows the operator to quickly line up the pilot with the hole’s center location. Powering the drill is a proprietary two speed Hougen motor. The two speeds help maximize tool life and increase torque when using larger diameter cutters. The addition of a two-stage magnet increases magnetic holding power by 30% when the drill motor is turned on. A new arbor system utilizes a 5/8” slot drive for more rigidity, hole accuracy and quicker use of accessories such as drill chucks and tapping attachments.
The HMD905 also features an integrated coolant bottle which does not add to the width of the drill, a more robust housing design with an ergonomic carrying handle, a spot to hold the hex wrench, reversible feed handles, and a d-ring on the back of the magnet for quickly attaching the safety chain.
The HMD905 weighs just 35 lbs. and provides drilling capacities from 7/16″ up to 2″ (12 mm-to-50 mm) diameter and 2″ (50 mm) depth of cut. The drill has an electrical rating of 10A and 250/450 rpm motor.
A no-adjustment safety switch shuts down the drill motor if lift of the magnetic base is detected, as well as an LED indicator that monitors this sensor and alerts if an unsafe operational condition exists. A two stage power on switch prevents drill rotation unless the magnet has first been engaged, and, in the case of a power interruption, safety circuitry will keep the drill motor off after power is restored until the start button is manually depressed.
New Tool for Efficient Separation of Small Laser-cut Parts
TRUMPF Inc. (Farmington, CT) offers a new part separation tool that makes work easier for companies with highly productive 2D laser cutting machines. The TruTool PS 100 part separator tool removes small parts quickly and easily from the scrap skeletons of processed sheets.
Once small parts are cut out on flat sheet laser cutting machines, they remain connected to the sheet’s scrap skeleton by small cross beams, also called tabs or joints. To release the components, operators often use a hammer or similar tool. This method can be time-consuming, tedious, and risks operator injury as well as potential damage to the parts.
Using the new, pneumatically powered TruTool PS 100, this task can be performed more gently and safely. It also speeds up the process, releasing parts up to 10 times faster than manual handling. The TruTool PS 100 separates parts with nanojoint and microjoint connections in material thicknesses of up to 0.47” — no matter if it is steel, chromium steel, aluminum or special steel being processed.
Ergonomics was a key consideration in the creation of the new part separator. The handle dampens the resulting vibrations by 20% and allows the TruTool PS 100 to be guided in different positions. The operator can easily handle the TruTool PS 100, which allows them to operate it with their left or right hand, and with one or both hands. This ergonomic design ensures sustained high efficiency and operator relief.
To meet the usage requirements of most users, TRUMPF provides the TruTool PS 100 with two different types of air connections: one with a diameter of 0.2” and another with a connecting thread of 0.25”. This allows users to easily adjust the force needed to remove parts from the nest. The power tool meets ISO standards and other international requirements.
To prevent damage to parts as they are removed, the TruTool PS 100’s rubberized hammer tips can be customized to meet different requirements. A medium-hard hammer tip is used as standard. It is primarily suitable for mild steel and medium sheet thicknesses. The optional soft hammer tip ensures careful handling of aluminum and non-ferrous metal parts. A third option, the hard hammer tip, increases impact intensity and creates advantages in thicker sheet metal and high strength materials.
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