The impact gun, also known as impact wrench, is one of the most versatile portable machine tools available. Present in any maintenance or repair workshop in the 21st century, the impact wrench is a tool with a long tradition in sectors as diverse as industrial, oil, marine and construction.
Advantages of the impact gun
The three most important are its high power in a contained size and weight, its speed and above all, its lack of reactionthat force which tends to rotate the machine and the operator's wrist when the machine delivers power.
The first models of impact wrenches, in this case not in the form of a pistol, date back to the mid-30s of the last century. The first impact wrench in history, designed and manufactured by Ingersoll Rand. in April 1934was a model:
- Of large dimensions and weight. Several operators were needed to handle it.
- It was only used to loosen screws. The direction of rotation was unique.
Within a short time, Ingersoll Rand produced a second model just like the first but which served to tighten, rather than loosen. Despite the limited functionality and drawbacks, it was the first step toward the modern impact guns we use today.
What is the principle of operation of impact guns?
The basic principle of the impact guns is the application to a portable machine of the classic "bump key". That is to say, just as when we lack the strength to loosen a screw with a manual wrench, we give it a blow, when the tool's motor does not have enough power to turn the screw, the machine's integrated impact system repeatedly strikes the output shaft. of the tool to generate that "plus" of punctual force that manages to release the screw.
Types of impact guns
Impact guns, although traditionally pneumatic, can also be electric, plug-in or battery powered. There are different types of impact systems, based on a rotating hammer system that rotates independently of the shaft and hits machined "anvils" on the output shaft.
The best rated system at present is the twin mallet system.Twin Hammer™ in the Ingersoll Rand nomenclature. This impact gun system allows twice as many impacts for the same rotational speed, resulting in increased power and smoother operation. In addition, its performance is less sensitive to variation in impact gun feed pressure. If you want to see how the impact mechanism works internally in a high-speed shot, we recommend the following video:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BUKou7vDlVc/
Although the main use of the impact guns is in the loosened of bolts and nuts, they are also used for tightening. This is partly due to the fact that modern models, especially the high-end ones, feature quite acceptable force regulators. It is important to note that these are not a tool suitable for controlled tightening because it would need to guarantee a predetermined torque value.
In the next article, we will delve into the subject of impact guns, learning about their myths, curiosities and characteristics.
