Wrenches are simple mechanical tools that provide a mechanical advantage in twisting and turning other mechanical objects such as fasteners. These are used for gripping, turning, confusing, and tightening different types of things such as fasteners, pipes, pipe fittings, nuts, etc. The first wrench ever built was around the year 1835. Since the point of their launch, these tools became instantly popular in engineering, manufacturing, construction, and so on. Even routine home repairs required the mechanical advantage produced by these wrenches. However, in some cases, the mechanical advantage created by a simple wrench is not enough to overcome other forces resisting its turning and twisting. A modified wrench version was developed, known as an impact wrench.
Wrench Power Tool
An impact wrench is an electrically driven mechanical device. This is a powerful tool that produces a high torque as the output. It is used in applications where the mechanical advantage provided by simple wrenches is not sufficient to overcome other resistive forces. It stores energy in a rotating mass and delivers it to the shaft producing the desired output. The specialty of this device is that it does not require any physical effort from the person holding it, unlike simple wrenches that need users to exert force and then amplify it using a simple mechanism. The device is known by different fields, such as air wrench, impact gun, and torque gun.
Configurations
There are mainly two distinct configurations of a wrench power tool: pistol grip configuration and inline grip configuration. These configurations are developed according to the requirement of uses in different fields. The two structures and their details are discussed below:
- Pistol Grip Configuration- This configuration of the power wrench involves the design consisting of a handle similar to the pistol. The handle is termed as grip, and it is situated approximately perpendicular to the direction of driving of the tool.
- Inline Grip Configuration- This type of configuration of the power wrench consists of a grip that is fixed parallel to the driving direction of the tool. Such arrangement usually involves a smaller device size, generally ¼ to 3/8 inches. The shape of the device looks similar to a wide screwdriver. The device requires holding both hands, similar to a screwdriver. This configuration allows the user to apply more force in the driving direction of the device.
