Why is torque tool accuracy so important?

Torque is all about applying the right amount of pressure to a bolt or fastener so it will continue to work under pressure – with how much pressure it needs to take changing depending on the application. When a bolt is incorrectly tightened the results can range from the frustrating to the catastrophic – a single under-tightened bolt could result in time-consuming rework, or it could cause a wheel to fall off a mining truck; an over-tightened one could break, requiring frustrating extractionor, worst case scenario, an explosion.

The dangers of the ‘calibrated elbow’.

Before we had the ability to digitally measure torque, a lot of critical bolting work was done by feel, or what we refer to as the ‘calibrated elbow’ – it’s no coincidence there were also a lot more disasters. Doing things the old school way doesn’t help anyone, least of all the person doing the work. Why? Because it leads to wasteful rework, unhappy clients and unsafe operations. Relying on a calibrated elbow in a modern workspace makes about as much sense as painting with lead.

Norbar are the most accurate torque tools on the market.

Our professional wrenches are guaranteed to be 25% more accurate than industry standard. And our powered EBT ranges beat major competitors by 2%.

What difference does 2% accuracy make?

A lot, particularly on critical applications. An accuracy of +/-3% (Norbar EBT) compared to +/-5% (DB-RAD) greatly reduces the likelihood of bolt failures and therefore reduces unscheduled maintenance times. When applied to a mine site, this could be the difference between a single bolt on a mill working under pressure or failing – which would result in a two-day shutdown costing hundreds of thousands, if not millions of dollars. That’s a large gamble to take on a piece of equipment that costs a fraction of that!

It also reduces the length and detail required for scheduled maintenance. If all bolts have been fastened as close to their optimum force, and your torque equipment has allowed you to maintain this pressure, then the need for maintenance will be reduced because there will be less wear and tear.

And don’t forget – accuracy is a matter of compliance.

Lastly, most critical applications like heavy machinery, mining, transport and construction have very strict regulations governing torque. Why? Because people’s safety is on the line. And when it comes to safety, every incremental improvement matters.

Accurate torque equipment results in:

• Reduced incidents of unscheduled maintenance
• Reduced length of scheduled maintenance
• Improved safety for your team