ETA Tool Arms: Ergonomics and Benefits

ETA Ergonomics and Benefits

Ergonomics

• Eliminates Torque Reaction for air & electric powered screwdrivers, nut runners, tappers and hand drills.
• Tool and Arm Float Practically Weightless, reducing burden on operator.
• DF Models Automatically Provide Air Tools with Down Force during Tool Rotation and weightless float when motor is idle. This “power assist” aids operator when driving self-threading fasteners.

Production Benefits

• Keeps Driver Straight in Alignment with Fastener reducing cross threading, broken bits, screw head burrs and out of square fasteners.
• Keeps Expensive Tools from being Dropped, Moved or Misplaced.
• Tool Hovers Right Over Work Area between Rundowns, Reducing Cycle Time.

More About Torque Arms, Ergonomics & Economics;

Any rotating power tool doing work has torque or twist. In order for that spindle to apply that torque to the work, the body of that tool must be kept stationary. On handheld tools, except in the case of impact and pulse style tools, the torque seen on the tool handle is roughly equal to the torque generated at the tool spindle, less the slight leverage advantage gained from the tool diameter and/or handle position. In most production environments the operator is doing the same job many times in the course of their work day. If it is a clutch or electronic fastening tool, drill or tapping motor that operator risks repetitive motion injury or at least fatigue. This can even occur where the torque is relatively low if it is repetitive enough. The easiest way to avoid injury and fatigue risk is to put tools on a torque reaction arm. The low purchase cost of ETA torque arms usually pays for itself quickly in increased productivity and profit due to lack of operator fatigue and lack of insurance claims from repetitive injury. 

Torque arms offer additional benefits as well. When you install a torque arm from ETA you also make the tool practically weightless by reducing the burden on the assembly person to mere ounces, even if the tool weighs several pounds or more. Additionally, a torque arm keeps the tool floating right near where it is being used or enables it to be folded out of the way when not in use. A tool on a torque arm will never get “borrowed” by another employee or dropped on the floor or misplaced. A tool clamped or threaded, in the case of an in-line air tool, onto an ETA torque arm will always be at the workstation where you need it and the cord or air hose supplying that tool also lasts longer because, in most cases, it is festooned along the torque arm members or at least fastened near the back of the torque arm as might be the case for less flexible DC tool cables.

Sometimes the addition of a torque arm into an operation makes the assembled products look more professional by virtue of the fact that screw heads aren’t damaged or burred by operators driving screws with tools held on an angle and slipping off the screw head.

Another ergonomic advantage of our torque arms is the availability of our power assist models (look for model number suffix of DF). Some fasteners require reasonable down force to either start the fastener or stay engaged with the driver bit or to cut threads as they go into the assembly. If the torque arm supplies some or all of that required down force, then the fatigue on the operator’s shoulder muscles is greatly reduced. Our PA806-DF and PA815-DF are designed to work with lever-permit operated, in-line, air tools from any manufacturer, without any tool modification. All the air logic is self-contained on the back end of the ETA torque arm.  We can also provide the same type of assistance for electric tools provided your electric tool controller can furnish the feedback needed to signal our air valve to switch from tool balance mode to fastener drive mode and back again.

But our torque arms can have other uses as well. Manufacturers use ETA arms to hold rivet guns and other types of tools, rigid and straight with the work even though torque is not an issue. Others use our torque arms to hold air or electric router motors straight and true as they mill or shape plastic, wood or metal products. We have customers that use our torque arms for floating test fixtures weighing up to 25 lbs into place to perform a test on a product and then fold the ETA arm carrying their fixture neatly out of the way until the next test. The uses are almost limitless.

ETA torque arms are also built to be very adaptable for changing industrial applications. You can swap arm components and tool holders as your tasks change over the years.