How does an impact screwdriver work, its principle of operation
Each of us at least once in our lives, and most likely more than once, has encountered a nut or screw that cannot be forced out of its place by any force. You can, of course, try to do this with a simple screwdriver, but usually little comes of this. The faster you will tear off the slots or ruin the screwdriver itself.
It’s even funnier to watch when a person tries to unscrew an old bolt covered in rust. Not every weld can hold up the way rust can. But if you have an impact screwdriver at hand, this problem can be quickly solved.
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How to use an impact screwdriver: how the tool works
If we talk about the simplest versions of this device, then it is a monolithic core that has a sting and it ends in a handle with a large heel. Something similar was in use back in the days of the Soviet Union.
In products of our time, the design looks like a hexagon near the tip itself or on the handle. Thanks to this, it is possible to transmit rotational motion. In order for things to progress successfully, you need to work with such a screwdriver in pairs. One person holds a screwdriver and gradually turns it, while the second person hits the handle of the tool with a hammer.
Naturally, we cannot do without negative aspects. They are:
- Two people are needed for the job.
- There is no conversion of transmitted energy into torque. By striking with a hammer, we are just knocking off rust. A more advanced product combines both blows and rotation.
For the most part, an improved model is called an “impact screwdriver”; simple versions have long since become a thing of the past and are not used.
The modern model has a shock-rotating design inside the handle, and the tip of the tool is fixed on the gear. The handle is a clip that has counter teeth. The hammer blow causes the clip to move, which also sets the tip in motion.
As a result, under the influence of the mechanical force of the hammer, the screwdriver rotates several degrees. It doesn’t seem like much, but it’s more than enough to loosen the grip of the fastener and make further work possible with conventional tools. Subsequently, the spring clip automatically returns to its previous state.
Using the tool is very simple. Thanks to the rotation mechanism, a complex of rotational and translational actions is provided on the spline, which makes it easy to unscrew something that cannot be unscrewed using simple methods.
Characteristics and types of impact screwdriver
This product has another name, namely a power screwdriver. Most often it is used in metalwork. A special feature of the product is the reinforced handle.
As is already clear, the main difference between such devices and conventional analogues is the metal body, which is particularly durable. Because of this, the dimensions are naturally larger than those of a regular screwdriver.
There are also technical differences:
- There is a reverse mechanism. Modern models are capable of not only unscrewing, but also tightening.
- Features of the handle. The handle of the device is not at all like a regular screwdriver handle; it is the body of the product, without which work would be almost impossible.
- Material. The main material for the case is steel. Sometimes polyurethane is applied over steel, as well as rubber.
The device is used not only as a household device - it shows itself quite successfully in production conditions. It is often used at service stations.
Reference. With a modern power screwdriver you can not only unscrew rusted fasteners, but also tighten them.
Separately, it should be said about the possibility of changing tips. Almost all sets that are available for sale are equipped with interchangeable bits; in the minimum supply these are sizes of eight and ten millimeters. As a rule, the kit includes a screwdriver and up to four different bits - both flat and figured. This is very convenient, because you have to unscrew various fasteners.
You can also use it like a regular screwdriver; you don’t have to constantly hit it.
As already noted, there is little point in buying just one screwdriver. Very often there is a need to change a tool to another. That is why such sets began to appear on sale.
In addition to attachments designed for unscrewing fasteners, the kit may include attachments equipped with drills. Sometimes this is very convenient, since there is no need to go for a drill for just one hole.
More modern sets have not only flat and shaped nozzles, but also various hexagons. The main thing is to carefully look not only at the number of replaceable bits, but also at the quality of the material from which everything is made. After all, the nozzles must withstand impact.
