Quality equipment only stays quality equipment if it receives the level of care it deserves.¹

I came across this quote when researching best practices for maintaining and caring for corporate equipment. What struck me about the quote is how it applies not only to big-ticket equipment in a corporate environment, but also to the things we use on a daily basis in our personal lives. I make sure my car’s oil is changed on a regular schedule, the belts are checked for wear, and filters are replaced in the hopes of extending the life of the vehicle. I protect my iPhone with a case to prevent it from damage if dropped. Regular preventive maintenance for corporate equipment is even more important, as the cost of unplanned downtime, delayed product delivery, and customer service issues can severely hurt even the most successful company. Equipment failure can also have a ripple effect if the failure of a tool or machine consequently damages other tools and equipment.

Safety starts when evaluating tools prior to their purchase. What are some things to consider?

The engineers at Advanced Torque Products are constantly investigating new ways to ensure that users are able to use our Digital Torque Multipliers in the simplest and safest ways possible. Torque multipliers have made the tightening and loosening of nuts requiring high torque much easier.  Digital displays allow users to visually and audibly verify torque values and download torque history if required. Multiplier ratios ranging from 22 to 1 for the ATP300 all the way up to 687 to 1 for the ATP40000, decreases the effort needed to accurately fasten or unfasten two parts. Besides accuracy, users look for the easiest method of reaching the required torque, but safety must not be compromised in the process.

There are various input devices available for digital torque multipliers. Speed knobs and drive bars are a few examples of manual input methods that require multiple rotations and high user strength to achieve large torque values. These input methods increase the chance for “recoil” which can occur when releasing the multiplier once full torque has been achieved. Recoil can seriously injure a user if he or she is hit by the input device, knocked off a ladder or otherwise caught unaware. A better option for some applications is a power driven input such as the ATP Drill Adapter (ATPDA).

I’ve never flown in a helicopter and until attending last week’s HAI Heli-Expo in Louisville, I’d never even been close to a helicopter. But here I was sitting in a cockpit, posing for pictures and imaging what the view must be like flying high over a city or the wide expanse of a mountain range.

The Kentucky Exposition Center was noisy with the sound of electric tools, fork lifts and exhibitors rustling through their shipping crates as we arrived on Monday afternoon to set up the Advanced Torque Products' (ATP) booth. Since I was never into erector sets as a kid, I was glad my co-workers were well experienced with setting up our booth. I just followed directions and tried not to get in the way as our booth emerged from the 3 crates that had been delivered to the space which would be our office for the next three days. As final preparation, we polished our torque wrenches, cleaned the signs and lined up pens and brochures in anticipation of the crowds that would pass through the show the following morning.