At one time or another, manufacturers must ask themselves if they should integrate pneumatic or electric tools into their assembly. Both options have existing advantages, but your goals and application needs will define the best tool for the job.
Fortunately, you don’t need to make that decision alone. The experts at Atlas Copco have compiled a list to make that decision easier. For the sake of this article, we’ll explore the advantages of using electric and battery tools over pneumatic. If you’re interested, we offer another insightful article that's entirely dedicated to the advantages of air tools over electric tools, which you can access right here. Otherwise, keep reading to learn the advantages of operating with electric tools!
Consistent operation
As you know, pneumatic tools require a compressed air distribution system to deliver the air to your tools. This system requires constant maintenance to ensure proper operation and adequate flow to each device. It must remain completely sealed to maximize efficiency; however, the high number of physical connections makes it very prone to leakage. Leaks can occur at all connections, especially at quick connect couplings and flexible hoses.
These small leaks can quickly add up putting more demand on your compressor, which then uses more electricity to deliver the required airflow at each device. A typical manufacturing plant will lose 20-30% of its compressed air to leakage!
Continued and frequent maintenance is also necessary to limit the presence of moisture in the compressed air lines. Moisture poses a significant risk to the compressed air system as it can cause damage to connected equipment and lead to oxidation of steel pipes, further contaminating the system. Oil mist is often introduced into the air distribution system to lubricate tools, but this oil can pool in air lines and clog up the system. Too much oil will also gum up connected tools slowing them down and polluting the plant. Lubrication oil can also damage seals in the distribution system creating more leaks.
Reduced energy consumption
The process of generating and distributing compressed air is much more costly than using electricity. This is because it takes a large amount of energy to compress air, and most of that energy dissipates as heat. As a result, compressed air systems require 60-80% more energy compared to direct-driven electric tools to produce the same amount of work.
Using tools with a consistent power source, such as electric and battery-powered tools, enables you to continue supporting sustainability efforts through high productivity rates and lower energy consumption. The more efficient your processes are, the lower your carbon footprint will be, thus the better your company is for the environment.
While electric tools consume far less energy than pneumatic tools, they can be even more efficient. Did you know that up to 80% of the energy consumed by an electric tool system is used by the tool controller running in standby mode? Tool controllers are traditionally a very important part of the tightening system and provide a convenient terminal for diagnostics, programming, and communication interfaces with plant systems. Atlas Copco's wireless tools and our latest Integrated Controller IxB series of tools take a bold step towards eliminating the need for controllers on the plant floor. This innovation not only saves floor space in your plant, significantly reducing the time and cost for installation and rebalance, but it also saves a lot of energy!
In summary, electric and battery-powered tools can be 95% more energy efficient than air-driven tools when including losses due to leaks and inefficiencies of the air distribution infrastructure. They are also cleaner and easier to maintain.
To discover your facility’s CO2 impact, check out our CO2 calculator and begin transforming your industry for a more sustainable future!
Reduction in defects
Let's face it: Mistakes can and will happen, and no manufacturer enjoys dealing with defects, scrap, and rework. Rework and scrap are extremely detrimental to your productivity, profitability, and sustainability goals.
Unfortunately, using air tools carries a higher risk of experiencing scrap and rework compared to electric tools. This is because electric tools have error-proofing features that air tools lack. Moreover, electric tools offer better accuracy and use defined tightening programs to ensure precise bolt tightening.
Electric tools can help reduce rework and scrap in another way through data collection. Unlike pneumatic tools, electric tools can measure the tightening process and send the results to production monitoring and storage systems. This data is then used to identify and rectify issues on the line before they escalate into bigger problems and lead to more scrap. In fact, by incorporating error-proofing features into your assembly, you can cut rework rates by more than 80%!
For these reasons, you can reduce costs related to scrap and rework and become more resource-efficient by accurately completing the application the first time.
Fewer tools
Unlike pneumatic tools, electric tools can run more than one tightening program, allowing you to tighten to multiple different torque specs with one tool. If you’re operating with air tools, you’ll likely need several different tools to complete the different steps in your assembly. However, if you transition to electric tools, your assembly will require fewer tools due to their multiple pset capabilities. Operators will be able to use the same tool for several applications, thus reducing the number of tools needed on the line.
As mentioned previously, electric tools can collect data while standard pneumatic tools can’t. This means that if you’re operating with standard pneumatic tools, you will most likely need manual wrenches to ensure the quality of your products and joints, thus increasing cycle time and requiring more tools to complete the same job.
Transitioning to electric tools can consolidate hardware and support lean manufacturing processes.
To sum it up
There are several advantages to using pneumatic tools, but depending on the application, sometimes it is wiser to use electric tooling instead. As is the case for many manufacturers, electric tools will:
- increase productivity
- improve quality
- improve profitability
- reduce waste in your operations
- reduce energy consumption
By concentrating on reducing waste and energy consumption, you will be more environmentally sustainable.
So, are you ready to make the switch to electric tooling? Contact an Atlas Copco representative today to schedule a demo and see if it’s the right choice for you! You can also discover your facility’s impact right now with our CO2 calculator. See for yourself!
