Apex Tool Group has released three series of Cleco Industrial Air Impact Wrenches designed to withstand the harshest industrial settings and the most grueling, continuous-use jobs.
Covering the broadest range of applications, the Cleco CWC Series, Cleco CWM Series, and the Cleco CV Series are all "built to thrive in the face of adversity," explains Dave Bigg, global product manager for Pneumatic Assembly and Material Removal at Apex Tool Group.
The CWC series, in particular, he notes, "has been dragged by a hose, dropped from two stories, bashed on concrete, and left outside in extreme environments just to make sure it will perform wherever and whenever you need it."
And this, of course, is an important feature to serve the market these tools are built for.
The Cleco Industrial Air Impact Wrench series is designed for non-critical, specialized assembly processes for anywhere from 0.25 to 1-in. bolts.
"These aren't your standard automotive service tools," Biggs notes. "They are designed for continuous use, eight hours a day, for long periods of time."
So Cleco Industrial Air Impact Wrenches are strong and rugged, capable of achieving up to 800 ft-lb of applied torque and up to 1,180 ft-lb of breakaway torque, but these weren't the only factors influencing the developments.
For these new tools, Apex put the user—and the user's comfort and safety—right at the forefront of the design.
User-First Ergonomics
"Ergonomics is very important to us here at Apex," Bigg explains. "We keep the operators first in mind whenever we design a new tool."
To that end, he notes, Cleco Industrial Air Impact Wrenches offer a few key features to help keep workers safe and productive all the way through their shifts.
Read more on the Cleco Industrial Air Impact Wrenches on the NED Directory.
"One feature we have for this is a one-hand pushbutton for directional control," Bigg says. "This allows the user to change the direction of the wrench just by using his thumb with one hand."
This, he says, can be a critical productivity and ergonomic function when working in tight spaces.
Also, he says, the tools are built to be as lightweight as possible to perform their intended functions—and sometimes allow users to cut even more weight for particular applications.
"For example, we offer the Cleco CV 375-R, which is a 3/8-in. tool, with a half-inch anvil," Bigg explains. "This allows the operator to have a lighter tool, basically the same weight as ta 3/8-in. anvil with the same performance, but allows the operator to use half-inch sockets."
Similar modifications are available with different models and sizes of Cleco Industrial Air Impact Wrenches as well.
These kinds of design features, he says, are critical for all new tools at Apex.
"For us, the goal is to develop something that is comfortable and lightweight, but rugged enough to still get the job done," Bigg says.
And that means, yes, rugged, powerful tools that can withstand bash testing and two-story drops, but can also cut user fatigue and put less strain on the operators.
"It all comes down to productivity," Bigg says. "All of these features allow improved productivity for a business or company."