A torque wrench is provided that includes a radio frequency identification (RFID) or near field communication (NFC) sensing mechanism that enables the wrench to receive information regarding the different attributes of a shaft that is operably connected to the wrench. The sensing mechanism can communicate with a corresponding RFID/NFC tag located in a shaft that is releasably connected to the wrench in order to receive information from the tag on the status of the shaft and set points for the application of torque using the shaft. Information can also be written and stored on the tag concerning the length of time the shaft has been in use.

A bolt clamping force transducer for a bolt tightening operation is introduced to tighten a bolted joint by driving a torque rotating shaft in a clamping force transducer, such that a helical mechanism at one end of the torque rotating shaft generates an axial force for pressing a force sensing module and thus generates a strain value thereof. A socket is driven by the other end of the torque rotating shaft, thereby generating a clamping force under which the bolted joint of a specific specification is tightened. A parameter relation between the strain value and the clamping force is calibrated with a standard axial force gauge to facilitate calculation and control of the clamping force during the tightening process where the bolted joint fitted to any torque tool is sensed to control the precision of the clamping force being exerted on the bolted joint, thereby enhancing the quality thereof.

An electronic torque wrench (10) comprises a body with an axial extension along a longitudinal axis; a front end provided with a coupling (14) intended to engage the wrench on a joint to be tightened by manual rotation around a rotation axis (15) which is transverse to the longitudinal axis (11); a handle (13) along the body for operating the wrench; and a sensor (16) for detecting a torque applied with the wrench to the coupling (14) and comprising two flex sensor elements (16a and 16b) which are arranged spaced apart along the longitudinal axis (11). An electronic control circuit (17) is connected to the sensor (16) for receiving signals from it and applying a method which comprises the steps of calculating, depending on the flexing values detected by the two sensor elements (16a and 16b), whether the flexing value detected by the sensor element closest to the front end is less than the flexing value detected by the sensor element farthest from the end front; and, if so, emitting an error signal.

An angle wrench has a simple structure and is capable of accurately measuring rotation angle. The angle wrench is used for tightening an object to be tightened by means of the rotation angle method, and includes a handle having a grip; a head section having a tightening head for tightening the object to be tightened, and a tail section that extends from the tightening head pivotally supported with respect to the handle via a head pin; torque-detecting mechanisms for detecting when the torque for tightening the object being tightened reaches the specified torque; and a rotation angle-measuring section for measuring the rotation angle of the angle wrench in a tightening action, on the basis of the angular velocity of the angle wrench around the axis of the object being tightened, after the torque-detecting mechanism has detected that the specified torque has been reached.

A control device is provided with a communication unit and a processing unit. The communication unit makes communication with a tool that is used for the work of fastening a fastener (for example, a screw) and with an image pickup unit for capturing an image of the work site where the work is being performed. The processing unit executes a determination process of determining whether or not the work is being performed normally on the basis of the fastening torque applied to the fastener by the tool and the image captured by the image pickup unit.

A system, and a method of using a system, for controlled tool operation. The method includes providing a tool used in a force application such as a such torque application. The tool communicates with a controller which can communicate with the tool, and to a display in communication with the tool and the controller. The controller can be programmed with operational information about a tool operation. Information related to the operational information is displayed to a user during use. Service information including at least information about an amount of force applied during use is recorded and stored in the controller. Also disclosed is a computerized system for controlled tool operation which sends operational instructions to the tool before use and retrieves service information from the tool after use.

A calibration monitoring system is provided to automatically monitor the calibration status of tools and other inventory items, such as upon the items being issued from or returned to the automated calibration monitoring system. The system identifies an inventory item, for example a calibrated torque wrench or other calibrated tool identified based on a unique identifying tag attached thereto. The system retrieves a calibration parameter value for the item from a calibration database, and completes a calibration measurement of the item based on the calibration parameter value. In the example, a torque measurement of the calibrated torque wrench can thus be automatically completed. In turn, the system determines a current calibration status of the item based on the calibration measurement, and selectively enables or disables issuance of the inventory item from the system according to the item's status as being in calibration or out of calibration.

Provided is a torque wrench, or Mechanical Torque Limiting Device (MTLD), that is configured to accurately indicate the torque applied thereby on the object (or vice versa). The measurement of the torque is carried out by incorporating a pressure sensitive material in a gripping portion that is associated with the body of the torque wrench. The pressure sensitive material is configured to exhibit a signal upon application of force thereof. The signal can be an electric-based, color-based, motion-based (vibrations) or audio-based indication.

An electric power tool includes an electrical motor adapted to drive a rotating shaft. The electric motor is adapted to be fed with a pulsed current where the pulsed current includes a main current pulse (A) in a first direction driving the rotating shaft in a first direction and adapted to provide a current (C) in an opposite direction following the main current pulse to retract the electrical power tool. The pulsed current prior to the current (C) in the opposite direction includes a first pre-pulse current pulse (B) in the same direction as the current in the opposite direction and of a magnitude lower than the current (C). The pulsed current prior to the main pulse includes a second pre-pulse current pulse (D) which is in the same direction as the main current pulse and of a magnitude lower than the main current pulse.

An alerting structure of an electronic torque tool includes a tool body and an electronic module. The electronic module includes a sensing unit, a processing unit, and at least one display unit. The sensing unit senses an operational value of the tool body. The processing unit sends the operational value sensed by the sensing unit to the display unit. The display unit has at least one display block. When the operational value sensed by the sensing unit reaches a predetermined value, the processing unit generates a rotation signal in order for the contents displayed by the display block of the display unit to rotate back and forth through a predetermined angle and thereby produce a conspicuous alerting effect.