Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

EC nutrun­ners are an integral part of many assembly processes in numerous compa­nies and are utilized in various industries.

EC Nutrun­ners — Defini­tion and Types

An EC nutrunner is an electro­ni­cally controlled tool designed for the precise fastening and removal of screws.

Generally, there are two types:

  1. Hand-held nutrun­ners for mobile use
  2. Built-in nutrun­ners for statio­nary applications

Meaning

EC nutrunner is an abbre­via­tion for electro­ni­cally commu­tated nutrunner.

The electronic control ensures accurate torque regula­tion during tightening, resul­ting in increased precision.

This not only helps to maintain consis­tent quality in each indivi­dual assembly step, but also prevents material damage.

There­fore, EC nutrun­ners are parti­cu­larly suited for precision work and are widely used in indus­trial mass production.

Appli­ca­tions include:

  • Automo­tive industry
  • Manufac­tu­ring of electronics
  • Mecha­nical engineering
  • Medical techno­logy

Although it seems obvious to compare EC nutrun­ners with cordless screw­dri­vers, they differ greatly in terms of perfor­mance.

Motors in standard products do not achieve the required precision at higher torques to correctly fasten specific screws.

Compact cordless screw­dri­vers sold for house­hold use have torques signi­fi­cantly below 10 Nm.

Handheld EC Nutrunner Setup

On the other hand, hand-held nutrun­ners for profes­sional assembly are available with torques ranging from 0.05 to 60 Nmbuilt-in nutrun­ners even with up to 2400 Nm.

DSH 16 by DSM Messtechnik

EC Nutrun­ners: Safe and Efficient Manufacturing

In manufac­tu­ring EC nutrun­ners are of considerable signi­fi­cance as their combined use with other tools greatly enhances workflow and efficiency.

The electronic regula­tion of the motor helps to avoid undesi­rable side effects that can occur with manual or pneumatic tightening.

Advan­tage

Mainly EC nutrun­ners prevent overtigh­tening or under­tigh­tening of screws, thus protec­ting compon­ents from substan­tial damage.

Screws can be fastened more quickly and each time with consis­t­ently applied pressure.

Insuf­fi­cient clamping force is among the many results of using the incor­rect torque and can lead to failure of a screw fitting.

Such defects can occur not only during assembly, but also during disas­sembly which is sometimes needed for mainten­ance purposes.

As a conse­quence, the function of an entire system can be impaired because of one screw.

In addition, many indus­tries require the use of special screws that, due to their shape, have specific instal­la­tion requirements.

Achie­ving the correct torque can be especi­ally challen­ging when it comes to small screw connec­tions.

There­fore, it is crucial to choose an EC nutrunner tailored to the intended task.

Working with low torques?

Meet the DSM series DSH 16!

Learn more

Overview: 3 Types of EC Nutrunners

The key factors to consider when choosing the right EC nutrunner include:

  • Correct torque
  • Size and shape of the screws to be fastened
  • Working environ­ment

In high-volume manufac­tu­ring, ergono­mic­ally shaped nutrun­ners signi­fi­cantly relieve the workforce.

There are 3 common forms of EC nutrunners:

FormFunctionDSM models
StraightUniver­sally appli­cable for a secure assembly process.DSH 16
DSH 26
DSH 38
DS 26
DS 34
DS 44
DS 57
DS 80
DS 80–130
PistolIdeal for tasks that need to be performed with a lot of strength over extended periods of time.DS 34‑P
DS 44‑P
AngledEnsure comfor­table use, even in narrow workspaces.DSH 34
DSH 44

Consis­tent documentation

EC nutrun­ners can not only record, but also evaluate and document the assembly process.

Compared to pneumatic techno­logy they offer higher process relia­bi­lity.

Looking for the correct torque?

We‘ve got you covered!

Torque Chart

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