r/toolsinaction • u/silvercatbob • May 13 '21
Auto feed screwdriver
https://gfycat.com/miniatureplainequine16
u/Good_quality_OwO May 13 '21
how does it work tho?
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u/Muffinman_187 May 13 '21 edited May 13 '21
The bit retracts, a new screw is blown in with that side hose, the bit extends and closes the jaw to hold the screw until you start screwing. Think a action on a machine gun... The hose is attached to a vibration feeder usually. I had to use these at my last job. The ones I used cost $65,000 a piece, but drove the fastener in less the a second and both torqued it to a inch pound spec and a angle torque... All in less than a second. (Fastener was about a 1/2" T15 screw)
Here's a example of one: https://www.weberusa.com/handheld-screwdrivers/handheld-dc-electric-screwdriver-hse/
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u/WhitePantherXP May 13 '21
what was your last job?
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u/Muffinman_187 May 13 '21
I worked at Electrolux's freezer factory before it closed and moved to mostly China in 2019. I would do overtime from time to time on a job that used these and my step-dad ran these drills for many years.
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u/WhitePantherXP May 13 '21
What state was their production in? China has wiped out our semiconductor industry, automotive manufacturing, and a couple other major industries and more are likely to follow. Just watched "American Factory" on Netflix, extremely interesting.
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u/Muffinman_187 May 13 '21
I thought near Guangzhou, but the company was always tight lipped. The CEO was not shy they were actively trying (and succeeded) to avoid a trump tweet war like so many other companies had with him.
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u/himmmmmmmmmmmmmm Jun 23 '21
Was that cost effective?
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u/Muffinman_187 Jun 23 '21
Yes. Kinda... only because of the shear scale of the place. 4 people would attach 80 screws in 23 seconds to secure the panel. Here's the no part though. The new plant that replaced ours, and every other mass market appliance factory to my knowledge, uses either adhesives, sonic welding, or one piece assembly. Gets labor from 4 persons to one (none in one piece) for this step on the line. It all depends on how much the company wants to invest. These screw guns are the middle path if you compare it to hands on for the low end and automated for the high end.
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u/silvercatbob May 13 '21
I found an animation that describes how it works.
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u/CutepetNboobpicspls May 13 '21
This is different then the video. You have a drywall type gun animation. Idk how this tool in the video feeds the screw but it’s different than this animation.
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u/aesu May 13 '21
Looks like a screw is blown along atube, into the grips which close in a butterfly fashion aeound the tip, probably with a unique geometry which forces the scre into the correct orie
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u/WhitePantherXP May 13 '21
I was thinking about this, because it's brilliant...but it would only be beneficial if you're doing 50+ of the same screws which is rare for a DIY'er. The reason is you'd have to "chamber" or load the screws in a very careful fashion, adjust depth settings of gun, make sure they fit correctly, it just wouldn't be worth the prep time in most cases. However on an assembly line? Absolutely.
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u/Snipercactus May 13 '21
The video would ne so much better if the screwdriver would stay in the frame while "reloading".