With electronic torque wrenches coming out of the quality control laboratory and into more general use, the new ProTronic range is split into two families with a standard range and a Plus range, both offering high accuracy in terms of both torque and angle.
All ProTronic wrenches are equipped with torque and angle measurement, a variety of alerts to indicate that the target torque is being approached, including progressive LEDs on both sides of the wrench for ease of visibility, sound and handle vibration, a clear backlit LCD display and calibration to ISO 6789-2:2017. The ProTronic ‘standard’ family consist of models from the smallest at 5 to 100 Nm rising to the largest at 17 to 340 Nm.
The ProTronic Plus family consists of eight models covering a wider torque range than the ‘standard’. The family starts with a screwdriver with a torque range of 0.45 Nm to 9 Nm. This is followed by two slimline and compact models of 0.5 to 10 Nm and 1.5 to 30 Nm.The larger end of the family consists of models from 5 to 100 Nm rising to the largest at 40 to 800 Nm.
All of the Plus models offer torque and angle measurement and have a measurement mode not included in the ‘standard’ family. While both families offer a torque then angle mode, the Plus models additionally offer simultaneous measurement of torque and angle, which means a torque target can be set with a simultaneous angle target that must not be exceeded.
The biggest difference between ‘standard’ and Plus models is the inclusion of Bluetooth wireless communication in the Plus models.Readings can be streamed to Norbar’s new Android application, TorqApp, and then uploaded as CSV files to other applications.
The wrench can be configured from TorqApp allowing more complicated configurations to be easily achieved. Alternatively, all settings can be made on the wrench.
GPS location information can be gathered from the Android device which can be related to time and date stamped readings streamed from the wrench. This combination of torque and/or angle readings from the wrench with GPS locations is an exciting prospect for torque wrench users operating over a wide network such as rail, electricity supply or other utilities.
ProTronic Plus models are highly flexible and configurable. Any features that the supervisor does not want to be offered to the operator, can be locked out by password. The wrench can be issued with every feature activated or could be locked down to just a designated number of pre-sets.
ProTronic Plus models from the 100 Nm to the 340 Nm are ‘Torque Handles’ which means that they are supplied with a ratchet but are also compatible with Norbar’s huge range of spanner end fittings and custom designed fittings.
An adjustment factor built into the wrench means that any fitting having a different length to the default can be allowed for without loss of accuracy or need to recalibrate. Needless to say, the wrench warns the operator that an offset factor has been applied to reduce the risk of incorrect readings when the standard head is re-fitted.
The other big difference between ProTronic ‘standard’ wrenches and the Plus models is that while the standards are offered with an ISO 6789-2:2017 compatible calibration certificate from the production line, Plus models are supplied with a certificate from Norbar’s UKAS-accredited calibration laboratory.
