Products used in the torque measurement industry are changing rapidly as advances in electronics and software technologies are integrated into their design. Norbar, the leading British manufacturer of torque tools and electronic torque control and measurement products, has led the way in applying these innovations to produce a high technology range of measurement and calibration products.
Norbar's range of torque measuring instruments has become synonymous with accuracy and durability. Instruments of 20 years of age and more are regularly returned for service and calibration. However, changing customer requirements and the obsolescence of certain electronic components meant that a new range was required.
It is exactly 30 years since Norbar manufactured its first electronic torque measuring instrument. In the early days, there was only one instrument to suit all applications. Now, Norbar have four instrument families, each designed to meet a particular section of the torque testing market.
Torque wrench testing is at the heart of Norbar’s activity so, unsurprisingly, a product primarily intended for this purpose was the first of the new generation to be launched and is the biggest seller. The Professional Torque Tester or ‘Pro-Test’ is accurate, robust, simple to use and has a very wide calibrated range. These factors have made the instrument very popular and the choice of several of the World’s armed forces including France, Australia, Finland and Norway. Our own RAF uses an earlier Norbar instrument.
The ‘Torque Screwdriver Tester’ or ‘TST’ is primarily aimed at the calibration of torque controlled screwdrivers and other low capacity torque tools. The most flexible and general purpose of the new generation is the ‘Torque Tool Tester’ or ‘TTT’. This instrument has two transducer ports, which can be connected to a huge range of torque transducers from Norbar and many other manufacturers. Finally, the ‘Pro-Log’ is aimed at the market requiring full portability together with data collection and analysis capability.
A common theme running through the new generation of instruments is to make life easier for the instruments’ users. A good example of this is the new user interface for the ‘TST’ and ‘TTT’. Previously, virtually all the instruments required the user to have some knowledge of the operating modes and sometimes even the frequency response to obtain the best results from a particular type of tool. Norbar’s new instruments require operators only to select the tool type from the pictorial display panel and the most appropriate settings are made automatically. Expert users who wish to change the default settings are catered for and they can password protect their choice.
Another common theme is where instruments are required to serve a single application, all unwanted modes of operation and units of measure can be switched out making them virtually fool-proof in use.
An issue faced by all multiple transducer torque measurement systems is how to set the calibration factors for the particular transducer in use. Norbar have traditionally used a small amplifier unit unique to each transducer. Other systems require that the calibration factors are entered manually. Norbar’s new ‘SMART’ feature means that once a transducer is connected, the instrument will automatically recognise calibration details such as mV/V output, serial number and capacity.
Norbar is continuously looking for ways to build new technologies into all its products to improve accuracy and ease of use, whilst controlling cost. To see the full range of testing and calibration products visit www.norbar.com or call +44 (0) 1295 753600.
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