The FASTORQ booth demolished its previous visitor record when several hundred people from 43 countries stopped by to see how FASTORQ’s revolutionary tools are faster, tougher and more innovative than the “industry standard.”

Booth visitors from all over the world saw for themselves that truly innovative hydraulic tools are not a myth but actually exist at FASTORQ. As a result, many seers became believers and joined the revolution for better hydraulic tools – FASTORQ tools.

All tools and products presented at this year’s FASTORQ booth received tremendous interest from OTC show participants that were captivated by the FASTORQ tool revolution. However, the three most popular tools leading the revolution’s charge were the SpinTORQ Torque Wrench, AutoSPLITTER Double Cutting Nut Splitter and AutoTORQ Hydraulic Chain Pipe Wrench.

SpinTORQ. The SpinTORQ Torque Wrench amazed OTC visitors with its ability to spin 360 degrees continuously while having unsurpassed speed and strength. Visitors learned that when used in many industrial applications, the SpinTORQ saves significant time during bolt makeup, thus saving its owner time and money.

AutoSPLITTER Double Cutting Nut Splitter. When there’s only one tool like it at OTC, people stop and take notice. This was the case with the AutoSPLITTER Double-Cut Nut Splitter at the FASTORQ booth. Each time a nut was cleanly removed with two cuts and one press of the button, crowds gathered to see what all the fuss was about. This special nut splitter, only from FASTORQ, eliminates the need to turn the nut splitter 180 degrees to make a second cut for clean nut removal. The AutoSPLITTER Double-Cut Nut Splitter proved during OTC why it is the best tool for quick removal of nuts.

AutoTORQ Hydraulic Chain Pipe Wrench. Talk about a showstopper! The AutoTORQ Hydraulic Chain Pipe Wrench stood out like a diamond at the front of the FASTORQ booth. Fascinated visitors were not only intrigued by the look of the wrench, but its ability to improve safety in pipe yards, drilling decks and shops. The dangerous, and even deadly, practice of using tongs and come-a-longs to turn pipe is considered one of the most hazardous practices in many industries. By using the FASTORQ’s chain pipe wrench, pipe make-up and break-out is not only faster but hazards associated with pipe work are a thing of the past.  It’s not hard to see why the AutoTORQ Hydraulic Chain Pipe Wrench was one of the most popular tools in the FASTORQ booth.

If you didn’t get a chance to visit OTC 2013 or stop by the FASTORQ booth, don’t worry. You can still see how FASTORQ tools are revolutionizing many industries by viewing our new online catalog or watching our new product videos available on YouTube.  Vive la Revolution!

* The 43 countries FASTORQ booth visitors represent:  Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Canada, China, Columbia, Denmark, Dubai, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Korea, Kuwait, Libya, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Southwest Asia, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Thailand, The Netherlands, Trinidad and Tobago, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, U.S.A. and Venezuela.

Join the FASTORQ tool revolution at OTC Booth #4201

The Seeds of Revolution

With its top-of-the-line hydraulic tools, FASTORQ understands what innovation, speed and durability really mean. Founded by the first revolutionary in the bolting tool industry, George A. Sturdevant, FASTORQ constantly strives to design, manufacture and sell tools so incredible they can only be called a tool revolution.

Bringing the Revolution to the People

“At FASTORQ, we make our tools so fast, innovative and tough that you’ll stop accepting the current industry standard of slow and weak tools,” states Bill Washington, FASTORQ Director of Business Development. “We believe in our tools and look forward to showing them off to everyone that stops by our booth at OTC. We also have many surprises in store at the conference, including officially unveiling the new look of the FASTORQ brand and a one-of-its kind booth feature that will have visitors in awe.”

A product highlight of this year’s FASTORQ booth is the 360-degree continuously rotating SpinTORQ torque wrench. There’s no other low-profile torque wrench like it in the world. Recently, it was tested against a comparable and popular “industry standard” torque wrench and destroyed the competition by making up the same flange 80 percent FASTER! It’s also incredibly impressive because it works well with ROVs and has the ability to deliver full power in both forward and reverse.

This year’s FASTORQ booth also features such revolutionary tools as the toughest break-out wrench in the world – ThinLINE; the one-and-only double-cutting nut splitter available today – AutoSPLITTER and the best solution for eliminating most pipe yard and drill deck accidents – the AutoTORQ Hydraulic Chain Pipe Wrench. In addition, OTC conference goers can check out FASTORQ’s ZipNut Technology, which was originally developed for NASA, and the unbelievable, damaged stud FastLUBE AG demonstration. Visitors won’t want to miss it.

A Call to Action

The “industry standard” of slow and weak tools is no longer acceptable. It is time to take a stand and understand the freedom that comes from tough, innovative and fast tools. Stop by FASTORQ’s OTC Booth #4201 to join the revolution!

Louie Durdin shows how the FASTORQ’s SpinTORQ beats Hytorc HY8-XLCT by 36 minutes in the same application.

When we say our SpinTORQ hydraulic torque wrench is 36 times faster at turning a nut than a standard ratcheting hydraulic torque wrench, people may be a bit skeptical.

Anyone that knows hydraulic bolting applications understands you must physically move a torque wrench bolt to bolt multiple times when following a best practice bolting procedure.

Having an appreciation for this fact, we decided to evaluate the speed of SpinTORQ versus the leading competitor’s hydraulic ratcheting wrench to find out REAL application numbers.

In this comparison, we used an 10”-5000” RTJ flange with (12) 1-7/8” B7 bolts and 2-15/16” heavy hex nuts. The bolts were torqued to 3,559 ft. lbs. (50 percent of minimum yield with a .18 K-factor). The torque procedure used three crisscross passes at 30, 70 and 100 percent of final torque with a final circular pass at 100 percent.

Since SpinTORQ is a low-profile wrench, we decided to make things as equal as possible.

FASTORQ’s SpinTORQ 360 degree continuously spinning torque wrench performs 80 percent faster than the Hytorc HY8-XLCT

The competitor was the Hytorc HY8-XLCT with a 2-15/16” hex link and an RSST hydraulic power unit. We would have used the HY4-XLCT but did not feel comfortable pushing the wrench past 90 percent of its capacity. The SpinTORQ was an IL360-215 with the 603A hydraulic power unit.

Following were the results.

• Hytorc HY8-XLCT:  45 minutes, 53 seconds
• SpinTORQ IL360-215:  9 minutes, 34 seconds

As you can see, SpinTORQ was a whopping 36 minutes and 19 seconds FASTER than its Hytorc competitor!

So, if you want to get the job done 80 percent faster than it takes with the competitor’s wrench, choose SpinTORQ from FASTORQ!

This FASTORQ AutoSPLITTER straight head nut splitter was a custom order designed to cut a 7-1/2” round nut, which is the largest in the world. The nut was successfully, safely and quickly split in less than a minute with a 10,000 psi air over hydraulic power unit.

By Lisa Raynor-Keck

Not all straight head nut splitters are the same! When it comes to nut splitters, versatility and efficiency are just as important as speed, strength and safety.

Significant money is spent each year buying numerous cylinders and heads that clutter shops and only allow splitting of a limited number of nut sizes. It’s important to find a nut splitter that allows you to cut multiple nuts with as few cylinders and heads as possible.

Many companies force their customers to purchase several cylinders since only one of their cylinders fits one of their heads, and that head cuts no more than two nut sizes. This lack of versatility causes inefficiency, clutter and unnecessary expense.

Finding a nut splitter that cuts, on average, six to eight different nut sizes with one straight head housing not only saves money, but reduces the clutter caused by the need to have multiple heads. Couple that with being able to use two or more heads with one cylinder and the cost and efficiency benefits are even more pronounced.

The versatility of having a large cutting range is another important factor when selecting a nut splitter. The larger the standard size range, the more likely you can split the nut you want without having to order a customized tool. Finding a company that offers a wide cutting range and several adapters can be a challenge, especially when adding the important factors of speed, strength and safety to the equation.

This type of streamlined nut splitter has a significant advantage over standard nut splitters on the market today. Since most companies only offer limited choices, where do you find nut splitters that have all of these qualities?

FASTORQ nut splitters come in a huge variety of sizes and three key designs to address any needs!

FASTORQ AutoSPLITTER straight head nut splitters offer a large cutting range (from 5/8” to 6 1/2”); cylinders that accept more than one head (usually two to three) and adapters that cut round, square, 12-point, huck bolts and uniquely shaped nuts.

The splitters also cut all API and ANSI flanges, nearly all valve bonnets and especially hard or non-hex shaped nuts… including 2H (ASTM A 194/2H – Brinell hardness 248-352). Custom-built nut splitters are also available when the need arises.

An added bonus of FASTORQ’s straight head nut splitters is their ability to work in tight spaces and from several angles due to their specially designed heads. They also go from toolbox to operation in less than five minutes, cut through nuts within 30 seconds and significantly improve operator safety since tool use is hands free.

If you are still using a hammer and chisel to remove corroded nuts or are sick and tired of the costly and limited options offered by other nut splitters on the market, it’s time to streamline with FASTORQ AutoSPLITTERS.

For more information on the efficient and versatile FASTORQ AutoSPLITTER straight head nut splitters, go to http://www.fastorq.com/products/nut-splitters/.

In the industrial tool world the vast majority of companies offer a 12-month warranty on their products. A few offer 24 months, and on a rare occasion, you might find a 36-month guarantee – but that’s an exceptional situation usually reserved for tools that have few, if any, moving parts.

FASTORQ, established in 1981, has three guiding principals behind everything we design, manufacturer and sell. Is it tough and reliable? Is it innovative? Is it fast?

Let’s address the last one first. Is it fast? Fast is a relative thing. A car is fast compared to a bicycle but slow compared to a jet. So, when we ask how fast is fast we’re looking for more than just physical speed. We’re evaluating efficiency in performing the desired task. We’re comparing our tools against the standard practices and methodology currently used in the industry. Our tools have to be better, faster and more efficient at getting a job done.

Next, is it innovative? Let’s face it – we’d all still be driving horse-drawn buggies if someone hadn’t invented a better way to travel. The train. The car. The plane. Innovation is in the American DNA. When we design a new tool we are constantly looking for ways to make it better, more durable, more efficient and safer.

So, that leaves us with “tough.” We know our tools are the toughest and most dependable in the business… and so do our customers. Perhaps that’s enough for most companies but at FASTORQ, we believe if we’re really going to “own” being the toughest on the block we need to put our warranties where their adjectives are. So, we completely revamped our warranty programs.

The first innovation was creating our cutting-edge warranty extension program. Once a year, just return your FASTORQ tool to us for free maintenance and inspection (and calibration for torque wrenches). If the product is free of any damage or significant wear, we will extend the warranty for one (1) full year – FREE!

Should the tool require repair, we will provide you an estimate. If FASTORQ repairs the tool, we extend a new warranty for an additional one (1) year from the date of repair!

Next, we improved all warranties on all our products.  At the beginning of 2013, FASTORQ introduced our “No B.S.” Lifetime Guarantee Program. It’s as simple as the name implies. Any product covered by our No B.S. Lifetime Guarantee is covered for life. Period! The warranty includes seal replacement on cylinders. Products covered by the No B.S. Guarantee program include all AutoSPLITTER nut splitters, the FastBAK, all ThinLINE torque wrenches, all Fixed & Variable Stud Tensioners and the AutoGRIPPER Stud Installer/Extractor.

Our Total Assurance Guarantee program provides a 3-year warranty on all SpinTORQ torque wrenches, AutoSPREADER flange spreaders and ZipTENSIONERS (for subsea, nuclear and wind turbine use).. The 3-year program requires participation in the warranty extension program of sending your tool to FASTORQ for annual maintenance and calibration. By doing this, you will receive the free warranty extension program too!

Our Total Assurance Guarantee programs provide 1-year warranties on all FASTORQ Power Units, AutoTORQ wrenches, ZipCONNECTOR load connector and crane grapple, ZipPULLER, Impact Sockets and Hammer Wrenches, HydraPULL, Hydraulic Chain Pipe Wrenches, Direct Tension Indicators (DTI) and the Flange Alignment Tool. (Our fine print is really short, and you can read it here.)

We think this new warranty program truly illustrates that when we say tough and reliable, we really mean it. So the next time you need to add a tool to your workforce, ask yourself three simple questions: (1) Is it tough? (2) Is it innovative? (3) Is it fast? Then contact FASTORQ via email at sales@fastorq.com or by phone at 1-800-231-1075 (Toll Free U.S. and Canada) or 281-449-6466 (Global).

Stud tensioning jobs are often long and exhausting processes that eat up valuable man hours and tie up equipment. At best, 50 percent of the studs are tensioned at one time with conventional stud tensioners. It’s time to ask yourself, is there a better way?

ZipTENSIONER Double Zip Stud Tensioners are the solution. They cut job time by more than half compared to other standard tensioners. The one-piece design provides 100-percent project coverage and allows for simultaneous tensioning on multiple fasteners. In addition, it evenly loads all fasteners in the joint and eliminates elastic interactions (commonly referred to as cross talk) while providing a compact, light and low-profile design.

In the case of conventional stud tensioners, they are assembled on the bolts and puller nuts are threaded onto fasteners that are often in very bad condition with rusted or damaged threads. The FASTORQ stud tensioner works by using spring-loaded thread segments that allow the tensioner to slide over the protruding stud threads, which eliminates the time-consuming task of threading the puller nut. Rusted or damaged threads are also less of an issue with the FASTORQ Stud Tensioner since threading the puller nuts is bypassed.

Above: A channel head cover on a shell and tube heat exchanger at a Hydrocracker unit in a popular refinery. In the past, the 28 bolts in the cover, measuring 2 1/2″ in diameter, were torqued using hydraulic torque wrenches. It took more than 14 hours to complete bolt preload to the prescribed torque value. Elastic interactions (cross talk) caused the long torque time. Over the course of multiple turnarounds, the flange typically leaked during the required hydrostatic test. This usually required an additional four to six hours to stop the leak. When engineers determined that tensioning was the best way to shorten the bolt preload time and eliminate leaking during the hydrostatic test, FASTORQ’s ZipTENSIONER provided the solution.

Designed for subsea, nuclear and wind turbine industries, the ZipTENSIONER Double Zip StudTensioner is customizable and a great option for other industries in need of improved stud-tensioning speed, such as offshore, petrochemical, steel and mining.

The ZipTENSIONER Double Zip Stud Tensioner performs at optimum levels when used with the FASTORQ HTP2000 Power Unit. However, it provides significant reduction in tensioning time when used with non-FASTORQ power units as well.

All parts are durable, provide corrosion protection and come with FASTORQ’s Total Assurance Guarantee and 3-Year Warranty.

Click the link for additional information on the FASTORQ ZipTENSIONER Double Zip Stud Tensioner.

By Bill Washington

When answering this question, it is important to understand what happens when we tighten a bolt.  The bolt acts as a heavy spring that clamps two or more pieces together. When we turn a nut we stretch the bolt.  Stretch or elongation provides clamping force. Not enough clamping force allows the nut to vibrate loose causing leaks. Too much clamping force causes gasket damage, bolt galling, flange damage and even bolt breakage.

Clamping force increases on a straight line until yield is reached or exceeded. The yield strength or yield point of a material is the stress at which a material begins to deform plastically. Prior to the yield point the material will deform elastically and will return to its original shape when the applied stress is removed. Once the yield point is passed, deformation will be permanent and non-reversible. Knowledge of the yield point is vital when tightening a fastener since it generally represents an upper limit to the load that can be applied.

Accurate fastener installation is equal in importance to the selection of fastener grade and type. A properly tightened assembly is one that applies a preload (clamping force) to the bolt that is equal to or greater than the maximum operating load that will be experienced in service. When proper preload is applied and maintained; the bolt cannot fail from fatigue because it will experience no change of stress. Any mechanic can cause any fastener to fail by simply over tightening or under tightening it.

The short answer to the question “How tight is tight?” is that it depends on the application more than the fastener.  It is always best to consult with the manufacturer of the product or the engineer responsible for an installation.  It is also best practice to follow proven bolting procedures and use a calibrated torque wrench when tightening bolts to a specified torque value.

Still confused or have another question related to bolt installation or removal? You can always contact one of our highly trained bolting technology specialists to discuss your application. Call 281-449-6466 (worldwide), 1-800-231-1075 (toll free US & Canada), or email us at sales@fastorq.com. We’re happy to help you with your specific project!