Tool balancers, and spring balancers among them, are themselves tools used to hold a hand-operated tool or piece of equipment in position and help manoeuvrability to minimize human effort during use or movement. They can be used for a variety of industrial or home applications where people and workers frequently use or move heavy objects and hand tools, and want them to be ready at hand, easy to move and most of all safe to handle.
Tool retractors return tools to a preset rest position after use, usually out of the way of the work area. The tool is often affixed to a cable, which is wound onto a spring-loaded reel to perform the retraction.
Zero Gravity balancers have a natural balance all along their stroke length, allowing for easy handling and manoeuvring of tools and equipment. Learn more on Retractors and Zero Gravity balancers on our YouTube channel videos:
Zero Gravity balancers and retractors make tools nearly weightless, reducing operator fatigue and improve safety and ergonomics in every day activities. Sometimes referred to as load balancers or spring balancers, TECNA tool balancers and retractors are an ideal way to balance a constant load and make it safe and healthy to do your job.
A spring balancer will also prevent tools from falling and getting damaged or broken, and it will make the working station efficient with everything ready at hand. To quote Benjamin Franklin and subsequent 5S strategy: “a place for everything and everything in its place”.
When properly balanced using spring tension adjustment present on each model, tool balancers free you from your daily burden and make your life a lot lighter.
Features and benefits of ergonomic tool balancers and retractors include:
- Maximize safety at work
- Create proper ergonomics in daily actions
- Improve production efficiency
- Balance tool weight, making them nearly weightless
- Help positioning and servicing heavy equipment, motors, fans, etc.
- Suspend tools for easy access
- Help workers with repetitive tasks
- Hold fixtures, tools, welding guns, and other equipment
- Hold hoses and pipes
- Keep equipment, cables, plugs/sockets off of the floor eliminating trip hazards and risk of damage
- Reduce effort in sliding or opening/closing barriers/doors/hatches
- Used as a festoon system, can reduce wear on cable and hoses
- Stabilize tool position
- Improve accuracy
- Reduce operator motion
- Minimize worker fatigue
- Useful for tools of various sizes
- Reduce tool damage/fall
To choose the right tool balancer, you need to know the weight you need to balance and control.
Selecting your tool balancer or retractor:
This will determine the load capacity that the tool balancer must sustain. If you have overlapping load values between families generally choose the balancer that will work on its higher load range because it will be better optimized.
Basic rule: if you do not know what to choose, simply ask us or your favoured distributor for support!
Additional features to look at are:
Cable stroke. How much you need to move your load
Cable material: if you are afraid to rub or scratch delicate surfaces, you may want to check our Dyneema/Polypropylene cables: same load strength,
Environmental conditions: explosion-proof situations with gases, gasoline, fumes, etc. will require our dedicated ATEX family of spring balancers. In case of particularly aggressive chemical environments or hazard, we recommend you contact us to discuss your application in detail.
Common tool balancer and retractor uses and application:
Here is a list of common tool balancer uses and applications. You may find your match … or simply create your own application and name it for us!
- Suspended Tools
- Power tools
- Air Tools
- Pneumatic Tools
- Hydraulic tools
- Screw drivers
- Guns
- Torque arms
- Drills
- Chipping Hammers
- Jackhammers
- Hammer Drills
- Air Hammers
- Die Grinders
- Belt Sanders
- Planers
- Clinchers
- Riveters
- Huck Bolters
- Rivet Guns
- Huck Riveters
- Dot Peen Markers
- Marking Tools
- Strapping Tools
- Cable Tie Machines
- Plug/socket holder
- Charging stations
- Pallet Wrap Machines
- Nail Guns
- Staple Guns
- Saws
- Electric Tools
- Weld Guns
- Internal Transguns
- External Transguns
- Cable Weld Guns
- Electric Saws
- Slaughterhouses and butchering tools
- Meat-Processing Plants
- Food processing
- Dairies
- Meat Saws
- Bone Cutters
- Bone Saws
- Eyelet Applicator
- Ham Peeler
- Skin Remover
- Deboning Machines
- Band Saws
- Washdown nozzles
- Commercial Laundries
- Industrial Laundries
- Steam Irons
- Commercial Ironing Equipment
- Door Closers
- Mobile barriers or sliding windows/hatches for automation
- Robotics
- Cable Guides
- Festooning
- Hose Festooning
- Water Hose Suspension
- Power Cable Festooning
- Power Cable Suspension
- Fuel Hose Suspension
- Pipes
- Cable Festooning
- Cable Suspension
- Vacuum Hose Suspension
- Vacuum Lifter
- Tank / truck /vehicle / car washing stations
- Assembly workstations
- Assembly tools
- Drum fillers
- Pallet fillers
- Bag fillers
- Drum dispensers
- Crimping Tool
- Pneumatic Crimper
- Hydraulic Crimper
- Suction Pumps
- Bottling Tools
- Power Washing Equipment
- Pressure Washing Equipment
- Weaving machines
- Shoemaking equipment
- Bootmaking equipment
- Cobbler equipment
- Heating tools
- Spray Paint Guns
- Powder Coat Guns
- Bottle Capping Equipment
- Bottle Capper