Down Force Torque Reaction Arm

Ergonomic Down Force Torque Reaction Arm For operations that require the assembly personnel to provide downward thrust to successfully drive screws, the ETA arms on this page can transform the production process.
Sometimes it can be very fatiguing to drive self-threading fasteners, self-drilling screws or fasteners with lock-patches or nylon inserts because it requires so much downward force to keep the driver bit engaged in the head of the screw.
The ETA models on this page have Automatic Down Force Assistance to greatly reduce, or eliminate the human operator’s need to exert burdensome effort when driving self-threading and self-drilling fasteners. By applying steady and consistent pressure on the driver bit, the cam-out of the driver at the screw head is eliminated with ETA Down Force Models (DF Models). Fasteners that previously were difficult to drive can be quickly and efficiently driven with minimal effort and time. For operators that are driving difficult fasteners on a regular basis these DF Model arms prevent repetitive stress injuries .

IMPORTANT; PLEASE READ ALL OF THE INFORMATION BELOW BEFORE CONSIDERING YOUR PURCHASE OF ETA DOWNFORCE MODELS.

HOW IT WORKS ! On all ETA arm models on this website, the cylinder is used to balance the tool and arm weight so that the tool feels almost weightless whether it is 2 lbs or 12 lbs.

The same is true of DF models on this page, except that during the actual rundown these arms are different than all other ETA arms. With DF Models, as soon as the air motor on your tool starts, our FLOW VALVE sends a pneumatic pilot signal to dump the float pressure temporarily and to apply air pressure to the other end of our FLOAT CYLINDER, forcing the arm and the air tool downward. This change of direction happens in our 5-WAY CONTROL VALVE. But sometimes it is best for the driver tool to gently start the screw before the down force abruptly applies its force onto the screw driver tool. For this reason, we have a .05 to 3 second ADJUSTABLE DELAY TIMER built into our DOWN FORCE LOGIC CONTROLS. So if you need to get a few turns on the screw to start it before the arm takes over on the thrust, we have that covered with this delay timer. As soon as the fastener is driven and the tool shuts off, the arm automatically removes the Down Force and returns to the float mode. The float, amount of down force and length of delay (if any) are fully and independently adjustable on the back of the arm.

Because the thrust needed to drive the fastener is supplied by the tool arm and not the human operator, the addition of an add-on tool holder, like our UV-TH, is not advised on DF models. In most cases, mounting the inline air tool on the hardened pipe nipple included with the arm is the best practice. Please consult with your ETA distributor or contact us directly if you have questions about this.

ADD-ON SAFETY OPTIONS for DF MODELS

IRSH – Inline Remote Start Handle– can be used with Push-To-Start Inline tools only. Cannot be used with Lever-Start tools. For use with PA815-DF only. The IRSH weighs too much for use with PA806-DF. For more information see IRSH under Accessories & Options.

DF- PD – Foot Pedal – Can be used with either Push-To-Start or Lever-Start Inline tools to make the DF models safe. For use with either DF model. For more information see PD under Accessories & Options.

DF- PB- Palm Button – Can be used with Push-To-Start or Lever-Start Inline tools. . For more information see PB under Accessories & Options.

Also because the downforce is provided by our Float Cylinder and not the human operator the aluminum arm component flex enough that we do not usually recommend these DF arms for use in drilling operations. The few degrees of deflection during the downforce do not negatively affect or influence fastener driving .

We can make these DF models as Overhead Mount models but it requires certain considerations. Please consult your ETA Distributor or ETA for details.

We also make EL815-DF Ergonomic Down Force Torque Reaction Arm models for electric drivers needing Down Force Assistance. Due to considerations in control strategies and tool mounting, these EL815-DF models must be specifically engineered by ETA to fit your application. Contact us for more info.