Hilti Powder Actuated Tool Training
Qualified Tool Operator Examination Powder Actuated Fastening Systems ® Powder Actuated Fastening Systems. Training must be conducted by an Authorized Powder Actuated Tool Instructor who is in possession of a valid Powers Fasteners Authorized Powder Actuated Tool.
- This Powder Actuated Tool Safety Training Video is designed to train workers in the proper handling of powder actuated tools, proper loading, safety equipment, and more. It's an in depth look at staying safe on the job to prevent accidents from occurring.
- Take the Ramset powder actuated tool certification test online today and get your PAT license. Instructor & Operator courses available in English & Espanol.
- General Purpose Powder-Actuated Tools and Cartridges. Tools, cartridges, nails and studs to fasten to a range of base materials - from general-purpose wood to standard-strength concrete.
- This Powder Actuated Tool Safety Training Video is designed to train workers in the proper handling of powder actuated tools, proper loading, safety equipment, and more.
- Take the ITW Ramset powder actuated tool (P.A.T.) licensing exam to become a certified instructor or operator of Ramset powder fastening systems.
A powder-actuated tool (often generically called a Hilti gun or a Ramset gun after their manufacturing companies) is a type of nail gun used in construction and manufacturing to join materials to hard substrates such as steel and concrete. Known as direct fastening, this technology relies on a controlled explosion created by a small chemical propellant charge, similar to the process that discharges a firearm.
Powder-actuated tools come in high-velocity and low-velocity types. In high-velocity tools, the propellant charge acts directly on the fastener in a process similar to a firearm. Low-velocity tools introduce a piston into the chamber. The propellant acts on the piston, which then drives the fastener into the substrate. (The piston is analogous to the bolt of a captive bolt pistol.) A tool is considered low velocity if the average test velocity of the fastener is not in excess of 100 m/s (330 ft/s) with no single test having a velocity of over 108 m/s (350 ft/s). High-velocity tools may not be made or sold in the United States[citation needed]; however, some made decades ago are still in use in the shipbuilding and steel industries. The main manufacturers of powder actuated tools are Ramset, Hilti, Powers/DeWalt, Tomarco and Simpson Strong Tie.
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Powder-actuated fasteners are made of special heat-treated steel. Common nails are not used for powder-actuated fastenings. There are many specialized fasteners designed for specific applications in the construction and manufacturing industries.
Powder-actuated technology was developed for commercial use during the Second World War, when high-velocity fastening systems were used to temporarily repair damage to ships. In the case of hull breaches, these tools fastened steel plates over damaged areas.[1] These tools were developed by Mine Safety Appliances, for the United States Navy.[2] Powder-actuated tools were investigated and used prior to this development; they were used in submarine hunting during the First World War and were the subject of a 1921 United States patent (US Patent No. 1365869).[3]
- 4Powder-actuated fasteners
Use[edit]
Fasteners take various forms, for example with threaded ends to use as an embedded bolt, with washers at the tips that grip softer material etc. Fasteners used in powder-actuated tools are manufactured from special steel and heat-treated to produce a very hard yet ductile fastener. Those properties are necessary for the fastener to penetrate concrete or steel without breaking.
Operation[edit]
Powder-actuated tool cartridges are specially-designed blank firearm cartridges. In many cases, the charges are ordinary firearm cartridges with modified casings, and the bullets removed. The .22 Short, developed by Smith & Wesson, is common. These charges may be hand-fed, or manufactured and distributed on a plastic strip. The charges are activated when a firing pin strikes the primer, which is an explosive charge in the base of cartridge. The primer ignites the charge, which burns rapidly. The gases released by the burning of the propellant build pressure within the cartridge, which acts either on the head of the nail, or on the piston, accelerating the nail towards the muzzle.
Powder actuated tools can be variously classified:
- Direct acting (the charge acts directly on the head of the nail or high velocity), or indirect (using an intermediate piston or low velocity)
- Single-shot, or magazine-fed
- Automatic or manual piston cycling
- Automatic or manual feed of the charges
Color coding
Color-coding for the 'rounds' or 'single shots' (the three shot strengths or colors typically sold to the general public are brown, green and yellow in brass):
| Color coding | Velocity |
|---|---|
| Gray | 315 ft/s (96 m/s) |
| Brown | 385 ft/s (117 m/s) |
| Green | 490 ft/s (150 m/s) |
| Yellow | 575 ft/s (175 m/s) |
| Red | 675 ft/s (206 m/s) |
| Purple | 755 ft/s (230 m/s) |
| Color coding | Velocity |
|---|---|
| Gray | 845 ft/s (258 m/s) |
| Brown | 935 ft/s (285 m/s) |
| Green | 1,025 ft/s (312 m/s) |
| Yellow | 1,115 ft/s (340 m/s) |
| Red | 1,205 ft/s (367 m/s) |
| Purple | 1,295 ft/s (395 m/s) |
Not all powder-actuated tools are rated for high-capacity charges — the strongest charge (nickel - purple at 1,295 ft/s (395 m/s)), for example, is dangerous in a tool not rated for its use. Above is for a 350 grains (23 g) slug from a test device.
Safety[edit]
Hilti Powder Actuated Tool Training Seattle
As with their air-actuated cousins, powder-actuated guns have a muzzle safety interlock. If the muzzle is not pressed against a surface with sufficient force, the firing pin is blocked and cannot reach the load to fire it. This ensures that the gun does not discharge in an unsafe manner, causing the nail to become a projectile.
Most manufacturers of powder-actuated nail guns offer training and certification. Many projects and employers require this before an employee is permitted to use the tool.
The ownership and use of these tools is regulated in Australia. The owner has to register the tool, and an operator of one of these tools is required to have a license and to have undergone training in their use. These laws are in keeping with Australia's extremely strict firearm laws.
OSHA prohibits using a powder actuated tool unless the user is trained and licensed. In addition, special instruction is necessary if unable to distinguish colors used in the color code system that identifies proper power levels.
Powder-actuated fasteners[edit]
The fasteners used in powder-actuated tools are not common nails. They are manufactured from special steel and heat-treated to produce a very hard yet ductile fastener. These properties permit the fastener to penetrate concrete or steel without breaking. A powder-actuated fastening results in a permanently installed fixture. Every fastener must be equipped with some type of tip, washer, eyelet or other guide member. This guide member aligns the fastener in the tool as it is being driven and is commonly used to retain the fastener in the tool.
Common fasteners[edit]
There are two common powder-actuated fasteners: drive pins and threaded studs.
- Drive pin - A drive pin is a special nail-like fastener designed to permanently attach one material to another, such as wood to concrete or wood to steel. Head diameters vary in size from 1⁄4 to 3⁄8 in (6.4 to 9.5 mm). However, for additional head bearing in conjunction with soft materials, washers, of larger diameters are either fastened through or made part of the drive pin assembly.
- Threaded stud - A threaded stud is a fastener consisting of a shank portion which is driven into the base material (and is therefore not visible after fastening) and a threaded portion (which remains visible after the fastening). An object is then attached to the threaded portion with a nut. The most common thread sizes are 1/4-20, and 3/8-16.
Fasteners for special applications[edit]
Hilti Powder Actuated Tool In Use Sign
There are also other types of fastener assemblies designed for specific applications. Examples include:
- Breakaway fasteners - For temporary fastening of wood forming to concrete, designed to break away after forms are removed
- Weathered fasteners - Typically used to attach lumber to steel or concrete
- Magazine fasteners - These are collated fasteners for magazine fed tools
- Steel deck fasteners - Used to attach corrugated metal deck to bar joist or I-beam
- Conduit clips - Used to attach EMT conduit to concrete, masonry or steel
- Ceiling clips - Typically used by ceiling contractors
- Road basket clips - Used to secure re-bar baskets in highway construction and paving
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^'Engineering maintenance'. Hospital Management. 90: 52. 1960.
- ^'Powder-actuated driver'. The Signalman's Journal. 29–30. 1948.
- ^'Powder-actuated fasteners'. Engineering Journal. 40–41: 99. 2003.
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Powder-actuated cartridges are used in tools that function just like guns. The cartridge contains a powdered propellant that shoots a nail or pin from a gun. Properly used, the nail or pin is shot from the tool into the surface where it's needed. While the Occupational Safety and Health Administration outlines the disposal method for used powder cartridges, it emphasizes employee training and safety, as well as adherence to the tool's instructions.
Safety Features
Because powder-actuated tools operate like loaded guns, operators require special training. Operators must wear personal protective equipment to prevent face and eye injuries. They must wear hearing protection, such as sound-attenuating headphones or earplugs. They must choose the appropriate powder cartridge for the load they propose to fire from the gun. When the tool is used, one safety feature prevents the user from firing it unless the user presses it against the surface securely. The safety requires the user to press it to the surface with a force equal to 5 pounds more than the tool's weight. When the muzzle of the tool is pressed to the surface, a guard around the muzzle confines chips or splinters that happen when the nail or pin enters the surface.
Using the Tool
Fill a bucket with water and place it near the user before she begins to work with the powder-actuated tool. If the user presses the gun into place with enough force and pull the tool's trigger, the tool normally fires. Should the tool misfire -- that it, it doesn't fire -- OSHA directs users to follow a specific set of steps. The user continues to press the tool against the surface for at least 30 seconds. This allows time in case the powder cartridge 'cooks off.' When powder cooks off, it begins to burn, rather than explode normally. Keeping the tool against the surface for 30 seconds can allow enough powder to burn to prevent an accidental discharge.
Second Try
Ensure the user provides enough pressure on the tool and pull the trigger again. If the powder-actuated tool does not fire the second time, the cartridge has misfired. OSHA's booklet on hand and power tools instructs the user never to hold a finger on the starting switch of a tool while carrying it to avoid starting it. Likewise, the user should remove her finger from the tool's trigger. The user must remove the tool from the surface, keeping the muzzle pointed away from people.
Removing the Cartridge
The user must remove the powder cartridge from the tool in the manner specified in the manufacturer's instructions for the tool. If it's necessary to check the manufacturer's instructions, do not leave the still-loaded tool unattended. If the user must leave the tool, it must not be left anywhere untrained personnel might pick it up. After the user checks the manufacturer's instructions, she must remove the cartridge from the tool drop the powder cartridge into the bucket of water. If she reloads the tool and it still refuses to fire, either the cartridges or the tool are defective. OSHA rules say the tool must be tagged out of service immediately.
References (1)
About the Author
Will Charpentier is a writer who specializes in boating and maritime subjects. A retired ship captain, Charpentier holds a doctorate in applied ocean science and engineering. He is also a certified marine technician and the author of a popular text on writing local history.
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