As a premier steel and equipment erector for the nation's most challenging industrial and commercial projects, Peterson Beckner Industries has experience with a variety of industries, ranging from petrochemical and power plants to high-rises and sports facilities.
When erecting these steel structures, ensuring every joint is secured is an incredibly important task that requires reliable tools. "As a steel erector of complex and heavy structures, we often have large connections with a lot of bolts, with some bolts requiring a minimum tension up to 84 kips," explained Craig Peterson, senior vice president of Peterson Beckner Industries. "Work of this nature requires specialized torque wrenches that can handle these precise requirements."
On a recent project in Houston, Peterson Beckner found itself in need of a quick solution when the tools they were using required maintenance before the job was complete. The company reached out to John Leibham, account manager of Torque Tools, a distributor of RAD Torque Systems, to see if he could provide a replacement tool so Peterson Beckner could complete the job.
"When Peterson Beckner first connected with me, they weren't very familiar with RAD Torque Tools," Leibham said. "After reviewing the specific requirements for their job, we recommended the B-RAD series of torque wrenches, which offer the precision and torque they needed."
Ideal for applications where compressed air may not be available, the cordless B-RAD battery series offers fast and accurate torque with an accuracy of +/- 5 percent and repeatability of +/- 2 percent. This all comes in an easy to use, ergonomic design that requires little set up so technicians can focus on getting the job done quickly.
"Peterson Beckner started off using our two-speed B-RAD 3000, which goes up to 3,000 pounds, for their larger items and has more recently moved to the B-RAD 1000 with a capability of 1,000 pounds, which is in line with the needs of their current job," Leibham explained. "Using the RAD tools, they liked that it was lighter, easier to use, and the two-speed tool was faster in the torqueing process. The speeds made the process much faster, and they could get through more bolts in a day, increasing overall efficiency on the job."
As these were replacement tools for a job already in progress, reliability was also key. "No tools have come back for maintenance, which speaks to the durability of the RAD tools," Leibham said.
"We began renting the RAD guns from Torque Tools while working on a recent project in Houston," Peterson said. "John from Torque Tools personally delivered the RAD guns to the jobsite, which we really appreciated. We were able to get back to work right away.
"The RAD guns have proven to help our guys be efficient in completing these connections while still being able to achieve the torque requirements. We've had a great experience with the RAD guns."
General foreman for the job, Noe Rosas, offered his comments on the RAD tools: "The RAD guns are fast and easy to use," he said. "We've not had any mechanical problems with the guns. Overall, the RAD guns have been very reliable and we have received excellent customer service from Torque Tools."
"This experience is typical of what we've seen when someone starts using a RAD tool," Leibham said. "We've found that really just using the tool speaks for itself. It's more durable, more compact, lighter. The strength-to-weight ratio for the tool is very efficient. Anyone who gets a RAD tool in their hand usually chooses the RAD."
Peterson Beckner will continue to work with the RAD tools on future projects.
"We were so satisfied with the experience of working with the RAD tools that we've continued using them at a current project we're working on in Wyoming," Peterson said.
For more information, visit www.radtorque.com or call (800) 983-0044.
