A torque wrench is an essential tool that should be in any mechanic's or DIYer's toolbox. Torque wrenches are designed to tighten fasteners to a specific torque setting, which ensures a proper, safe fit and helps prevent damage to bolts, screws and other fasteners. However, if torque wrench is not correctly calibrated, it cannot be relied upon for accuracy. As such, it is important for all mechanics, DIYers and other users to know when and how often to torque wrench should be calibrated.
The frequency of calibrating your torque wrench depends on how often you use it and how frequently you use it. The manufacturer will usually offer recommendations for calibration frequency, but generally speaking, it is best practice to calibrate your torque wrench once every six months if it is used regularly, or at least once a year. If you do not use your torque wrench often or if you use it sparingly, it may not need to be calibrated as frequently. For example, if you only use it once or twice a year, you can probably wait a few years before calibrating it.
When you decide to calibrate your torque wrench, it is important to take it to a professional service provider who can properly and accurately calibrate it. Make sure that service provider is knowledgeable and experienced in calibrating torque wrenches. You should also ensure that service provider is using correct equipment and proper settings for your specific wrench.
Once torque wrench is calibrated, it is a good idea to label it so that it is easy to identify in future. This helps to ensure that calibration results are properly recorded, and it also helps to prevent torque wrench from being used with incorrect settings.
In addition to regular calibration, it is also important to check accuracy of your torque wrench regularly. This involves periodically measuring output of wrench with a torque gauge to ensure accuracy. If you find that wrench is no longer within factory-specified accuracy range, then it should be promptly calibrated or replaced with a new wrench.
To sum it up, torque wrenches should be calibrated at least once a year (or once every six months if used regularly). Additionally, users should check accuracy of their torque wrench periodically to ensure that it is working correctly. Finally, it is important to take torque wrench to a professional service provider when it is due for calibration, and to label wrench after calibration. Following these simple steps will help to ensure that your torque wrench is always accurate and ready when you need it.