As editorial and social media influencers make the annual pilgrimage to the Dairy State, Milwaukee Tool, I’m sure, is poised for another mind-blowing event. The #NPS17 will feature new hand tools, cordless power tools and some possible improvements to its already potent line of battery products and technology.
Over the next few days Mechanical Hub will unveil some cool stuff and we will share this with you as soon as we can. We’re always stoked to attend this unique event.
Talking existing products and tech, MH recently caught up with Corey Dickert, Vice President of Product Management, to talk connection technology, batteries and the company’s revolutionary ONE-KEY platform.
According to Dickert, connection technology continues to evolve and grow year over year due to the productivity and safety benefits associated. “We are going to see a continued investment in press technology as companies move away from traditional methods of pipe joining like brazing, soldering and welding. A recent example is our Force Logic™ Press Tool—the smallest, lightest and most intelligent full size press tool in the market today.”
The in-line design of the M18™ Force Logic™ Press Tool makes it ideal for working confined spaces.
Featuring a one-handed, in-line design, the M18™ Force Logic™ Press Tool not only offers the most ergonomic solution for navigating around installed pipes, but it also delivers on the highest level of press accuracy and reliability available on the market.
Complete engineered systems like Uponor’s ProPEX expansion system are also rapidly growing and becoming more prominent, and tool manufacturers need to also adjust to support and accelerate this transition. With the introduction of M12™ and M18™ ProPEX Expansion Tools, Milwaukee now has installation tools that go up to 3”.
The residential space, says Dickert, has also largely turned towards PEX tubing due to its cost, speed of installation, and lack of corrosion versus copper. “Today, in order to join many PEX fitting systems, users have pressed manually with large, cumbersome hand tools, or invested in hydraulic press tools designed to press metals.”
The M18™ Short Throw Press Tool
The lightweight, in-line design of the new M18™ Short Throw Press Tool enables the installer to press with just one hand. And, with a 3-second cycle time, and the ability to press 400 1” connections on a single charge, this new tool allows residential installers to do their job faster and easier than any solution they’ve had up until now —without paying for more force than is needed. This new solution comes with jaws compatible with the Viega PureFlow™ PEX Press System, as well as PEX Crimp.
With changes in workflow brought on by the Internet of Things, and software that’s improving efficiency in buildings, the installation tooling and services offered by manufacturers have needed to evolve as well. Contractors look to manufacturers to give them an edge. “We recognized these changing trends several years ago and began developing the systems to provide cost effective solutions for contractors. A perfect example is ONE-KEY™. First introduced more than a year ago, Milwaukee Tool’s ONE-KEY™ is the first digital platform for tools and equipment. Built on the principles of Customize, Track, and Manage, ONE-KEY™ combines tool and software technology to develop a tool management solution that provides a more productive way for work to get done in any size company,” says Dickert.
Battery Technology
The introduction of the Milwaukee M18™ REDLITHIUM™ HIGH DEMAND™ 9.0 Battery Pack—essentially, the industry’s largest step towards full corded replacement on the jobsite—instantly increases the performance of users’ current M18™ cordless tools, delivering more work per charge and more work over the life of the pack than any other power tool battery on the market regardless of voltage.
Even more important, this new battery pack is compatible with more than 110 tools in the Milwaukee M18™ system, so there’s no loss in productivity in managing multiple battery platforms on the jobsite. There is also no need to change battery platforms.
Strengthening the position of cordless tool platforms like M18™ provide contractors with an array of tools to accomplish these installation processes—backward and forward compatible with any M18™ battery, for example. “Battery technology isn’t just pushing the boundaries of traditional power tool performance … it’s advancing other crucial areas, as well,” says Dickert.
For instance, jobsite lighting is a critical part of a contractor’s job. Much of the lighting seen on jobsites today are tethered to a power cord, requiring users to lay out extension cords and maneuver for limited power on the jobsite. Managing power cords alone can be a drain on productivity. Additionally, during critical times when there is no power, users can be left without light. Through a combination of high output LEDs, advanced battery technology and intelligent electronics, Milwaukee now offers the industry’s first system of cordless high output LED lights which deliver full day runtimes in portable packages.
“The ability to Milwaukee to offer a wide range of solutions—from drills to lighting—on the rapidly expanding M18™ battery platform provides unrivaled productivity for professionals,” says Dickert.
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