Case Study: How HYTORC's STEALTH Tool Cut Labor and Boosted Precision for an Indonesian Company

A company in Indonesia needed a safer and more accurate method for bolting heat exchanger components. They were using four handheld manual torque wrenches, which led to significant and costly bottlenecks. It was inefficient and labor-intensive. HYTORC’s STEALTH hydraulic torque tool gave them a transformative solution.

Challenge: Safety Risks, Inefficiency, No Precision

The company's manual bolting method for their heat exchanger components relied on four individual operators, each using a handheld torque wrench simultaneously. While this setup attempted to achieve the necessary parallel joint closure across the flange, it created a host of problems:

1. Slow, Inefficient, and Labor-Intensive Bolting

• Time-Consuming: Achieving parallel joint closure with handheld tools is incredibly difficult, if not nearly impossible, requiring meticulous coordination among four different operators. This four-wrench drag made the entire process excruciatingly slow and highly prone to human error, resulting in significant operational downtime.
• High Labor Costs: Requiring four skilled technicians for a single bolting procedure dramatically increased labor expenses for every maintenance cycle.

2. Significant Safety Risks

• Physical Demand and Strain: Using handheld torque wrenches, especially in high-torque applications, was physically demanding. This increased the risk of operator fatigue, muscle strain, and hand injuries.
• Coordination Hazards: The need for simultaneous, coordinated action amplified the safety risks. Something as simple as a lapse in communication or timing could lead to dangerous mistakes.

3. Lack of Repeatability and Precision

• Manual Inconsistency: The manual approach lacked the precision and repeatability needed by this kind of critical application bolting. Even the most skilled manual operators cannot perfectly match the output of a precision-engineered system.
• Risk of Leaks: Inconsistent bolt load increases the risk of uneven gasket compression, leading to premature leaks and distortion, as well as costly rework. This ultimately compromises the integrity of the heat exchanger itself.

The need for a faster, safer, and more accurate method was undeniable. The company needed a single, unified system that could deliver secure parallel joint closure every time.

Solution: The HYTORC STEALTH Tool + Simultorc

The company partnered with HYTORC to implement a new system using Simultorc with state-of-the-art hydraulic STEALTH torque tools and hydraulic pumps. This new approach was engineered for simultaneous, controlled bolting, making it the ideal solution for parallel closure applications like heat exchanger bolting.

1. Massive Gains in Labor Efficiency and Speed

• 1 Operator, 4 Tools: This new method only needed a single technician to operate four tools simultaneously from one centralized hydraulic pump. It immediately reduced the company’s labor costs.
• Time Savings: Eliminating the burden of manual coordination between four operators sped up the process with powerful, synchronized hydraulic tools. This allowed the customer to achieve parallel closure in a fraction of the time, dramatically improving their labor efficiency.

2. Unprecedented Industrial Safety

• Hands-Free Operation: Using the STEALTH tool with Simultorc, combined with HYTORC’s reaction arm-free technology meant having a safer, hands-free operation. This immediately eliminated the danger of crush injuries, physical strain, and coordination hazards associated with using multiple handheld wrenches. This switch significantly boosted industrial safety standards.
• Lower Maintenance: The popular STEALTH hydraulic torque tool required minimal maintenance, providing consistent reliability and further reducing operator interaction with potentially dangerous equipment.

3. Accurate and Secure Parallel Closure

• More Accurate Bolting: Using a hydraulic pump and Simultorc helped ensure that torque was applied equally and simultaneously across all four bolts, leading to highly accurate and repeatable bolt loads.
• Delivered Perfect Parallel Closure: The result was perfect, uniform gasket compression and parallel flange closure, which is a level of precision impossible to achieve consistently with manual torque wrenches. This vastly improved joint integrity, eliminated leaks, and extended the service life of the heat exchanger.

Transformative Impact

Combing the STEALTH with Simultorc transformed this Indonesian company's bolting procedure from a major headache into a streamlined, higher-efficiency operation.

A Quick Recap

Before HYTORC (Manual Method):

• Required 4 operators
• High safety risk
• Slow, inconsistent bolting speed
• Low precision with inconsistent, non-repeatable results
• Poor labor efficiency, driving up time and cost

After HYTORC (STEALTH Simultorc System):

• Only needs 1 operator
• Hands-free operation significantly reduces safety risks
• More efficient and consistent bolting performance
• Highly accurate and repeatable parallel joint closure
• Exceptional labor efficiency maximized productivity

HYTORC’s STEALTH hydraulic torque wrench proved to be more than just a tool - it became an essential asset and an investment in industrial safety, labor efficiency, and the long-term integrity of critical components. For companies seeking reliable, highly precise solutions for heat exchanger bolting and other critical flange applications, the results speak for themselves.

Elevate Your Bolting Standards

Are you facing similar challenges with slow, inaccurate, or unsafe bolting procedures in your facility? The HYTORC STEALTH hydraulic torque tool is engineered to solve the toughest heat exchanger bolting problems. Find out how we can help you bolt better.