Kevin Brannigan, Marketing Manager at Makita, outlines the technologies and features to look for in cordless tools so that you can streamline everyday tasks.
Brushless motors
Cordless tools have significant advantages, including greater flexibility and improved safety. However, choosing tools that offer excellent run times is essential to minimise wasted time.
Brushless motors are a feature that can contribute to greater runtimes per battery charge. In contrast to traditional motors, which rely on contact between carbon brushes to drive the tool, a brushless motor is driven using contact-free electromagnetism. This eliminates the friction of a brushed motor that generates heat and wastes energy, as well as reducing maintenance requirements.
With minimal energy lost, brushless motors produce more torque, meaning less power is needed to achieve the required result. This in turn can extend run times by up to 50% per battery charge, allowing improved productivity and fewer recharges.
A single battery platform
One simple way to streamline and simplify work on-site is to invest in tools that share a battery platform. When the same batteries can be used on all the tools in the van, there’s no need to find the right battery – it can simply be moved from one machine to another as required. For example, the Makita 18 V LXT range includes over 270 products including drills, impact drivers, circular saws, metal saws, routers, drywall cutters, multitools, wall scanners and work lights.
With a single battery platform, charging is also simpler as one charger can be used for all batteries. This benefit can be enhanced further by selecting products from a manufacturer that has engineered its batteries for rapid charging. As an example, Makita 3.0 Ah 18 V LXT batteries charge in as little as 22 minutes while the 6.0 Ah version takes just 55 minutes.
Optimal power delivery
For the most demanding tasks, it’s important for the tools to be able to cope with varying load requirements to deliver optimum performance.
Some tools include technologies that allow the machine to adapt to the resistance of the material by automatically adjusting the speed and torque based on the load conditions during operation.
Additionally, some manufacturers offer higher-output versions of their batteries for enhanced performance and better runtimes on higher drain tools. These batteries have the same amp-hour capacity, charge time and compatibility as their standard counterparts but deliver higher maximum kilowatt outputs, for example 2.1 kW rather than 1.5 kW in the case of the Makita F-Type series.
Simpler dust management
Controlling dust is essential to ensure both a clean and healthy workspace. In particular, dust that contains respirable crystalline silica (RCS), generated by drilling and cutting into materials such as concrete, masonry and stone, is extremely hazardous to health.
To make dust management easier and more efficient it’s worth looking for cordless tools and dust extractors that have an ‘auto’ functionality. For example, the Makita Auto-Start Wireless System (AWS) connects cordless tools to compatible dust extractors via Bluetooth to run the extractor when the tool is in use.
When choosing new power tools, it’s important to remember that not all products offer the same level of benefits. Choosing tools with technologies and features that improve efficiency can help make work easier and ensure greater productivity.
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