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Wrench by Forging
 Wrench or spanner is a tool used to provide grip and mechanical advantage in

applying torque to turn object such as nuts and bolts. The term wrench is generally used for

tools that turn non-fastening devices (e.g. tap wrench and pipe wrench), or may be used for

a monkey wrench - an adjustable pipe wrench.

Historical Note regarding Wrench:

Solymon Merrick patented the first wrench in 1835. Figure 1 indicate the diagram of

first wrench. Another patent was granted to Daniel C. Stillson, a steamboat fireman, for a

wrench in 1870. Stillson is the inventor of the pipe wrench. The story was that he suggested

to the heating and piping firm Walworth that they manufacture a design for a wrench that

could be used for screwing pipes together. He was told to make a prototype and “either twist

off the pipe or break the wrench.

Figure 1: show the first wrench patented by Solymon Merrick [1]

Stillson's prototype twisted the pipe successfully. His design was then patented, and

Walworth manufactured it. Stillson was paid about $80,000 in royalties for his

invention during his lifetime. Some inventors would later introduce their own wrenches.

Charles Moncky invented the first "monkey" wrench around 1858. Robert Owen, Jr. invented

the ratchet wrench, receiving a patent for it in 1913. NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
(GSFC) engineer John Vranish is credited for coming up with the idea for a "ratchetless"

wrench.

Some of the come type of wrenches are:

Table 1 indicate the different types of wrenches. The name wrenches is commonly

used in America whereas in British name for wrench is spanner.

Table 1: indicate the types of wrenches

Type of Wrench American Name British Name

open-end wrench open-ended spanner

box-end wrench ring spanner

combination wrench combination spanner

flare spanner
flare-nut wrench
flare nut spanner
tube wrench
brake spanner
line wrench
crow's-foot spanner

flex-head socket wrench

scaffolders spanner
Saltus wrench

adjustable spanner
adjustable wrench
shifting spanner
adjustable end wrench
shifter
Crescent wrench
wrench
 self-adjusting wrench self-adjusting spanner

gas grips
monkey wrench
King Dick

Stillson wrench
pipe wrench
Stillsons
monkey wrench
Pipe wrench

multigrips
plumber wrench
multigrip pliers

Manufacturing process of a wrench.

There is specific process for manufacturing wrench such as Forging, annealing

process, rolling, punching process, drawing and polishing process, CNC rough cutting,

surface grinding, vibrating, heat treatment, electroplating process, fine cutting via CNC and

at last assembly.

Material selection for Wrench

Material selection is very crucial phase during designing of Wrench or spanner.

There are a lot of materials for designing of wrench so it is very difficult task to select the

appropriate materials for designing of wrench.

Material selection for wrench depends on following terms

I. Cost of material & its Availability

II. Environmental condition where product (gear box) is to be used

III. Quality of wrench

 IV. Type of duty such as heavy duty, light duty ,medium duty, heavy duty & extra

heavy duty

On the basis of above terms, we may understand about materials, as described

below, suitable for making wrench or spanner.

I. Alloy steel ( hardened and tempered)

II. Chrome vanadium steel DIN-838

III. Highly fractural toughness and good tensile strength materials such as SAE 4340

& SAE4140

IV. Specific properties of material for manufacturing wrench

Mechanical properties of selected material play a very important role in respect of

life, productivity, and capability to provide torque of wrenches. Let us consider some specific

properties of material for wrenches.

Table 2: Material properties

Tensile Elongation Reduction of Hardness 0.2 % of proof

strength area (HRC) stress

689 M Pa 20 % 40 % 18 80

Above mentioned values are provided for special grade of alloy steel used for

manufacturing the wrenches, apart from this material should have good resistance against

corrosion and should have larger fracture toughness with good tensile strength.

Manufacturing Process for Wrench

As mentioned in above production line, we may understand the current technique to

produce the wrenches are as following

 1. Creation of rough cast with the help of thermal forging.

2. Annealing process and removal of carbide materials attached due to previous step.

3. Providing required shape.

4. CNC rough cutting to achieve desired specifications.

5. Heat treatment to increase the toughness of material.

6. Finally material will go for a protective layer to withstand against oxidation and

attrition.

Figure 2: Manufacturing Process of wrench

Type of loading

During the application of wrench, there are mainly two forces that must be

considered and these are as mentioned below

Torsion forces

When wrench is used to provide the torque to open or tighten the nuts, contact

portion of nut and wrench, both, will be subjected with torsion forces.

Compression forces

Contact area of wrenches and nut, both, will be subjected with compressive forces
Shear forces

Contact area of wrenches and nut, both, will be subjected with shearing forces also

Bending force

Wrench is also subjected with bending forces as during the application of wrench

contact.

We must think that there will be not any tensile force during application of wrenches

Future development

There are various points that must be considered in order to meet the demand easily with

good service life.

1. Some alloying elements such as Chromium, Nickel, Vanadium and molybdenum will

be useful to meet the desired chemistry of material for wrenches.

2. Hardening and tempering with the help of furnaces (atmospherically controlled) to

achieve the demand of a neutral, through hardened structure, consisting of tempered

marten site

3. In order to reduce the internal stress and suitable of grain flow, Material used for

manufacturing the wrenches should be heat treated to increase the toughness.

4. Thermal treatment increases toughness property of the wrench so that wrench may

withstand high stress during the application

Reference.

1. https://patentyogi.com/this-day-in-patent-history/first-wrench-patented-day-day-

patent-history/

2. http://www.hkdivedi.com/2015/01/wrench-and-spanner.html