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Executive Report: Looks similar, performs better! EHN’s power tools specialist, Phil Mist, considers the features and benefits of the new Hilti TE6-A Lithium-Ion powered hammer drill. The search for a better alternative to NiCad batteries appears to have concentrated the minds of battery design engineers and power tool designers throughout the world and has resulted in manufacturers producing Lithium-Ion batteries, an environmentally friendly alternative to both NiCads and NiMH power sources. Hilti is the latest manufacturer to introduce a Lithium-Ion battery tool and it will come as no surprise that the new unit is an SDS Plus hammer drill. The new TE6-A looks very similar to the existing tool bearing the same model number, and, indeed, it is difficult to tell them apart. However, closer inspection reveals a number of minor differences that demonstrate the amount of thought that has gone into the design of this new tool. The new 36V Hilti battery supplied with the test machine has 2.4Ah cells and provides in the region of 40% more performance than the equivalent NiCad battery and is also some 40% lighter than a 3Ah NiMH battery. The lower weight of the new battery is confirmed when comparing the three 36V SDS Plus hammer drills that Hilti has produced in the last few years. The total weight of the Hilti TE5-A was 4.8kg, the TE6-A NiCad powered machine is 4.7kg and the new TE6-A Lithium-Ion machine weighs just 3.8kg, with the lightest of the old batteries weighing 2.08kg compared with the new battery, which weighs just 1.17kg. New tool holder The new tool is slightly smaller than the old version, with the main part of the housing having been changed to suit the lighter battery, and is a two-mode machine, with rotary hammer and rotary-only functions. The new tool holder differs from the old machine in that, when fitting a drill bit, the operator merely has to push the bit into the front of the tool, and not to rotate the collar to lock it in place. The tool holder is still removable to permit the fitting of a standard drill chuck, and the front or side handle can be adjusted to any position, to suit either a left or right-handed operator. The electronic switch has forward or reverse options and, in the central position, the switch is ‘locked-off’ to prevent any discharge of the battery whilst the machine is stored in its case. The TE6A is rated at 375watts, and has a drilling speed of 890rpm whilst under load. The hammer blow rate is 5,000bpm and it has a single energy blow rating of 1.5J. Since Lithium-Ion batteries do not suffer from the so-called ‘memory’ effect, they can be recharged at any time, but if flat, Hilti’s new Lithium-Ion battery takes approximately 40 minutes to achieve a full charge. The new battery also has a condition display activated by pressing the retaining buttons on each side of the battery. This feature not only indicates the amount of power remaining, but also announces the need for recharging the battery by blinking rapidly when the amount of power remaining has fallen to too low a level. My tests comprised drilling a succession of holes into a 45Nm concrete block with 5.5mm, 6.5mm, 10mm and 20mm diameter SDS Plus drill bits. The times achieved in drilling to a pre-set depth were measured and then compared to other times when using a variety of power tools over the last few months. A 5.5mm x 50mm deep hole took on average just six seconds, whereas a 6.5mm hole to the same depth took seven seconds. Not a lot of difference until there is a need to drill several thousand holes. The time taken when using an equivalent mains powered drill was also seven seconds. Drilling a 10mm-diameter 50mm-deep hole took 1.02 minutes, which also compares favourably with many mains powered electric SDS Plus hammer drills. The Hilti theft protection system is available as an optional extra for both the battery and charger of the TE6-A, and the manufacturer’s Lifetime Service warranty applies to the tool, battery and charger. With hirers able to enjoy the first two years of service and repair at no extra cost, the industry can have confidence in this new machine and battery combination as it offers a value-for-money package and provides a viable alternative to similar mains powered tools. • T
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100 Executive Hire News › Archives › June 2006 › Executive Report › Looks similar, performs better!
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