Wrenches, sockets, and nut drivers are tools used for tightening or loosening bolts, nuts, and other fasteners. Each has its unique design and applications, making them essential in robotics and general mechanical work. The following wrenches are commonly used in the lab.
Used for: Loosening and tightening nuts and bolts.
The combination wrench is a versatile tool with one open-end and one box-end. Available in long, short, and standard lengths, it offers both flexibility and strength for various tasks.
Used for: High-efficiency tightening and loosening.
The ratchet wrench’s internal mechanism allows the user to tighten or loosen without removing the tool from the fastener.
Used for: General-purpose tasks involving nuts and bolts of various sizes.
The adjustable wrench, also known as a crescent wrench, features an adjustable jaw that allows it to grip different-sized fasteners. It’s versatile and commonly found in every toolbox. It should be used only when the correct size combination wrench is unavailable.
Used for: Tightening or loosening nuts, bolts, and other fasteners. The set includes a variety of sockets (cylindrical tools with openings that fit over fasteners) and tools like ratchets, extensions, and adapters that allow you to use the sockets in different ways. Socket sets are commonly used in automotive repair, robotics, and general mechanical tasks.
Used for: Adjusting cylindrical objects, like gland nuts and hydraulic cylinders.
Its hook and pin design make it perfect for tightening and loosening objects with notches or holes. This tool is used to losten and tighten the draw bar on the mini mill.
Used for: Tightening and Loosening Fasteners, especially for small nuts and bolts in applications like electronics, HVAC, and appliances.
It is excellent at Accessing Recessed Fasteners because the shaft and socket design allow nut drivers to reach fasteners in tight or deep spaces.
In FRC Robotics we use Standard Tools and Fasteners. To make it easy to identify our common use wrenches, we mark them with electrical tape. Each color is a particular sized wrench used for a common nut on the robot.
Yellow -> 1/2" -> Used to turn Hex shaft and motor axles.
Red -> 7/16" -> Standard wrench for 1/4-20 nuts
Green -> 3/8" -> Standard wrench for #10-23 nuts
White -> 11/32" -> Standard wrench for #8-32 nuts
Orange -> 5/16" -> Standard wrench for a #6-32 nut
Blue -> 1/4" -> Standard wrench for a #2-56 nut
The following video explains each of type of wrench and their size markings. It also provides a simple demonstration of a few of the wrenches.