Gulf Construction Online - Hilti’s new addition slashes fitting time

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The new SMD 57 screw magazine ... cuts working time by half.

Hilti’s new addition slashes fitting time

01 October 2006

Hilti, a global leader in systems and solutions for the professional construction sector, has launched a new screw magazine that is claimed to fill the gap in the drywall installation market for a screwdriving system that maximises productivity while keeping costs down.

“The new SMD 57 screw magazine, drives screws twice as fast and cuts working time by half!” says Mutaz Al Maani, market segment manager at the Dubai-based Hilti Regional Office for the Middle East and South Asia region.
“Not only does it allow screws to be driven at an astonishingly fast rate but also perfectly. In addition, this new Hilti screw magazine is easy to handle and thus becomes a decisive productivity factor in the drywall installation trade,” he adds.
“With the launch of the SMD 57, Hilti becomes the only supplier of a high-grade screw magazine that has been tested worldwide under the most severe conditions,” he says. “This apart, the screw magazine can be taken apart for cleaning and maintenance without need for tools.”
Despite its advanced mechanism, the magazine is ruggedly built – like all Hilti products – and is designed to withstand hard jobsite use, he adds.
Al Maani continues: “The remarkably short length of the SMD 57 screw magazine ensures easy access in tight corners and – thanks to its overall compactness – the magazine becomes virtually an integral part of the screwdriver. The result is a level of ergonomic perfection and balance previously unattained with a system of this kind.”
The highly practical Hilti SME magazine extension for comfortable overhead screwdriving – no need for ladders – is also available as an accessory, Al Maani says.
The SMD 57 screw magazine perfectly complements two new screwdrivers launched simultaneously by Hilti for the drywall trade: the SD 5000 and the similarly designed SD 2500.

Screwdrivers
While the SD 5000 – a universal 710 watt drywall screwdriver with a speed of 5,000 rpm and torque of 9.5 Nm – covers all typical applications such as screwdriving on drywall panels on ceilings and walls as well as fastening tracks (metal framing), the SD 2500 – with its speed of 2,500 rpm and high torque of 19 Nm – is clearly recommended for heavier, more demanding work such as driving screws in wood, says Al Maani.
Both tools feature the unique downward air deflection system that keeps dust away from the operator’s face.
“Many other well-thought-out details of both tools, such as the ability to quickly remove the depth gauge when fastening tracks, makes the job so much easier,” he adds.
The Hilti range of drywall screwdrivers is complemented by the SF 4000, which is said to be an ideal tool for repetitive screwdriving work, and the corresponding cordless SF 4000-A for complete mobility. All of these tools are fully compatible with the new SMD 57 screw magazine.
To complete its comprehensive range of supplies to drywall trade specialists, Hilti also offers a complete range of drywall screws in collated or loose form.
Commenting on the installation trade, he says: “The trend is toward the use of high-performance screws in collated strips of 50. Although, the initial cost of single screws is lower, use of collated screws cuts labour costs significantly.”

Unique service
“As with all Hilti tools, owners of these superb drywall screwdrivers also enjoy the unique advantages of Hilti Lifetime Service. Hilti provides this comprehensive, top-class service for the entire life of the product – completely free of charge for the first six months from date of purchase – covering repair or replacement of defective parts. After that, Hilti continues to prove the quality of its products by setting a repair cost limit – for the entire life of the product,” concludes Al Maani.