Publish Time: 2023-11-09 Origin: Site
Impact drivers and electric drills are two common power tools widely used in construction, decoration, furniture manufacturing and other fields. If you are a professional in the field, you are no doubt familiar with both of these power tools, and if you are new to hardware tools, you may be wondering how to choose the right power tool for the project you are working on. This blog will answer the question of what is the difference between an electric drill and an impact driver.
An electric drill also named power drill or a drill is a power tool that is used for tasks such as daily repairs, furniture customization, construction and renovation to drill holes and drive nails. An electric drill usually consists of a main body, an electric motor, a drill bit clutch, a speed regulator and a trigger. The convenience and efficiency of a power drill make it the tool of choice for both home and professional users.
Due to the powerful performance and compact design of corded drills, it became popular in the tools market, while another upgraded version also appears in people's lives, that is, the cordless drill. Without the limitations of cords, a cordless drill provides a more convenient workspace, especially for outdoor projects.
An impact driver is a power tool that can easily drive screws, nuts and bolts and is commonly used in the mechanical and construction industries. Unlike a traditional drill or screwdriver, the impact driver utilizes a specialized impact mechanism that delivers quick, powerful bursts of force in a rotational motion. Through knocking and impact functions, it can drive objects to achieve the purpose of tightening, disassembly, etc. This results in greater torque, making it perfect for driving screws, bolts, and other fasteners into various materials.
Of course, these two power tools are far from each other, but before we get into the differences, let us learn a little more about electric drills and impact drivers. Thanks to modern innovations, people have improved power tools to make their work more efficient.
Cordless & Brushless: One of the main features of the electric drill and impact driver is their brushless motors and cordless design. While cordless power tools have become a trend for most power tools, there are some different features when it comes to high-power motors: brushed motors and brushless motors. The motor here refers to a carbon motor and now most power tools are equipped with carbon brush motors in the traditional way. While in fact brushless motors are have more advantages than brushed motors. The key feature is that the brushless motor has a longer service life, cause if for the brushed motor, you have to change it in a regular time for consistent using. Frequent replacement of carbon motors will have a great impact on the service life of the tool. So if you are particular about power tools you can try cordless brushless power tools for better performance and longer service life.
Speeding Settings: The speed settings is another feature about these two power tools. In order to meet different working projects and materials, adjustable speed control is a must-have feature of power tools. Generally speaking, power tools such as electric drills and impact drivers have 2 to 4 speeds to choose from. Low speed for light repair work, high speed for large projects and hard materials. Speeding settings provide flexibility for woodworkers, electricians, contractors and DIYers.
12V & 20V Power: In addition to adjust the speed settings to make the use of drills and drivers, you can also choose the power specifications for a nice and powerful performance. As we all know, when it comes to power tools, higher voltage means more power. Typically, for most drills and drivers you will find 12V and 20V specifications for light projects, sometimes you may notice 40V and 60V power tools for larger construction projects. At FIXTEC Tools, we also have 12V drills and 20V drills to suit most markets. At the same time, since we also provide OEM services, we can make 12V, 14.4V, 16V, 18v and 20V cordless drills according to the voltage requirements of different countries. For an impact driver, the main characteristic, besides voltage, is impact torque. Like speed settings, impact drivers are also designed with torque power to suit different jobs. At FIXTEC Tools, torque ranges from 300Nm to 750Nm, with the higher the number the better the performance.
Compact Model: When you use a power tool, whether it's an electric drill or an impact driver, you can feel the power through the vibration of the tool, so it's important to design them in a compact size to support prolonged operation. Cordless and corded drills feature small, lightweight designs that reduce arm or hand fatigue and provide better control for one-handed operation. The same goes for impact drivers, which are also compact in design, the only difference is that the drill is heavier than the driver. In addition, power tools are smaller and suitable for working in small spaces. Some compact power tools even have built-in LED lights for use in dark areas. Although both power tools are compact, they still have the thoughtful design and power to handle everyday work needs.
So for those of you who don' t know whether you need a drill or an impact driver, in this section, you can refer to the following features to understand their differences.
Function: Electric drills rotate a drill bit at high speeds for drilling holes in various materials, whereas impact drivers use a combination of rotational force and concussive impacts to drive screws and fasteners efficiently. The electric drill uses an electric motor to provide the necessary power for rotation. Electric drills offer versatility for drilling, screw driving and mixing, while impact drivers excel in fastening tasks, providing high torque and easy removal of stubborn fasteners. In short, the main function of an electric drill is rotation, while an impact driver has two functions: rotation and impact, so an impact driver is more powerful than an electric drill.
Applications: Cordless drills are not as powerful as impact drivers and can only handle soft materials, such as drilling holes of different sizes and depths in wood, plastic, pipes and even some metals. Some electric drills feature a mixing function, enabling users to mix paint, adhesives and other substances. The powerful force of an impact driver makes it easier and faster to drive screws, especially in dense or tough materials. Although drilling is not its primary function, it can also drill holes in harder materials such as concrete and rock.
Operation: Compared with the impact driver, it' s much easier to operate the cordless drill. You just need to choose the appropriate drilling speed, then insert the drill bit into the material and apply pressure to complete the drilling process. When drilling with an impact driver, the impact driver needs to bleed the air before drilling, and then insert the drill bit into the material while applying impact and pressure to get the best drilling results.
Drill bits: The final difference is that they are suitable for different drill bits. Cordless drill uses standard twist drill bits that cut into the material by rotating. These bits are typically made of high-speed steel (HSS) or carbide and come in various sizes and types. Impact drivers, on the other hand, use a hexagonal shank driver bit. These driver bits have a hexagonal shank that fits securely into the chuck of an impact driver. The driver bits are designed to absorb the high torque generated by impact drivers and prevent screws from dislodging. It is important to choose the right type of drill bits or diver bits based on the intended task, ensuring efficient and safe operation with either a cordless drill or an impact driver.
Even though these two power tools look very similar in appearance, they still have many differences in features, functions, applications and more. Therefore, when you choose a power tools, you must determine what job it is intended for, so that you can more easily buy a useful and high-quality power tools.