RAD NEWS

When planning an expanded rail link over the Arctic tundra nearly 100 kilometers away, the team at Baffinland knew they’d need tough tools to get the job done — so they chose RAD Torque Systems.

Linking Baffinland’s River Mary mine to their new Sealift facility meant they needed to acquire more torque wrenches that could withstand the extreme cold temperatures. How cold? Well, the new facility sits about 1500 kilometers inside the Arctic Circle reaching an average winter temperature of -35C. It’s so cold that the extreme weather only allows for 90-days of ice-free shipping every year.

TOUGH CHOICE FOR SUB-ZERO WORK

In these sub-zero temperatures, people typically prefer to use pneumatic tools as their primary choice for work. However, in these extreme situations, air tools freeze up and workers cannot run alcohol through the lines to keep them from doing so.

Having used RAD Torque battery tools in the past, Baffinland knew that the B-RAD and DB-RAD would be perfect for the extreme conditions. In particular, the Digital B-RAD 3000–2 has become the service tool of choice for both mine operations as well as fleet maintenance.

RAD battery tools showcase the latest lithium-ion 18V battery technology, and we all know that lithium-ion batteries perform best when cold. But with temperatures as low as Baffin Island’s, this truly becomes the toughest endurance test known to man.

RACE AGAINST FREEZING

RAD expects to receive a large shipment of B-RAD and DB-RAD tools in August to start the rail line construction. Then the mine crew will have to act fast, as they will only have 90 days to build the expansion before everything freezes up again in October.

So, if you’re wondering how our tools perform in the cold, we can confidently tell you that in one of the most inhospitable landscapes on earth, the only battery arctic torque tool fit for the job is a RAD Torque tool.