Best of LinkedIn: Digital Powertools CW 41/ 42

00:00:00: This episode is provided by Thomas Allgaier and Frennus based on the most relevant LinkedIn posts about digital power tools in calendar weeks, forty one and forty two.

00:00:10: Frennus is a BDB market research company that supports enterprises in the power tool sector.

00:00:14: with the market, customer and competitive insights they need to navigate dynamic markets and drive customer centric product development.

00:00:22: Welcome to the deep dive.

00:00:24: So our mission today is really to sift through what professionals were talking about on LinkedIn these past couple of weeks.

00:00:30: That's calendar weeks forty one and forty two.

00:00:33: We're looking for the key trends, the product buzz, the big ecosystem shifts in digital power tools.

00:00:39: Yeah, absolutely.

00:00:40: And we're focusing specifically on what's driving things forward in smart build and manufacturing spaces.

00:00:45: OK, so what jumped out at you from the feed these last two weeks?

00:00:48: Well, it

00:00:48: wasn't just minor updates.

00:00:50: We saw some pretty significant strategic directions.

00:00:53: Definitely a big push on standardizing platforms, especially batteries.

00:00:56: Then there's this injection of automation and really high precision for specialized tasks.

00:01:03: And also, you can really see tangible investments in software and, interestingly, sustainability.

00:01:10: The main thread, I'd say, is integration, making everything work together more smoothly on the job site.

00:01:15: That makes a lot of sense.

00:01:16: You need that solid base for these complex digital tools.

00:01:20: So let's start right there with power.

00:01:23: What's happening with battery systems and charging?

00:01:25: Okay.

00:01:26: Yeah, what's interesting is the conversations move beyond just amp hours.

00:01:30: now It's really all about the convenience of the platform and keeping crews running.

00:01:35: Maximizing

00:01:35: uptime shared systems

00:01:37: exactly big momentum there because well, it just makes life easier for the pros.

00:01:41: less friction like

00:01:42: the AMP share system Maybe.

00:01:45: I saw Patricia Murano posting about that, highlighting the benefits for contractors, you know, lower initial cost, less storage needed.

00:01:52: Yep.

00:01:52: And less time juggling different batteries and chargers.

00:01:54: It simplifies things.

00:01:55: Which,

00:01:56: as Patricia noted, also helps on the sustainability side.

00:01:59: Fewer lithium batteries needed overall if everyone's sharing.

00:02:03: Right.

00:02:03: And the goal they have is pretty ambitious.

00:02:06: uh, forty partner brands by the end of twenty twenty five.

00:02:09: That kind of scales in what makes standardization actually work.

00:02:13: And big names are involved in the start, right?

00:02:15: Sebastian Schnepman, I mentioned F.E.

00:02:16: Angine was a founding member, shows commitment from established players.

00:02:20: Definitely.

00:02:21: It signals a real shift.

00:02:22: Okay.

00:02:22: But is the charging tech keeping up?

00:02:24: I mean, big batteries are great.

00:02:26: but not if they take forever to charge.

00:02:28: Oh, for sure.

00:02:29: Ivana Pachich was talking about the Expert-Eighteen V. Two-Three-Twenty Dual Charger.

00:02:33: This thing is built for speed, ultra-fast, parallel charging.

00:02:37: Parallel,

00:02:37: so both slots at full speed.

00:02:39: Yeah.

00:02:39: And the detail I liked.

00:02:41: active air cooling.

00:02:42: It keeps performing even when it's freezing like negative ten Celsius or boiling hot up to plus fifty five C. That's crucial for real world sites.

00:02:50: That

00:02:50: speed matters because the batteries themselves are getting pretty advanced.

00:02:54: Chris Murray and Sarah Schmidt were pointing out the new expert eighteen V batteries.

00:02:58: They use table cell technology.

00:03:00: That's the key.

00:03:01: Table cells mean basically.

00:03:04: much better power delivery, less internal resistance, so less heat when you're really drawing power.

00:03:09: These are serious batteries.

00:03:10: There's a fifteen option delivering up to twenty four hundred watts.

00:03:14: Proper hydrostuff.

00:03:16: And you see that power put to use in specific tools, like Curtis Stocker showed off the Milwaukee M-Eighteen Hydropastic Water Pump.

00:03:24: Pump's a ton of water, sure, fifty six hundred seventy liters an hour.

00:03:27: But the smart part is that integrated filter.

00:03:30: It stops the inlet getting blocked by debris.

00:03:32: That solves a massive headache on site, you know, when your pump just quits mid-job.

00:03:36: Yeah,

00:03:36: that's a classic problem solved.

00:03:38: Good example of practical integration.

00:03:40: Okay, so from raw power and platform convenience, let's switch to yours.

00:03:43: Let's talk about precision, surgical control, especially for those really demanding jobs, infrastructure, heavy steel work.

00:03:50: Right, and this is where we saw some really specialized innovation, particularly from Hilti.

00:03:54: Stefan Takishi was detailing their MAG drill SF-Thirty M-Twenty-Two.

00:03:59: It's engineered specifically for drilling accurately and fast into the tough steel used on things like transmission towers.

00:04:04: That magnetic base must be critical there.

00:04:07: High torque, too, when you're working vertically or overhead.

00:04:10: Exactly.

00:04:10: Stability and power are key.

00:04:12: And then, after drilling comes fastening... Lorenzo Veronelli highlighted the Hilti SBT system.

00:04:18: It's used for securing the OPGW down leads on those same towers.

00:04:22: Ah,

00:04:22: and the thing, there was no welding, right?

00:04:25: And corrosion safe.

00:04:26: Precisely.

00:04:27: That's a huge plus.

00:04:29: Welding compromises the galvanization on steel, leads to rust down the line.

00:04:34: This system keeps the steel protected, and importantly, it makes installations safer, especially if there's potential for live line work nearby.

00:04:41: Better longevity, safer work.

00:04:43: makes sense.

00:04:44: And connecting that precision idea to automation, the Hilti iBot keeps popping up, who's some D shared insights on it again.

00:04:51: It automates overhead drilling,

00:04:52: which saves time, obviously.

00:04:53: Yes,

00:04:54: boost productivity.

00:04:55: But maybe more importantly, it takes away that brutal physical strain of working overhead all day.

00:05:00: That repetitive stress is a real issue for workers.

00:05:04: Safety and efficiency going hand in hand.

00:05:06: I also saw DeWalt focusing on control, not just speed in their impact drivers.

00:05:12: Sean W pointed out the precision drive mode on the DCF-A-Fifty.

00:05:16: Yeah, that's a neat bit of software control.

00:05:18: It basically stops you from over-tightening and damaging materials or stripping screw heads.

00:05:23: How does it work exactly?

00:05:24: It drives the fastener until it bites, feels the resistance, then it stops automatically and switches to controlled quarter turns for the final tightening.

00:05:32: Takes the guesswork out.

00:05:33: Smart.

00:05:33: So you avoid costly mistakes and wasted time.

00:05:37: Kurt Pereira did note that DCF-A-Fifty is still the go-to for pure speed.

00:05:41: but that DCF-A-Fifty adds finesse.

00:05:44: Right.

00:05:44: And David Schweitzer also mentioned how precision is scaling up comparing the new, more versatile, twenty-V multi-head driver, the DCD-A-O-three for bigger jobs against the, you know, already capable twelve-V version, the DCD-A-O-three.

00:05:56: Precision isn't just for small stuff anymore.

00:05:58: Okay,

00:05:58: let's shift again to the heavy-duty end.

00:06:01: Demolition and cutting.

00:06:02: The challenge here seems to be getting that raw power, but also pushing for zero emissions and user comfort.

00:06:08: Definitely.

00:06:09: And there's a new benchmark in wallbreakers.

00:06:11: Ewald A. Colusia introduced the Hilt T. T. E. six hundred AVR.

00:06:16: First off, it's twenty-five percent lighter than the old model.

00:06:19: That's significant when you're hauling it around.

00:06:20: Big difference,

00:06:21: yeah.

00:06:21: But the real kicker is the comfort.

00:06:23: AVR active vibration reduction.

00:06:26: They've got the vibration down to just three point eight meters mutters.

00:06:29: That's incredibly low.

00:06:31: What means it means operators can use it for much longer stretches without hitting safety limits or getting totally exhausted, less fatigue, more uptime.

00:06:39: Plus it has this user force control feature to help guide the operator

00:06:43: and tying back to zero emissions.

00:06:45: Lenny Edmond was promoting the Hilt I. T. E. Two thousand cordless breaker.

00:06:49: They're using it for driving ground rods in substation

00:06:51: work.

00:06:52: Ah, so high impact, but battery powered.

00:06:54: Exactly.

00:06:55: No generator, no fumes, less noise, less maintenance on site.

00:06:58: Just grab the battery and go.

00:06:59: That cordless zero emission trend is definitely strong in cutting too.

00:07:03: Kevin McGuckin highlighted the Husqvarna prime range.

00:07:06: That system handles serious cutting and cord drilling like walls, nearly eighteen inches thick.

00:07:11: And all powered by their PPA power pack.

00:07:13: Zero emissions again.

00:07:14: Correct.

00:07:15: Then there are the really specialized cutters for specific trades.

00:07:19: Andrei Muhith showed the Milwaukee M-Eighteen Threaded Rod Cutter essential for electricians.

00:07:25: Because it gives clean cuts.

00:07:26: Clean, fast, and crucially, burr-free cuts on mild steel rods, M-Six up to M-Twelve, no sparks like a grinder, no heat, no mess, just pure efficiency for a repetitive job.

00:07:38: And for the woodworkers.

00:07:39: Sri Kudanshaji showcased the Stanley SST-Eighteen Hundred B-Five table saw, good power, eighteen hundred W. But the focus was precision.

00:07:48: It has a self-aligning rip fence to keep cuts accurate every time.

00:07:52: Okay, we can't talk efficiency without mentioning organization.

00:07:54: Bad organization just kills time on site.

00:07:57: Jody Grimsley detailed the new Milwaukee Master Mechanic hand tool sets that integrate right into their pack out system.

00:08:03: Yeah,

00:08:03: I saw those and some nice design touches like the chrome sockets having four flat sides.

00:08:07: Four

00:08:07: flat sides, right.

00:08:08: Anti-roll and you can get a wrench on them easily.

00:08:10: And the ratchets have a ninety tooth design.

00:08:13: finer swing arc, better in tight spots.

00:08:15: It's that whole system thinking the tools fit the storage, the storage fits the workflow, saves time.

00:08:20: And Paul Miller showed another example, the foldable Milwaukee pipe stand folds up small but handles pipe or strut up to six inches.

00:08:28: It's those little things that add up.

00:08:30: Totally.

00:08:30: Those small efficiency wins compound over a whole project.

00:08:33: All right, let's zoom out a bit now.

00:08:35: Look at the bigger picture, the sort of Smarter strategies, sustainability, software, and even the culture around the trades.

00:08:43: This is where you see the long-term bets.

00:08:44: And the sustainability piece was maybe the most impressive thing we tracked.

00:08:48: Thomas Donato and Steven shared details on the Bosch Universal Impact, eight hundred closed loop edition.

00:08:53: This is really ambitious.

00:08:54: Closed loop, meaning.

00:08:56: Meaning,

00:08:56: seventy-eight percent of the plastic in the drills housing comes directly from recycled old decommissioned power tools, not just generic recycled plastic.

00:09:05: They actually set up a pilot process.

00:09:06: to recover and reuse material from their own end of life tools.

00:09:10: Wow,

00:09:10: that's proper circular economy in action.

00:09:12: A huge technical challenge, I imagine, to get the quality right from old tool plastic.

00:09:17: Exactly.

00:09:18: It shows real commitment, not just greenwashing.

00:09:21: And related to cleaner sites, Vincent Lee and Sanif Ansar both flagged the BX-IV battery nailer.

00:09:29: It's positioned as truly emission-free because it uses no propellant cartridges, just battery power.

00:09:34: It delivers the punch without the chemicals.

00:09:36: Got it.

00:09:37: Yeah.

00:09:37: What about managing the job site digitally?

00:09:40: Hilti's pushing into managing consumables.

00:09:42: Alexander Funk outlined their consumables management solution basically full tracking, automated delivery?

00:09:49: On a subscription model.

00:09:50: Yeah.

00:09:50: Takes the hassle of ordering screws, nails, anchors, whatever off the contractor.

00:09:55: Prevents running out of critical stuff mid job.

00:09:58: And it's not just the huge players either, right?

00:10:00: Christian Reed mentioned recon tools getting featured in the Boston Globe.

00:10:03: Yeah.

00:10:03: For advancing projects with their digital tools and software.

00:10:06: That kind of mainstream coverage shows digital site management is becoming critical infrastructure, not just a niche anymore.

00:10:13: This strategic focus also seems to include like brand building and investing in the industry itself.

00:10:19: Absolutely.

00:10:20: Dirk Frohberger, Lisa Reisig, and Medeus Contiero were all talking about the Bosch Professional Engineered for Action campaign.

00:10:28: big push celebrating craftsmanship, getting high visibility through partnerships with top European football leagues, like the Bundesliga and Champions League.

00:10:37: Associating the brand with high performance.

00:10:39: Exactly.

00:10:40: And then DeWalt, marking their hundred and first anniversary, made a massive commitment.

00:10:45: Chris Nelson confirmed they're putting sixty million dollars into their Grow the Trades initiatives.

00:10:49: Sixty million.

00:10:51: Yeah.

00:10:51: That's serious money dedicated to tackling the skills gap and supporting the future workforce.

00:10:56: Shows they see the labor shortage as a fundamental challenge.

00:10:59: And we saw specific partnerships too.

00:11:01: Definitely.

00:11:01: Highly specialized ones.

00:11:03: Andreas Hammer announced Hammer is working with DMG MRI and wind tool on better tool management solutions specifically for production environments.

00:11:12: And Philip Liebernam mentioned Hilti Pollen engaging directly with EDG members about timber construction solutions.

00:11:18: The whole ecosystem is getting more specialized and interconnected.

00:11:22: So if we try to wrap up what we've seen in this deep dive.

00:11:25: it feels like a really strong push towards, um, integrated systems.

00:11:32: Like, amapeshare standardizing batteries, or Hilti managing consumables via software.

00:11:37: Yeah, integration is key.

00:11:38: And

00:11:38: precision automation is becoming essential.

00:11:41: Whether it's the big stuff like the Jibot reducing physical strain, or the fine control, like duals precision drive, preventing mistakes.

00:11:48: Right,

00:11:48: smart control everywhere.

00:11:49: Plus...

00:11:50: A really tangible commitment to sustainability like that Bosch closed-loop drill is not just talk.

00:11:56: For sure.

00:11:56: And if you connect all that investment back to the future workforce, I mean, you see DeWalt supporting World Skills France, Natalie Connorsette highlighted that, or Hamer doing scholarships as Manuel Merck detailed.

00:12:07: It makes you think the real game changer isn't just the next slightly more powerful tool.

00:12:11: It's speeding up the development of the next generation of tradespeople.

00:12:15: They're the ones who will need to master these complex connected systems to actually be competitive.

00:12:20: That feels like where the industry is placing its biggest bet for the future.

00:12:24: That's a great point to end on.

00:12:26: The tools are evolving, but so must the skills to use them effectively.

00:12:29: If you enjoyed this episode, new episodes drop every two weeks.

00:12:33: Also check out our other editions on digital construction and smart manufacturing.

00:12:36: Thank you for joining us on this deep dive.