Anchor Installation Procedure

What does cracked concrete, failed jobsite inspections and carrying maximum loads safely all have in common? They’re related to anchors. However, we’re not willing to compromise on the above and so we can provide solutions to all of them to ensure a safe and efficient anchor installation procedure.

In our latest blog, we discuss our Hilti innovations designed especially for setting anchors, The SafeSet system which minimizes the risk of anchor failure and the new Eurocode standards we all need to obey by. 

If you work with anchors daily, you know that over-torqued and under-torqued anchors are among the most common causes of failed jobsite inspections. Independent studies have identified poor construction procedures as one of the main causes of structural failure, while the American Construction Inspector Association reveal that over-and under-torqued anchors are the number-two reason for failed jobsite inspections.

And maybe it is no wonder, when the available tools do not match the current demands. To correctly install an anchor your choices are between a slow and imprecise torque wrench, cumbersome torque bars or a powered impact wrench, which lets productivity soar while safety and reliability slump.

Now, with Hilti's anchor innovation, the Adaptive Torque (AT) system, you don’t have to compromise. This system is a small, very light interface which slots in between the impact wrench and battery. It crunches live data from the SIW 6AT-A22 impact wrench to recognise when an anchor has been correctly installed. Let’s not forget that AT-ready tools are equipped with the sensors and on-board intelligence to confirm if an anchor has been torqued according to ETA approvals (European Organisation for Technical Assessment).

SafeSet is the Hilti system for setting anchors and post-installed rebar connections. It helps to ensure that anchors can carry their maximum load values safely, minimizing the risk of anchor failure. Alongside this, it’s designed to speed up the installation of anchors and rebar connections and to make them safer and more reliable.  As with our Hilti AT module, all SafeSet components are covered by international approvals and work seamlessly as a system.

The demand for cracked concrete approved anchors are on the rise. This is due to the development in the new design standards wherein concrete is assumed to be cracked. This is where the Eurocode 2 part 4 can help.  This new standard consolidates, updates and replaces older design guidelines and technical reports (e.g. ETAG001, EOTA TR029) for fastener design. It's intended for structural and non-structural applications in concrete and brings all aspects of fastener design together into a single standard. It defines the design and specification rules for cast-in fasteners, post-installed mechanical and bonded fasteners and anchor channels.

When it comes to anchors, here at Hilti we have the right anchor for the right application. But, what’s new? We have our HST2 anchor, a premium solution with an ETA for cracked concrete and a reliable solution with our AT module. With the changes in the Eurocode standards, the need for awareness of proper anchor design is more essential than ever. Therefore, as the HST2 is integrated in the SIW AT module with the adaptive torque technology, it gives you the piece of mind for safe installation, especially with the SafeSet reliability.  

To conclude, cracked concrete or not, a safe and efficient anchor installation procedure is paramount.