Frequently Asked Questions

What History Does Parlec Have With Driven Tools?

Parlec purchased Bristol Tool & Gauge in 2003, adding Driven tools to our product line. Bristol, founded in 1946, had over 20 years experience in manufacturing Driven tool products.

The joining of Parlec and Bristol allowed us to utilize the experience of the Bristol organization to manufacture Parlec Driven tools.

How Often Do I Need To Rebuild My Driven Tools?

The life cycle of a driven tool is dependent on the application and use of a specific tool. In addition to this, the design of a tool plays an important role in a tool’s life.

Tools cutting exotic metals or working in environments with small chip particles with longer cycle times will need to be rebuilt sooner than tools cutting aluminum components with shorter cycle times.

Unfortunately there is no rule of thumb on the required interval for rebuilding any manufacturer’s driven tool because of the variations in working environments. Due to the nature of the design of a Parlec tool, we are able to offer a one-year warranty on all of our tools. Parlec also offers maintenance packages for any tool, where we will evaluate your tools on an annual or semi-annual basis for a fixed rate, and should the tool show signs of wear, we would then offer a quote on replacement parts.

Can I Rebuild My Driven Tool?

Many customers believe they can replace a bearing or seal on a driven tool, but do not realize there is a lot more to repairing a tool than swapping out a bearing.

The following considerations must be observed when repairing a tool:

• Root cause of the failure identified and eliminated.
• Selection of replacements parts compatible with current components.
• Correct assembly of the unit to ensure proper pre-loads, alignments and installation of replacement parts.
• Break-in of the tool to prevent premature failure of the unit.
• Final QC evaluation to ensure the tool meets specifications of an equivalent new tool.
  
  

Failure to properly rebuild a tool will significantly decrease the performance and life span of a repaired unit.

Parlec offers a comprehensive repair department to handle any type of repair.

Please see the Service section of the website for information on how to get a free evaluation today!

Is Bearing Failure Common?

No – typically tools that come into our repair department that have bearings seized do not have a root cause of a bad bearing or bearing failure. Generally these tools had a seal failure which lead to contamination of the bearing system and the eventual failure of the bearings. Bearings kept free of contamination can perform for many years without issues.

Do I Need To Grease My Tools Periodically?

No – Driven tools are sealed by design and come with the bearings pre-greased for life. Adding additional grease could overload the bearings and cause premature failure.

What Makes A Parlec Tool Better By Design?

Bearings, Seals and Gears have the greatest effect on the performance of a head. Not only is selecting the proper grade of components important but the placement of these components inside the head also affects the quality of a tool.

Bearings

All of Parlec’s new tools utilize two types of bearings inside the heads on the output spindles. On 4500RPM rated heads we utilize tapered roller bearings which can handle greater loads than a traditional angular contact bearing and provide a more rigid tool. On 6000RPM rated heads we utilize multiple angular contact bearings at the front of the spindle to overcome the lack of rigidity produced on tools using a single bearing.

Seals

Parlec is constantly testing the latest seals on the market and designing our tools with a “protective” seal placement that ensures the longest possible life for a seal. By selecting higher quality seals and keeping them away from direct contact with chips and coolant flow we can produce a tool that will outlast our competition.

Where Are Parlec’s Products Made?

Parlec is proud of the fact that we manufacture these tools in North America.