Design and Performance of Hand-Struck Tools Using High Performance Polymers

One of the oldest tools in the world, the hand-struck chisel, has been improved with the addition of a polymer cap. The cap enhances the safety and ergonomic features without compromising chisel cutting performance. During the development of this new design, a lumped-parameter model was used to quantify force transmission characteristics, and select a suitable polymer-reinforced nylon (Minlon™). In addition, a finite element model together with laboratory and field tests were used to demonstrate that the addition of the polymer cap significantly reduces chisel vibration and noise. Additional long term tests confirmed the cutting effectiveness and durability of the capped chisel.