During vehicle assembly, up to 1,000 fastening operations can be performed on a single vehicle. Many of these fastening points are directly adjacent to painted surfaces and sensitive metal or plastic components.
Every tightening operation near these surfaces creates a potential risk of scratches, coating damage or other marks caused by the assembly tool. With the cost of inspection, repair and rework, preventing this type of damage has become an important factor in automotive production.
Ekatec Covertec tools use specially developed protective sleeves to separate the fastening tool from the surrounding component—protecting both the product and the operator.
Surface damage caused during fastening isn't just a cosmetic problem. It can lead to additional quality assurance, inspection and rework, increasing the cost of an otherwise completed assembly.
The challenge becomes even greater as installation spaces get smaller, accessibility becomes more difficult and increasingly complex products contain more sensitive finished surfaces.
Covertec provides a protective barrier between the assembly tool and the product. Instead of exposed rotating metal operating directly beside a finished surface, the Covertec sleeve helps prevent the tool from damaging the surrounding component.
Ekatec specifically positions Covertec as a solution for safety tools and surface protection.
The key to the system is the specially developed Covertec protective sleeve.
The Covertec sleeve is mechanically decoupled from the basic tool. If the sleeve comes into contact with the surrounding component, the sleeve stops while the fastening tool can continue to rotate inside it.
This prevents the rotating tool itself from making direct contact with the sensitive surface.
At the same time, the sleeve remains securely connected to the Covertec tool, even under the mechanical loads generated during fastening.
The system can be applied to different fastening tools. Ekatec's product material shows, for example, sockets with rotating housings, magnetic bit holders, protected bits and housings for ratchet heads.
| Without Covertec | With Covertec |
| Exposed rotating metal tooling | Protective sleeve around the tool |
| Risk of scratching painted surfaces | Reduced direct contact with sensitive surfaces |
| Potential damage to metal and plastic components | Component protected from the rotating tool |
| Surface damage can require inspection and rework | Helps reduce avoidable damage and associated costs |
| Rotating components can be exposed | Protective housing around rotating components |
| Potential glove/clothing entanglement | Pinch-Point solutions provide additional protection |
| Damaged protection may require a new tool | Covertec sleeve can be replaced separately |