History of Tools: How Tools With Technology Have Changed

The evolution of hand tools along with the growth and establishment of tool companies demonstrates an innovative path of continuous improvement in updating tools. Tool designs have changed, especially over the last century, to make tools lighter and more durable, more ergonomic, safer and packed with more features. The heads in charge of several different tool companies give their perspectives on how the tools of today have to do more, be tougher, and look and feel nicer than tools of the past. But hand tools aren’t the only things that have changed. Measuring and testing tools have received considerable upgrades as well. These tools have become more compact, accurate and can do more jobs than when they first appeared. Much of this has been the result of the invention of the transistor in 1947 which led to the development of incredibly accurate testing and measuring equipment. Of course the development of other technologies like lasers and the Internet helped as well.

One of the tools that has changed the most is the multimeter which is primarily used for detecting voltage. Having its origins in the bulky and cumbersome galvanometer, multimeters were invented by Donald Macadie who came up with the multimeter as a way to consolidate multiple instruments into one device. The first multimeter was able to measure amps, volts and ohms. The earliest multimeters relied on springs, other moving parts and magnetic fields to detect and measure electrical current and they would display the reading on an analog display. While analog measuring devices are still available, today’s multimeters tend to be digital. Digital multimeters eliminate the moving parts and measure the voltage, resistance, current and more by running current through an analog to digital conversion and displaying the reading on a digital readout. Analog multimeters can be misread, but the digital reading is far more precise and reliable ensuring that electricians, electrical engineers and more can rely on the data to do their jobs.

Another tool that has undergone major changes in its short history is the laser, as used in construction. The first laser was created in 1960, but didn’t see use in interior construction until eight years later. These early lasers didn’t do much and had essentially no features all for a cost prohibitive price tag of around $8,000. Slowly, features that we take for granted now were added, the ability to rotate and wall mounts being some of the most essential. Despite the lack of features and the cost, lasers did increase efficiency. The 1970s saw construction lasers gaining the ability to self-level and display 90 degree split-beams and the 80s saw improved power supplies. The laser emitter also improved giving the beam a longer life extending it from around 300 hours of life up to a whopping 30,000 hours. All of these innovations have been made smaller and smaller and one example of a construction laser at its peak is the Klein 93LCLS laser level with a plumb spot which comes with wall mounts, 90 degree split lasers and a plumb spot to measure distance to the ceiling. The construction laser has gone from a cumbersome job aid to a well-designed and highly reliable tool that increases accuracy and productivity. It’s a must have in any tool box.

While the history of cable testers for computer networking is somewhat elusive, what is clear is that even the testing of network cables has had some advancements. One of the earlier pioneers of network cable testers was Fluke, who in the early 90s designed a tester to check for Near End Crosstalk. This and other testers basically check to make sure that all the things that should be connected are connected and the things that shouldn’t be aren’t. The basics are that these testers perform continuity tests and a resistance test to test a connection, and to test for a short, they perform a low voltage and high voltage tests. Over the years, further features have been added. You can now use various cable testers to find cables in the wall, test fiber optics, test the length of a cable and probably a lot more.

While these tools all do widely different things, they all share in common that they started life as untested and imperfect technology. The benefits that even crude forms of these tools brought led to innovations that packed on additional features and has made all of these tools precise and reliable instruments that bring even more to a job site. As technology improves, it will be exciting to see what new advancements will be made!