As with any product, hand tools have to go through a long process of development before they make it into the hands of trade professionals. From the initial concept all the way through to when tools are on shelves for purchase, there are dozens of steps involved to make a tool idea into a tool in-hand.
One of the most important steps in development for Klein Tools is product testing.
Klein Tools uses two main methods of product testing. The first method is in-house testing. As a product is being developed and manufactured, our engineers put it through a rigorous process that includes drop testing, pressure testing, and seeing how many times said tool can hit or cut something before the product wears out. They do this through manual use so that they can make sure the in-hand fit is right, as well as using specialized machines to perform these actions thousands of times, repeatedly. Both our Lincolnshire, Illinois, facility and our state-of-the-art manufacturing headquarters in Mansfield, Texas, have product testing labs where engineers spend hours upon hours with each new tool in development, making sure they can stand up to the repetitive use that tradespeople need them to.
The second testing method in Klein Tools’ product development process is field testing. For this part, we take the tools directly to tradespeople for real-life testing on the jobsite. This gives us the opportunity not only to help ensure that the tools function as intended, but also to get feedback from the professionals who know their own needs and tools best. Given that they are the ones who use and rely on these tools on a daily basis, our end users’ feedback is one of the most important parts of the product development process.
This entire process takes time, as getting tools working and up to Klein Tools’ rigorous standards can take months, if not years. Every member of the team is dedicated to maintaining the quality Klein Tools has always been known for, and delivering customers the best possible product.
How long have you been using your favorite Klein tools, and how have they stood the test of time? Let us know on social media!