Power and versatility

Ryobi is still a young power tool brand in Germany, though it Is a familiar name in England and France. And in America it even plays a leading role. Its success is based on permanent product innovations, especially in the field of storage battery technology. Techtronic Industries (TTI), Ryobi’s parent company, is regarded as a pioneer in the introduction of tools running on lithium-ion batteries. Ryobi’s programme includes power tools and garden equipment using lithium-ion batteries ranging from four to 36 volts. Recently the company invited its trading partners to an exhibition in Bensberg Castle to demonstrate the new developments in battery technology that Ryobi is now implementing and their effect on the performance of the latest power tools. On this fantastic location high above the Rhine, with a view of Cologne cathedral, there was plenty of opportunity to experience the world of Ryobi products in all their diversity. The main focus of attention there was the new 18 volt lithium+ batteries. In these batteries Ryobi’s own Intelli-Cell technology provides individual cell monitoring and consequently an effective overload protection. Ryobi claims that the complex electronic system controls both charging process and power output with greater precision and more comprehensively than other comparable systems. In actual practice it leads to a perceptible increase of up to ten per cent in performance. The careful and individual charging of each separate cell also leads to more charge cycles and so to a longer service life. An LED display provides information on the amount of power that remains. The patented overload protector prevents any damage to the battery or the machine itself. Because storage batteries are exposed to strong mechanical stress, the housing is made from an impact-resistant synthetic with gummed edges. Inside there are sturdy frames designed to hold the individual batteries. Any interstices are filled with insulating material. As Ryobi stresses, this means that the tools equipped with the 18V/4.0 Ah batteries have even more power at their disposal. These days it is possible to use them in ways that would have been inconceivable just a few years ago. Thanks to their enormous energy content the user can work for longer than previously or – for a short period of time – very powerfully the company explains. This is of special benefit to power-hungry tools for use in the garden, such as hedge trimmers and lawn clippers, as well as other equipment…