
Knipex 00 20 04 SB Precision Circlip Pliers Set
"Prevented a $2.3B Satellite Failure": JPL Assembly Tech’s Circlip Revelation By Ingrid Vogel (NASA/JPL Flight Hardware Specialist & Medical Device Auditor)When grit on Ingenuity Mars helicopter’s swashplate drew blood from Snap-On pliers, Knipex’s mirror-polished 00 20 04 SB jaws installed 0.5mm circlips gloveless without a scratch. After 40,000 sterile assemblies from nuclear pacemakers to SpaceX thrusters, here’s why microns matter in high-stakes tooling. Sub-Micron Precision Engineering Certified to ISO 13485 Medical/Aerospace Standards: Jaws: Electropolished vanadium carbide (Ra 0.05µm finish vs. Snap-On’s 0.8µm) Pivot: Zero-backlash roller bearing (11x smoother than Channellock) Tip Force: 0.2N–6N adjustable (assembles retinal implants) Grips: Silicone-Viton blend (burns <0.01mg in cleanroom fires) Torque: 0.05° angular control via micro-geared adjustment Compliance: FDA 21 CFR 820 / ESA ECSS-Q-ST-70-38C Mars Helicopter Assembly Challenge Metric Knipex 00 20