Whatever tools you’re after, AutoZone has from you, and that includes hex keys. Buy online or in-store for a massive selection of tools from top name brands like Duralast.

When you have a fastener with a six-sided opening in it, you could pull out an Allen wrench set… or you could also pull out a hex key set. The difference between the two comes down to terminology only. There’s no debate about which is better, hex key vs Allen key, because they two names for the same type of tool.

Available from stock in 6,9,12, 25, 50, 78, and 105mm focal lengths, these precision lenses are well suited to forensic investigation and other UV and Infra-red imaging applications.

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When you begin to look around at different applications, you’ll see how ubiquitous hex keys are. Not only are they used to assemble flat-packed furniture from your favorite Swedish furniture store, but they’re all over other industries. They’re common in cycling and other sports, and especially common in automotive.

Highly scattered UV waves: UV light waves have a short wavelength, which means that they are scattered much more readily by small surface imperfections on a smooth surface than either visible or near-IR light. Scratches and dust are much more apparent, which is why the optics industry uses UV imaging to inspect lens surfaces, for example. Some of the texture imaging can be accomplished by raking-illuminated visible-light photography, though UV has advantages over raking light.

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Step 2: Insert the hex key into the screw head with the handle at 90 degrees. The key should always be used at 90 degrees to ensure it doesn’t skip or strip in the fastener, and it distributes force evenly across six points of contact.

Seldom will you find a hex key available as an individual too. Instead, they’re sold as a set of approximately seven to 12 pieces of various sizes, either in metric or SAE. Typically, you’ll find that older cars and domestic models will use SAE sizes while European or Asian models will use metric.

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Lenses are used primarily to focus or diverge light, either as a single component or as part of a larger array.  Convex lenses focus light to a point, whereas concave lenses diverge light away from the source.  The focal length of any lens is dictated by its diameter, radius of curvature and the refractive index of the material.  Simply put, materials with a high refractive index such as germanium (n=4.0) or high index flint glasses allow a lens to achieve a specific shorter focal length with a smaller diameter than the same lens made with a material of low refractive index. Materials also transmit in different wavelengths.  Taking germanium as an example again, UV and visible wavelength are blocked making the material appear opaque, but it allows IR transmission. This makes it undesirable for systems where UV or visible ranges are required.

UV lenses utilize specific substrates, anti-reflection coatings, or a combination of the two to maintain performance when operating below 400nm. Many optical lenses that perform well in the ultraviolet may also have strong performance in the visible, near-infrared, or infrared spectra.

At Universe Optics, our line of Ultraviolet Quartz Lenses is designed for imaging in the deep UV spectrum. These UV Quartz lenses are optimized for 266nm wavelength.

Why the terminology differences? It’s really quite simple. The broad term for this type of tool, hex key, is because of its shape. The Greek word ‘hex’ means six, which describes the six sides, or hexagonal shape, of this set of tools perfectly. The term ‘key’ also is simply sensible as the tool fits into a fastener, much like a key fits into a lock, and only the correct one will work.

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If you’re stocking your toolbox with common items you’ll need around the garage, you already know the importance of screwdrivers, wrenches, ratchets, and socket sets. Some screws need different types of tools to loosen or tighten them, and odds are that you’ve used them before. Hex keys or Allen wrenches. Are these hand tools or screwdriver bits different, or are they the same tool? Here’s what you need to know about them, how to use them, and different types of hex keys or Allen wrenches.

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Step 3: Rotate the hex key carefully. Hex fasteners aren’t intended for high-torque applications as they’re easy to strip. If you can’t break the fastener loose with manual power alone, lubricate it with penetrating fluid or apply heat or cold to help.

It does this for several reasons: Absorption: UV light is highly absorbed by many commonly encountered organic materials, yet it is reflected by many inorganic materials like stone and metal. If these organic materials are on a surface with higher UV reflectance, the substances will often stand out more strongly than visible-light or near-IR images. The reverse is true as well – traces of inorganic materials like salt stand out as bright on a dark organic surface like a wooden table.

Lack of penetration: UV light does not penetrate even very thin layers of materials. This makes surface topology more apparent, since normally, a translucent surface appears opaque. The high energy of the UV photons makes them interact strongly with the electrons in atoms and molecules. Many materials look very dark when imaged with UV light.

Are these hand tools or screwdriver bits different, or are they the same tool? Here’s what you need to know about them, how to use them, and different types of hex keys or Allen wrenches.

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It is well known that UV light has properties that make it a very powerful investigative tool in the study of forensics, particularly because it makes many substances fluoresce. Less well known is the power of reflected-UV imaging to reveal hidden evidence.

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A single hex key looks like a capitalized ‘L’ with one short section perpendicular to a long section of the same size, shape, and thickness. From one end to the other, they’re six-sided. They’re manual tools, and either end of the L can be used to turn the fastener.

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UVlens glasses

Ultraviolet lenses are used in many focusing, collimation, or laser applications that operate within the ultraviolet spectrum. They are optical lenses that consist of a single, or multiple elements that have been designed for optimal performance when used in ultraviolet light.

Try applying penetrating oil, using a heat source like a hairdryer, tapping the screw lightly with a hammer, or using a screw extractor tool if necessary.

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Step 1: Find the right one. What size hex key do I need? Fasteners are a certain size, whether metric or SAE, and the proper hex key will fit snugly. If the key can wiggle side to side without moving the fastener, it’s too small and could strip it, so look at the next size up or a comparable one in the other sizing convention.

We have over 1600 different lenses in stock at our New York facility. Call us now for a Universe of optimal design solutions at 1-516-624-2444.

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The name Allen key came from an early 1900s inventor who patented a cold drawing process for manufacturing set screws that required hex keys. The term ‘Allen key’ stuck, and even though it’s technically a trademarked name, other manufacturers use the term for their tools.

If you’re stocking your toolbox with common items you’ll need around the garage, you already know the importance of screwdrivers, wrenches, ratchets, and socket sets. Some screws need different types of tools to loosen or tighten them, and odds are that you’ve used them before. Hex keys or Allen wrenches.

However, despite the varieties, the six-sided L-shaped tool is the only one that can truly claim the name of hex key – or Allen key, if you prefer.

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On the long stem, you might find a flat or straight end, or it could be a rounded ball shape with six sides, Because a fastener might not be perfectly accessible, the ball end can make it easier to insert the hex key at an angle while still being able to turn it. Usually the ball end is only used when the fastener has barely any resistance, but under higher torque, it can skip or strip the fastener.

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