Final answer:
Technician A is correct about the units for measuring torque, while Technician B is not correct as torque is not up and down force, but rotational force.
Step-by-step explanation:
Technician A is correct in stating that torque value is specified in units of foot-pounds (lb-ft), inch-pounds (in-lb), or Newton meters (Nm). These are standard units of measurement for torque, which is the tendency of a force to rotate an object around an axis.
Technician B is incorrect because torque is not an up and down force but rather the rotational equivalent of linear force. It is calculated as the product of the force applied and the distance from the axis of rotation where the force is applied.
The proper professional usage of torque is to ensure proper tension and loading of bolted or fastened joints without under- or overstressing them.
Considering an example where you are tightening a bolt: if you push perpendicularly on a wrench with a force of 165 N at a distance of 0.140 m from the center of the bolt, the torque exerted in Newton meters (Nm) is calculated by multiplying the force by the distance (165 N × 0.140 m), resulting in 23.1 Nm.
To convert this to foot-pounds, we use the conversion factor where 1 Nm is approximately equal to 0.73756 lb-ft. Therefore, 23.1 Nm is equivalent to approximately 17.04 lb-ft of torque.