More than half of grinder accidents result from operator error.

Because bench grinders are everyday machinery in workplaces nationwide, many operators become complacent about their hazards. However, bench grinders are very dangerous when used improperly. Statistics show that more than half of grinder injuries, such as fingers caught in the machine, or eye and face lacerations, are the result of operator error. Rockford Systems LLC, a premier provider of machine safeguarding products and services, offers this primer on grinder safety regulations to help prevent accidents.

First off, it is important to be fully versed in the regulations that outline safe grinder installation, maintenance and operation. The workplace regulations that apply to grinders are OSHA 29 CFR SubPart O 1910.215, a "machine specific" (vertical) regulation with a number of requirements, which if left unchecked, are often cited by OSHA as violations. ANSI B11.9-2010 (Grinders) and ANSI B7.1 2000 (Abrasive Wheels) also apply. Carefully review these sets of regulations before operating any grinding machinery.

Work-rests and tongue-guards OSHA specifies that work-rests be kept adjusted to within 1/8” of the wheel to prevent the workpiece from being jammed between the wheel and the rest, resulting in potential wheel breakage. Because grinders run at such high RPM, wheels actually explode when they break, causing very serious injuries, blindness and even death. In addition, the distance between the grinding wheel and the adjustable tongue-guard – also known as a "spark arrestor" – must never exceed 1/4”. Because the wheel wears down during use, both these dimensions must be regularly checked and adjusted.

Grinder safety gauges can be used during the installation, maintenance, and inspection of bench/pedestal grinders to ensure work-rests and tongue-guards comply with OSHA's 1910.215 regulation and ANSI standards. To do so, wait until the wheel has completely stopped and the grinder is properly locked out before using a grinder safety gauge. Grinder coast-down time takes several minutes, which may tempt an impatient employee to use the gauge while the wheel is still rotating. This practice is very dangerous because it can cause wheel breakage.

Other advice: where grinders are concerned, personal protective equipment (PPE) usually means a full face-shield, not just safety glasses. The fact is, an employee cannot be too careful with a machine that operates at several thousand RPM. Remember to document any safety requirements set forth by OSHA as that is the best evidence that safety procedures are being followed.

Ring-testing OSHA requires that grinding wheels be ring tested before mounting them. This simple step prevents the inadvertent mounting of a cracked grinding wheel. Ring-Testing involves suspending the grinding wheel by its center hole, then tapping the side of the wheel with a non-metallic object. This should produce a bell tone if the wheel is intact. A thud, or a cracked-plate sound, indicates a cracked wheel. For larger grinders, grinding wheels are laid flat on a vibration-table with sand evenly spread over the wheel. If the wheel is cracked, the sand moves away from the crack.

To prevent cracking a wheel during the mounting procedure, employees must be very carefully trained in those procedures. This starts with making sure the wheel is properly matched to that particular grinder, using proper blotters and spacers, and knowing exactly how much pressure to exert with a torque-wrench, just to mention a few things.

Wheel covers This OSHA-compliant wheel-cover allows no more than a total of 90° degrees of the wheel left exposed. (65° from horizontal plane to the top of wheel-cover). Never exceed these wheel-cover maximum opening dimensions. Larger wheel-cover openings create a wider pattern of flying debris should the wheel explode.

A well-recognized safety precaution on bench/pedestal grinders is to stand well off to the side of the wheel for the first full minute before using the machine. Accidents have shown that grinding wheels are most likely to shatter/explode during that first minute. OSHA Instruction Standard #STD 1-12.8 October 30, 1978, addresses the conditional and temporary removal of the work rest for use only with larger piece parts based on the condition that side guards are provided.

Rockford Systems offers a wide variety of safeguarding products for grinders including motor starters, disconnect switches, and shields.

FactoryEye’s collaboration with Visual Decisions Inc. delivers insights to mid-sized manufacturers with a combination of Lean Six Sigma and Data Analysis

FactoryEye N.A., a division of Magic Software Enterprises Ltd, is partnering with Visual Decisions Inc. Visual Decisions Inc. has been at the forefront of improving business processes for manufacturers by helping them adapt smart technologies to modernize their operations since 2002. This latest addition to FactoryEye’s Strategic Partner Program will help mid-sized manufacturers ensure a truly collaborative and data-driven manufacturing culture.

Many mid-sized manufacturers are focusing on improving efficiency, but the captured data is often siloed across multiple systems. To combat this, Visual Decisions Inc. helps manufacturers adapt daily workflows to take advantage of 4.0 capabilities, thus driving continuous improvement across the factory and the company. Visual Decisions Inc.’s partnership with FactoryEye will help drive more efficient and effective solutions across manufacturing.

“Mid-sized manufacturers can implement various methods to improve data collection, but unless people do something differently tomorrow than they do today, they won't see the benefits,” says Tim Stuart, founder and president of Visual Decisions Inc., “They need to be able to take advantage of data to drive continuous improvement across operations. Visual Decisions has “developed a number of best practice scenarios over time by incorporating knowledge from successes in across its base of leading manufacturers.”

Visual Decisions Inc. provides insights for customers implementing the FactoryEye solution by identifying the root causes for current obstacles and building a roadmap to break through each of those barriers. Every week, Visual Decisions Inc. hosts a webinar that can cover topics anywhere from augmented reality for manufacturing to getting the most from an Industry 4.0 investment.

Terri Ghio, president of FactoryEye North America, says, “We are excited to work with Visual Decisions Inc. since they have insightful resources on digital transformation for manufacturers. Both of our teams have a shared passion for bring smart factory solutions to the mid-sized manufacturer.”

If you would like to attend FactoryEye’s executive event ‘The Secrets of Industry 4.0: Knowledge is Power’ on April 28th in Cleveland, Ohio, please reserve your seat at: https://lg.magicsoftware.com/the-secrets-of-industry-40.

Makrolon polycarbonate is key to needle-free injections that can stand up to sterilization.

Covestro, a leading polymer company, is proud to announce its collaboration with PharmaJet, a leading biotech company in needle-free injection technology. PharmaJet’s Needle-free Injection Systems (NFIS) provide a more effective way of administering drugs and biologics, and are preferred by patients, caregivers, and healthcare workers. NFIS are used as the method of delivery in 20+ COVID vaccine development programs and the world’s first plasmid-based DNA vaccine which recently received Emergency Use Authorization for COVID in India.

The PharmaJet systems require a polycarbonate material to meet the specifications of the syringe and vial adapter while standing up to gamma radiation and ethylene oxide sterilization. Covestro was able to support PharmaJet’s material needs, despite supply chain issues that affected many medical suppliers. 

Covestro has more than 50 years of experience manufacturing polycarbonate for the medical device industry. This product and collaboration demonstrates the company’s leadership and breadth of portfolio in this market. Covestro’s range of biocompatible, medical grade products are used across a range of applications from IV access components to surgical instruments to drug delivery solutions.

“We needed a polycarbonate resin that was suitable for our biotech applications and came from a vendor we could rely on,” says Chris Cappello, president and CEO, at PharmaJet. “Covestro has provided great support to PharmaJet in the fight against COVID-19, allowing the collaboration to achieve better immunological results than needle and syringe delivery.”

“Covestro is honored to provide a reliable supply of Makrolon polycarbonate that meets the demand of needle-free injection, ultimately leading to a better patient experience, and reduced waste,” says Mark Nichols, healthcare key account manager, Covestro. 

To learn more about how your company can use Covestro’s material expertise to enhance your medical device manufacturing, please visit our Solution Center.  

Automation Alley's project DIAMOnD leads effort to fulfill request from Ukrainian Defense Ministry.

Ultimation Industries is part of a 3D printing network in Michigan rushing to aid Ukrainians during wartime by printing tourniquet clips. Ultimation is the leading direct-to-consumer conveyor manufacturer and designs, builds, and installs material handling equipment.

The humanitarian effort is being led locally by Automation Alley’s Project DIAMOnD, a 3D printing network of 300 small- and medium-sized manufacturers. Automation Alley is working with Makershelp, a 3D printing organization in Denmark, to fulfill a request from the Ukrainian Defense Ministry to supply tourniquets to help those in need of medical assistance during the Russian assault on Ukraine. Project DIAMOnD is activating its emergency mode to mobilize all printers in its network to print tourniquet clips before final assembly in Denmark.

“As a manufacturer, Project DIAMOnD has allowed us to aid in humanitarian efforts when called upon while experimenting with 3D printing and innovating for our own business,” says Richard Canny, president of Ultimation Industries.

According to Automation Alley, 3D printing is the ideal technology to produce needed parts in times of crisis, like wartime and pandemics, because of its flexibility and speed. The designs for parts can also be shared digitally among multiple locations and producers.

“The specific part that the Ukrainian government needed was a tourniquet clip that cannot be easily produced using conventional means quickly because of turnaround times in mold making. The 3D printers and the Onyx material we have available through Project DIAMOnD was a perfect fit for this application,” says Pavan Muzumdar, Automation Alley COO. “We are grateful to be able to help the people of Ukraine in some way.”

Project DIAMOnD – which stands for Distributed, Independent, Agile Manufacturing on Demand – was established in 2020 through CARES ACT funding grants given to Automation Alley to accelerate digital transformation among Michigan manufacturers and strengthen supply chains for developing PPE. To date, the initiative has distributed and connected 300 3D printers to manufacturers across Michigan.

When the printers are not being used to fulfill emergency orders, participating manufacturers use the 3D printers they received to expand their production of a variety of industrial parts and products, ultimately enhancing smart manufacturing capabilities in Michigan and throughout the United States.

“The Project DIAMOnD network has many printers that can be available at short notice. This means manufacturers like Ultimation and our network partners can produce a high number of parts in a very short time, with no wasted time for tooling,” Canny says. “This humanitarian effort is one great example of how additive manufacturing technologies can respond to a need quickly.”

When asked about the initiative, Dom Holmes of Oakland County, Michigan says, "Since its launch in the fall of 2020, Project DIAMOnD has been a catalyst for innovation among Oakland County manufacturers. The activation of the Project DIAMOnD Command Center for the purpose of producing lifesaving Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) highlights the utilitarian role such a network can have during extraordinary times."

Lisa Anderson, manufacturing, SIOP Expert and president of LMA Consulting suggests supply chain requires 360° planning.

Manufacturing and Supply Chain Expert Lisa Anderson, MBA, CSCP, CLTD, President of LMA Consulting Group Inc., predicts supply chain disruptions to continue through 2023. She suggests implementing a SIOP/S&OP (Sales and Operations Planning) process to mitigate the swings associated with disruptions. LMA Consulting Group works with manufacturers and distributors on strategy and end-to-end supply chain transformation to maximize the customer experience and enable profitable, scalable, dramatic business growth.

“You have to get in front of supply chain disruptions. For example, bring in strategic inventory stockpiles and gain available capacity before you need them. While this is simplistic, sometimes simple is what works best. When I was VP of Operations with a plant in a hurricane zone, we brought in excess materials before the hurricane season because we knew supplies would be delayed if a hurricane hit. Once it hits, it’s too late,” Ms. Anderson commented.

There is no doubt that the Ukraine crisis will create further supply chain disruptions. “Ukraine has a huge wealth of natural resources. They are a big supplier of metals and other commodities, which will impact many supply chains. We are already feeling it at the gas pump. That is why it is so important that companies look holistically at their supply chains. The supply chain is integrated within a company – meaning that every department is interconnected to the supply chain. It is also interconnected with customers and suppliers. Implementing a SIOP process (sales, inventory and operations planning) to proactively align all departments, customers, suppliers, and other supply chain partners will result in predicting demand, setting customer expectations, planning resources and capacity, and smooth supply spikes while improving cash flow and increasing profitability. It can be done, and the rewards can be significant,” she says. 

Anderson recently released a Special Report: Thriving in 2022: Learning from Supply Chain Chaos – Insights from 22 Trusted Advisors. This special report includes supply chain insights and perspectives from Ms. Anderson and 22 advisor experts who have supported clients through the supply chain upheavals of 2020 and 2021. The report is available at no charge from the LMA Website.