WORKPLACE SOLUTIONS
Employee protection moves to center stage with this new and practical safety equipment.
Posted: June 25, 2008
ANSWER FOR WELD SMOKE
Great Lakes Air Systems (Clawson, MI) offers the PowerPro as a solution for difficult, high-production manual welding applications. This piece of equipment allows the use of overhead cranes. After being applied to its first applications a little over 1½ years ago, this new piece of equipment immediately started to show itself as the answer to many manual weld smoke problems.
The PowerPro features a backdraft style intake on the end of a boom arm. Unlike the standard portable units/fume arms, this machine has ample air draw and can capture fumes far more effectively and from a much greater distances. It is extremely versatile in nature and requires very minimal if any operator repositioning. It has out performed anything in its class and is steadily increasing in popularity with manual weld shops.
Great Lakes Air Systems is a family-owned manufacturer of RoboVent Air Filtration Systems and other innovative air filtration products for the welding industry that keep your employees healthy, facilities cleaner and improve operating efficiency and profitability. The company has been in business since 1989 and has sales exceeding $10 million.
Free Product Info #07
HEAVY-DUTY ALUMINUM DRILL SHIELDS
Rockford Systems’ (Rockford, IL) cast-aluminum drill shields offer operator protection from flying chips, coolant, and rotating parts. These heavy-duty cast-aluminum drill shields are furnished with a standard 1¾ in bore. The user can bore this shield to a size up to 3½ in for attaching to the quill of a machine.
The top of the holder attaches to the quill of the drill. The shield is open in the back, and the bottom section of the shield has a clear panel for visibility. Shields are available in 2-tier or 3-tier models and provide 3 in to 6 in travel of the drill press. The 2-tier or 3-tier section can be swung forward and upward out of the way to change chucks or drill bits. Shields with a side hinge are also available.
Free Product Info #08
LIGHT CURTAIN REDUCES DOWNTIME
Configure, align and diagnose right on the device SICK (Minneapolis, MN), a manufacturer of sensors, safety systems and automatic identification products for factory and logistics automation, launches the C4000 Select Safety Light Curtain. This light curtain is unique because it allows customers to use DIP switches for configuration ? rather than a PC, offers an integrated laser alignment tool, condensed, intuitive diagnostics, and the ability to cascade three C4000 Select pairs or a S300/S3000 Safety Laser Scanner.
The C4000 Select offers a solution for point-of-operation safeguarding applications, although they can be used in perimeter and area guarding applications. It is ideal for the automotive industry, robotics, machine tool, presses, material handling and general manufacturing applications.
Benefits include reduced installation cost and start-up time with quick DIP switch configuration, fast alignment, increased mounting flexibility, and condensed, easy-to-understand local diagnostics. Other advantages are maximum availability from solid alignment with the integrated laser and bar graph alignment system, and reduced light curtain inventory through selectable features, including safety field width, two beam codes, 1 or 2 beam floating blanking and extended I/O. An optional 360 deg integrated LED status indicator provides highly visible output status from a distance.
This Type 4, PL e, SIL 3 safety light curtain is available in 30 mm resolution in protective heights from 300 mm up to 1800 mm in 300 mm increments. There are also two beam code choices, a high and low range setting for the safety field width and 1 or 2 beam floating beam blanking with partial object detection. Both the system and extension connectors are M12 5.
Free Product Info #09
CONTRACTOR BROOMS
Weiler’s (Cresco, PA) Contractor Brooms feature a lacquered hardwood block, which resists moisture and helps prevent cracking, increasing the life of the broom.
Used with Weiler’s 1-1/8 in bolt on handle and heavy-duty 12 ga steel wing brace, these contractor brooms are designed to withstand rugged, every day use. They are also the best choice for heavy-duty applications such as construction and heavy manufacturing. These contractor brooms are available in block sizes from 18 in to 30 in, in a variety of fill materials including flagged grey or silver polystyrene, black tampico, blended horsehair, palmyra, and polypropylene.
Free Product Info #10
HINGE SWITCHES PROVIDE SAFETY FLEXIBILITY IN HAZARDOUS AREAS
Banner Engineering Corp. (Minneapolis, MN) introduces SI-HG63 Series Hinge Safety Interlock Switches for safeguarding of hazards. These hinge switches are used in place of the standard hinges on swinging guards, gates or doors. They offer two normally closed safety contacts and one normally open auxiliary contact for greater application flexibility. When the SI-HG63 hinge switch is activated, these normally closed safety contacts are forced open by a nonresilient mechanical means (not reliant on springs), interrupting the electrical circuit and sending a stop signal to the machine control. SI-HG63 hinge switches are also repositionable, with a safety switching point that is easily adjustable (±1.5 deg) throughout the hinge’s full 0-270 deg range of motion.
These hinge switches are built to withstand harsh plant environments, with each safety switch body integrated into a highly robust PBT housing and integrated on to a stainless steel hinge. They are rated IEC IP67 and deliver superior performance and improved protection against defeat over actuator-style safety switches. Each hinge can support an axial and radial load of 1200 N (approximately 120 kg). In addition to in-line QD and “out-the-back” right-angle QD models, right-side and left-side hinges are available, which can be converted to operate from the opposite side when needed. List price for SI-HG63 hinge switches start at $159 each.
Safeguarding a hazard with a guard, gate or door that is mounted on a hinge is one of the most common safety applications and also can be one of the most difficult to solve. Typically, this type of application would use a keyed-actuator style of safety switch, but because the door or guard may sag or otherwise gets deformed, alignment problems with the switch and the actuator can arise. This usually results in damage to the switch and machine downtime. The SI-HG63 hinge switches do not have this problem and are a rugged, reliable solution that is very difficult to defeat.
When properly interfaced, they prevent cycle initiation or send a stop signal if the guard is opened, halting the hazardous motion. Depending on the number of switches on a guard and the means of interfacing, such as with a safety module, the SI-HG63 hinge switch can meet safety category 2, 3, or 4 [ISO 13849-1] and U.S. control reliability requirements.
Applications. SI-HG63 Series Hinge Safety Interlock Switches offer durable construction and dependable mechanical operation to protect individuals in guard monitoring applications, including:
? Hinged covers and guards on machines
? Safeguarding modular aluminum framing applications
? Doors and gates in safety fencing systems
In addition, several features of the SI-HG63 hinge switch make it particularly easy to set up and use:
? Features two normally closed safety contacts and one normally open auxiliary contact rated at 3A @ 230V AC 1.0A @ 24V DC
? Comes complete with repositionable safety switch integrated into a robust PBT housing and a rugged fine-cast stainless steel hinge
? Offers right-hinge QD, left-hinge QD, and right-angle QD models and can be converted to mount from the opposite side
? Provides IP67 rating, with switch components protected from mechanical impact
? Operates to a full 270 deg range of motion, with safety switching point (guard-closed position) adjustable over full operating range (±1.5 deg)
? Supports an axial and radial load of 1200 N (approximately 120 kg)
? Achieves safety category 4, per ISO 13849-1 (EN 954-1) when two SI-HG63 hinge switches on an individual guard are properly interfaced or used with an appropriate controller
? Offers a non-switching blank hinge option
Free Product Info #11
MACHINE SHIELDS CATALOG
Includes New Bench Grinder Safety Scale and Other New Products for OSHA, ANSI, and CSA Safety Compliance Danray Products LLC (Rockton, IL) introduces its new Catalog MS, which is available free of charge and features machine safety shields, safety scales, safety signs, and lamps.
This new catalog has been improved from the previous version and includes a new bench grinder safety scale, a new warning sign for safety blocks, and a new U-shaped shield. These heavy-duty, American-made products comply with applicable OSHA, ANSI, and CSA safety standards.
Free Product Info #12
RETRACTABLE BARRIER
Hi-Tec Equipment Co. (Greensboro, NC) presents the Sidewinder, a long/high and durable barrier will be useful as a machine guard, laser or switchgear barrier or control to limit or prevent access.
Permanently mounted end posts and a removable center post allows up to a 24 ft barrier, 48 in high with a 5 in sweep . . . retractable into a 6 in x 6 in housing.
The barrier is easily pulled and quickly fastened to the center post or a wall bracket. The center post is kept on the housing when not in use. Sidewinder is engaged or retracted in minutes. Minimal installation involves lag bolts and a 6 in x 2 in core drill for the center post receiver.
Free Product Info #13