Schaeffler Group Introduces Autobalancer: Enhanced Safety and Health Protection
Anyone working with electrical tools is familiar with disturbing vibrations which are transmitted from the tool to the body. They impede work, have a negative effect on quality and represent a health risk when used frequently. For instance, the powered rotating disk in angle grinders creates imbalance that causes such undesirable vibrations. Now Schaeffler Group Industrial introduces the solution to this problem - the Autobalancer, a product developed under its INA brand. It reduces vibration in angle grinders by more than 50 percent – this makes working more comfortable and productive and protects the health of users.
No design modification required
The Autobalancer is a compact sealed unit that is mounted onto the angle grinder’s drive shaft. It is simply slid onto the shaft where it replaces the driving plate. The cavity between the solid plate and the drawn sleeve is partially filled with oil. The balls inside the oil can move freely and create a counterforce to the occurring imbalance. For this purpose the shaft must be manufactured to close tolerances. Development of the Autobalancer was undertaken by the Schaeffler application engineering team in close consultation with potential customers, and has already been chosen as OEM equipment by AEG Milwaukee (part of the TTI group of companies), for example.
No more costly documentation
The Autobalancer reduces the vibration of angle grinders by over 50 percent so that they are much more comfortable to use. At the same time, productivity and quality are increased due to easier handling of the tool. Since limiting values are not exceeded, it is no longer necessary to document usage times.
Strict threshold values in the EU
EU Directive 2002/44/EC, which must be complied with throughout Europe, defines the maximum permissible threshold values for electrical tools. Both the vibration intensity and the exposure time determine the daily vibration level. The directive stipulates that an electrical tool is considered to be critical from a vibration value of 2.5 m/s² upwards if it is used continuously for more than eight hours. In such cases the risks must be evaluated more precisely and the employees must be notified. If a threshold value of 5 m/s² is exceeded, working hours with the tool must be reduced. This requires traceable documentation of the usage times. Employers are obliged to assess the vibration exposure of their employees and to reduce it as soon as the limiting values are exceeded
More safety, improved health protection
The health hazards arising from constant exposure to vibration should not be underestimated as they can even render employees unable to work. Thus Schaeffler Group Industrial makes a decisive contribution to higher industrial safety and improved health protection. In addition, the Autobalancer increases productivity and reduces grinding disk wear.
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