Floor Grinders
- Weight of castings range from 0.75 to 75 lbs. Majority of castings are between 5 and 20 lbs. We usually have the ability to assign a grinder to lower weight parts, if necessary to accommodate restrictions.
- Operator stands at a grinding station on a rubber mat.
- Parts are deposited into a shipping box that is below waist level. In many cases, the part is dropped into the box and requires no additional handling. Some parts, however, have to be carefully arranged in the box and the operator must bend at the waist to do so. This arranging of parts is no more frequent than once per hour typically, however, may be as frequent as once every ten minutes depending on the job being processed.
- Most rates are between 40 and 500 pieces per hour.
Employees performing this work use a variety of tools, including:
- Floor Grinder or Line Grinder – Grinder is located at approximately waist height. Employee grasps the part- usually with one hand- from the hopper that is also located approximately at waist height and is within arms reach of the grinder (approximately 60 degrees to the side). Employee may twist at the waist or step and turn to pick up the part. They transfer the part to one or both hands (depending on weight of casting and employee discretion) and push the part into the grinder. Depending on weight of casting and amount to be ground from the part, the employee may choose to hold the casting into the grinding wheel or lean the part on their hip and push in toward the grinding wheel. The grinder is a vibratory tool. They then use the opposite hand or both hands to place the part into a box or gon for shipment.
- Bar/Rod – In the event that the castings are stuck in the hopper, the employee may use a rod or bar to knock castings loose in the hopper. They grasp the rod with both hands and either push or pull castings from the hopper to get the clump of castings to loosen and fall.
- Chipping Gun – If the casting needs additional cleaning that cannot be accomplished with the grinder, the employee may use a chipping gun. The chipping gun is a pneumatic tool that chips the defects from the casting. The employee grasps the casting with the non-dominant hand and operates the chipping gun with the dominant hand. The gun is trigger operated and the employee may use the index finger – typically – to operate the gun. This is a vibratory tool.
- Die Grinder – This is also a pneumatic tool that is also used to grind internal defects on a cored part or in hard to reach external areas of a part. The die grinder is held in the palm of the hand and the thumb is used to operate a trigger that operates the bit on the end of the tool. This is a vibratory tool.
- Reaming Table – This is a table with a mounted bit that operates pneumatically, but does not require triggering by the employee. With both hands, the employee holds onto a casting with internal pockets and places the casting over the bit and maneuvers the casting around the bit to perform the cleaning operation. This equipment is moved to the work station when the part requires this type of cleaning. This job may be performed with a team of two. Typically the reaming table will be set up adjacent to the floor grinder and 180 degrees from the part hopper.
- Deburring Tool – This is a pneumatic tool that is handled and has a trigger operated by the index finger, but the tool itself is guided by both hands. A tool balancer is available to assist the operator in managing the weight of the de-burring tool.
- Calipers – This is a handheld measuring device (<2 lbs in weight) gripped with one hand and manipulated to measure diameters, thickness, etc. The operator must have wrist flexibility and grasping ability and must be able to finely manipulate the calipers while holding the part in the non-dominant hand.
- Gauges – These are handheld measuring tools (<1 lb. In weight) used to measure casting dimensions. The operator will hold the part in the non-dominant hand and the gauge in the dominant hand while measuring.
Depending on the degree of the defect and its location, considerable pressure may be required by the tool operator to be effective in the cleaning operation. Operators may lean over and use their body weight to assist in this process.
Clean-Up at End of Shift – Employees are required to sweep their work area and may have to shovel larger pieces of flash (up to 20 lbs total per shovel full). They may also have to pick up castings that have fallen onto the floor during the grinding process.
Gon Assembly – Employees may have to bend over to assemble gons (metal boxes for casting storage). The amount of time spent in a bent position is very short and the weight of the sides of the gon is minimal.
Bags in the Shipping Boxes – Employees may have to bend over briefly to place a plastic bag inside of a shipping box for storage of finished castings.
