| Company: |
AF&PA member company |
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| Industry: |
Generally applicable to NAICS Code 32212 (paper manufacturing),
NAICS Code 3222 (paper converting) and NAICS Code 321219 (oriented strandboard manufacturing). A
NAICS Code 321219 site was the source of this success story. |
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| Task: |
Paper Roll Loading, including insertion of core shaft/spindle and
positioning of roll |
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| Employees: |
213 (number at the site) |
Success Brief: We were able to effectively
eliminate manual material handling activities associated with paper and paper roll shaft handling
through the appropriate selection and installation of mechanized equipment.
The Problem
We have introduced several new production processes into our manufacturing
lines while converting our mill from producing standard Oriented Strandboard (OSB) product to
producing OSB based siding product. Most notable among the process changes was the paper overlay
process that is fundamental to the production of this specialized product. The process requires
positioning a 3,800 pound roll of paper, installing a 260 pound, 130 inch roll shaft in the roll,
and utilizing an overhead hoist to position the roll with inserted shaft into the production
process. This task is repeated 24 times per day. The initial process was to position the rolls
horizontally onto locally fabricated carts with a forklift. Two people manually inserted the 260
pound shaft, installed the bungs (end pieces) and manually pushed the cart beneath the overhead
hoist. The ergonomic challenge was to provide a method for safely performing this task by reducing
the required manual lifting, pushing and pulling forces.
The Solution
We developed a two-fold solution to address the potential hazards posed by
this task. First we procured a heavy duty, motorized "cart-caddy" capable of safely moving the
assembled paper roll and made slight modifications to the cart. This eliminated the manual task of
moving and positioning the paper roll. To eliminate manual shaft handling, we sought to design or
procure a device capable of lifting the 260 pound shaft by the end and inserting into the paper
roll. Our plant engineer identified an existing machine with an agile, articulating arm designed to
handle this type of task. We worked with the manufacturer of this device to custom design a
pneumatically actuated clasp with built-in safety devices that safely lifts and positions the shaft.
Cart Caddy maneuvering roll assembly |
Pneumatic arm (shaft) |
The Impact
We eliminated a manually intensive procedure and created a safe and reliable
process that any of our employees can perform repeatedly without risk of acute or chronic injury due
to over-exertion from lifting, pushing and pulling tasks. The changes resulted in higher employee
morale, reduced levels of biomechanical stress, and improved work flow and demonstrated our
commitment to reducing the risk of workplace injuries.
Source:
AF&PA; PPSA
(July 2007)
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