Limiting vibrations – it’s all in the balance

Power tools are a key to productivity in the oil & gas or the metal working industry. Maintenance and production tasks must be carried out efficiently, however intensive use of vibrating power tools, such as grinders, can expose operators to Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS). How can we reduce risks, improve productivity and reduce the abrasive costs at the same time?

In order to prevent workers from experiencing HAVS, to comply with the European Directive 2002/44/EC, and to prioritize best practice, you should consider tools with an autobalancer. This will help to reduce vibration levels and operators’ fatigue, thereby ensuring users’ safety while improving productivity and profitability ratios. Additionally, the extra cost of the autobalancer is quickly compensated by the decreased abrasive consumption and the increased productivity.

It is important to keep in mind the simple measures that can be implemented to minimize the risk of Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS). These include selecting a robust tool with a short trigger time that is appropriate for the task at hand, ensuring hands are kept warm, taking regular breaks, and alternating between tasks and grip positions with varying levels of stress.

Célia Esnault, Global Product Marketing Manager at Chicago Pneumatic


What is an autobalancer?

Quite simply, an autobalancer stabilizes a tool. An autobalancer is a disk, such as ball bearing, with freely moving balls inside that is fixed onto the output of the tool as a flange, and spins at the same speed as the tool’s output. While spinning, the balls compensate for any abrasive imperfection. Their fast rotation creates a gyroscopic effect that balances the tool, greatly reducing any vibration.

An autobalancer is considered as one of the best anti-vibration options for power tools, not only because ergonomics are improved but also because operators’ fatigue is reduced and consequently the risk of injury decreases. Moreover, users can work with these tools for longer as they reach their maximum limit of vibration later than when they work with tools that do not include this feature.

By choosing a tool with an autobalancer there are many benefits:

What is the effect on productivity when vibrations are reduced?

Do you have an idea for our #expertcorner? Let us know!

Useful links:

Book your Service here

Browse our Services here

Browse our Products here

Browse our News corner here

Browse our Sustainability focus here



Who we are and how Ash Air can help your business!

Ash Air has been around in New Zealand since 1979, and we’ve grown into a nationwide company with international support and a reputation for quality and reliability.We look after all things compressed air for your business!

  • Rotary Screw and Piston Air Compressors
  • Vacuum Pumps and Blowers
  • Nitrogen Generation
  • An extensive line of Air Treatment components
  • AIRnet Piping System and  Filtration
  • Mobile Compressors, Generators, and Light Towers

Ash Air's range of Chicago Pneumatic, ALUP, Pneumatech, and Atlas Copco products are used extensively around the world in industries ranging from oil and gas to food, automotive and farming, and we bring you these world-class compressors here in the land of the long white cloud.Our technicians are compressed air equipment experts and are dedicated to addressing customer needs. Supported with nationwide coverage, Ash Air offers one of the widest selections of compressed air, vacuum pump, and industrial gas equipment and parts available today in New Zealand.

Reliability and Efficiency

With Ash Air, you can count on reliability and high performance for even the most demanding applications. We focus our efforts on the following:

  • Increasing uptime
  • Reducing unexpected repairs
  • Reducing energy consumption and meeting our sustainability goals
  • Improving the cleanliness of compressed air


Talk to the team today:  CONTACT US CONTACT US

Read more from our #expertcorner


Just like any other equipment, a compressed air installation also requires the necessary maintenance work during its entire lifespan. Even though maintenance costs are only about 5 to 10% of a machine's annual operating costs, failure to budget for maintenance can have potentially disastrous consequences. …


The air dyer is one of the most ignored cooler in the system. A dirty condenser will cause water in the lines, or worse it will cause complete dryer failure. …


Using nitrogen is not about fully replacing CO2, but it can reduce their consumption of CO2 by close to 70%. Using nitrogen is about sustainability. Creating your own nitrogen is easy and will reduce the use of a greenhouse gas, which is better for the environment. It will also save you money as early as month one adding that savings to your bottom line. …


A question that is occasionally asked by our customers to Ash Air is 'what is the cost of compressed air?'  This article looks at the product costs involved with compressed air, as well as minimising the energy cost of compressors and cost allocation. When looking at these factors, we need to realise what causes dropped efficiency of your compressor, leading to increased costs of compressed air. …


You may have great fall protection measures in place to keep employees safe when working at height, but what about their co-workers below? Dropped tools and other falling objects are a major hazard – and one that isn’t always fully addressed.  …


Providing a safe working environment for operators is essential, especially when using pneumatic tools and compressed air. If there is a failure in the air network and the hose is not adequately clamped, the resulting whiplash could be devastating. Failure to follow best practice can result in injuries, associated production downtime and decreased productivity. …


A common questions asked is why do I need an air dryer for my compressor? Typically, air compressors produce water, and although the water can be drained, there can still be aerosol and vapour droplets that are present. This is because water cannoet be compressed. Water can damage your compressor by corroding the valves, pipes and machinery controls, which will cost you time and money to resolve. In the long run, the cost of a new compressor is a small price to pay compared to the loss of production that could potentially arise due to water damage in your compressor.





…

Show More