Accuracy is critical in many industries but in the pharmaceutical industry, accuracy or lack thereof can easily be a matter of life or death. As a result, manufacturers in the industry must have machines and parts that are accurate and dependable. Anything that’s produced on these lines must be predictable and repeatable. Those in the industry know that even the smallest alteration being off spec has the potential to produce disastrous results. As the scale of the operation grows, these tenets become even more important.

The resulting margin for error is often small. A change in calibration or quantity, a small burr or an irregularity in a part, gasket or fitting could all spell trouble. Any one of these things might be the cause of a leak, mismeasurement or an even larger problem that could completely stop production on the line. While a production stop is not good in any industry, it’s downright dangerous when experienced in the pharmaceutical industry.

Many of the pharmaceutical products produced are time-sensitive and an unexpected delay could mean an entire batch needs to be thrown away, an unfortunate waste of time and money. Not to mention how a leak or mix that’s not kept sterile could endanger workers in the process. Therefore, quality deburring machinery is an important asset to all manufacturing processes. Having reliable deburring equipment in place can add an additional layer of safety for the pharmaceutical manufacturers as more and more take on the work of medical-grade components.

Continue reading »

When looked at in isolation, a thin raised ridge or a spot of roughness might seem like no big problem. With caution, these areas could be worked around and those dealing with the product could be extra cautious. What’s not considered is how a raised edge or rough area has the potential to compromise the productivity of a manufacturing line as well as jeopardize the safety of those working the line.

Deburring Solution

Therefore, finding a reliable deburring solution is so important to manufacturers. Deburring is a proven process to eliminate thin ridges from a variety of metal materials as well as eliminate rough spots and burrs that can cause damage to a machine and a human. Cleveland Deburring Machine Company (CDMC) offers several deburring solutions to manufacturers and markets.

Deburring Needs

With the ability to build and configure deburring machine solutions for next to any application, CDMC recommends beginning your needs assessment by looking at some of the standard deburring practices such as gears, sprockets, powdered materials and fluid power parts. Once initial needs are determined, CDMC can help tailor a deburring solution to the exacting requirements of each customer.

Standard Deburring Practices

Fluid Power Parts are available in many sizes and shapes. These components include gearmotors, pump housings and pump gears. When considering a deburring practice, it’s important to consider the parts from many angles. To meet these varying angles, the deburring process must apply consistent brush pressure. This ensures the multi-faceted parts receive adequate preparation on all sides as well as above and below.

Gears are an essential element of machines. The use which dates back into the third century with applications by Greek mechanics. Consistent usage of gears creates burrs. This is true for several gears including a parallel axis gear, a ring gear, bevel gear or a pump gear. Use creates wear and a deburring process, used consistently, can keep gears functioning effectively for the long-term.

Powdered metals are metal parts not yet exposed to the sintering process. As a result, this fragile greenware demands care in handling and deburring. Powdered metals also cannot be magnetized during any part of the pre-sintering process. Do not fear! CDMC is here to help with special needs. We have deburring solutions ready to accommodate any special handling requirements and output needs.

Sprocket is a loose definition for any wheel form possessing radial projections. These offshoots help engage passing chain, track and tread. Applications for sprockets are large and small, from massive tanks on the battlefield to luminous film passing through a projector. CDMC can meet demands for sprocket deburring throughout the automation and manufacturing industries, offering solutions for sprockets on both faces and multi-row sprockets, too.

Continue reading »

Mechanical hazards are always present within the manufacturing environment and in places of mechanical operation. These hazards pop up in any place where bits, blades and presses are in use. With so many potential dangers within the production environment, there are few things as important to a manufacturer as coming up with and maintaining continuous and repeatable safety measures. Better processes used correctly safeguard employees and the machinery they operate.

Avoid Work Stoppages

Despite instituting a host of safety precautions, including the use of safety guards, there can be still be regular safety concerns in manufacturing. These concerns come in the form of burrs on metal and some plastic products. Burrs show up as a thin ridge or area of roughness that occur through the act of cutting and/or shaping during the production process. Although small in nature, burrs can be the cause of stoppages in the production line and safety hazard to employees in the form of workplace injuries like, cuts, bruises, both minor and major.

As they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and that is certainly true when it comes to the practice of deburring. Any accident or injury can result in lost time and money. In the bigger picture, accidents add costs in the form of increases in company health benefits costs, product recalls and a need for redesign in some cases. One simple way companies can avoid these issues is a consistent investment in deburring processes. Throughout the manufacturing process, deburring can be a way to keep employees safe through the production of consistent, smooth, clean edges on machinery and parts.

Deburring for Safety

Deburring’s effectiveness relates to the strength of metal, making a consistent finishing process necessary. Soft and easily moldable metals have a higher tendency to burr while hard metals like cast iron are less likely to burr. Because burring projections can be difficult to see with the naked eye, it’s always a good policy to deburr whether the piece looks like it needs it or not. Even the smallest burr can carry the potential to hurt an employee through a cut or damage machinery through jamming, electrical short circuiting or burn out, cut wires and/or fractured edges.

Burrs that are not eliminated through deburring can also cause an increase in friction. Friction occurs when small pieces break off and end up inside of machinery, causing an additional safety issue and a potentially costly fix. If small pieces go unnoticed, there’s a related possibility of the machine in question could overheat without notice.

Deburring provides manufacturers with a safe, flexible and efficient system that keeps workers and equipment safe. Considered the so-called last step of the manufacturing process, deburring can also increase productivity and make the maintenance of parts and machinery easier while eliminating downtime from injuries and slowdowns on the line.

Cost-Effective Deburring

The Cleveland Deburring Machine Company (CDMC) offers reliable, consistent and repeatable deburring processes in a range of cost-effective deburring solutions. Our deburring offerings suit high-volume, repeatable processes for flexible, easy solutions. Learn why CDMC is the last word on the last step in the manufacturing process.

Continue reading »