Grinding, the process of removing materials to prepare, shape and finish structures, is crucial in industries such as shipbuilding, foundries and metal fabrication. However, there are barriers to productivity.
Meeting new customer needs
Grinding is often very physically demanding, and in some markets, manufacturers struggle to attract and retain talent due to the job’s demands. Tool weight and vibration are key factors when evaluating occupational risks such as fatigue, as well as musculoskeletal, respiratory, and hearing disorders.
Regulatory pressures are rising too, with strict health and safety limits on vibration and noise exposure. meaning tools may only be legally used for short periods. This can make it hard to maintain productivity while staying compliant.
“Customers want safe tools that stop very quickly and are easy to manipulate,” says Anaïs Daudin, Global Business Development Manager at Chicago Pneumatic, a technology brand within Atlas Copco Group.
Less weight, more power
The CP3T30 grinder meets this need. Equipped with a turbine motor, it enables customers to maintain productivity while staying compliant with safety legislation, and at the same time reduce the environmental footprint by using less compressed air for the same job.
According to the test data, it removes 63% more material than a standard vane grinder operating over the same period of time. It also has a 43% better power-to-weight ratio than vane grinders, making it less tiring to use.
“The energy consumption is 11% more efficient than our previous tool. So, users are winning on both sides: removing more material while consuming less compressed air,” says Corentin Briand, Global Product Marketing Manager at Chicago Pneumatic.
The CP3T30 also features a lateral exhaust to protect the operator’s hands from cold air, while lower noise levels, reduced vibration, and improved ergonomics make the tool easier and safer to handle, even in awkward positions.
Almost too quiet?
At first, the quieter running confused operators trying out the new tool. “When we did some testing in the different customer segments the operator asked: ‘is it working?’,” says Anaïs.
“They’re so used to having very noisy grinders that they link the noise and vibration of the tool to its performance. When they realized how well it was working they were very pleased,” adds Corentin.
Grinding is crucial in many industries to form exact shapes and smooth surfaces with less friction.
