Improved production environment

#manufacturing #environment The installation of an automated surface-finishing system that incorporates a pair of Hodge Clemco blast cabinets (www.hodgeclemco.co.uk) has significantly improved production of rotor coils for turbo-generators at the Loughborough factory of Brush Electrical Machines. The copper laminates fitted to the central rotor of each generator are annealed at 700°C. This causes oxidisation, and the oxide then has to be removed.

Previously undertaken manually by staff wearing breathing apparatus and using powered hand tools, this is now carried out by the automated system — tripling throughput and resulting in a more consistent finish.

Abrasive is propelled thorough 12 nozzles, with the volume and speed precisely controlled; a reclaim unit linked to a dust collector automatically collects used abrasive and grades it for re-use or disposal.