A few weeks ago the Vicksburg Post in Vicksburg, MS ran a story following Anderson-Tulley Lumber Co. Maintenance Manager Mike Williams through a typical work day and asked him about the challenges he faced in the mill. The article describes the noise and vibration of the modern mill – something we know our readers would be well accustomed to! Safety mandates include the use of earplugs and safety-yellow coloring added to many of the walkways. These are common issues I’m sure you’re all aware of. You can see the article in full by clicking here.
Plastics can play a major roll in reducing the impact shock and vibration have on mill equipment. The Redco dissipater channel is a complete product (steel channel with bonded urethane in between) that absorbs the shock of logs falling onto the deck. It helps to eliminate operator booth vibration, extend the life of concrete foundations, and extend chain and conveyor lifecycle. Redco “Deadplate” is another shock absorbing product meant to greatly increase equipment life by reducing shock. The Deadplate is bolted into any areas logs impact and absorbs the shock, saving the equipment wear and vastly reducing noise.
Several other plastic applications assist with shock, noise and impact: Redco wearplate made of UHMW polyethylene helps reduce the noise of metal on metal contact and is a proven alternative to AR plate. Redco 9600 impact bearings have much better shock absorption properties vs. metal and will last much longer in slow speed, high impact applications. The same goes for plastic sprockets which outlast metal while being much quieter.
In short, plastics offer many advantages over metal in sawmill applications and will help to reduce shock, vibration and noise thus reducing your downtime, providing for a safer environment, and ultimately: more profit.