Dec 31

DUNMORE Corp. Certified VPP Star

DUNMORE Certified VPP StarIn our ongoing series of posts highlighting companies that have taken extra steps to satisfy Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) safety requirements in their Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP), a cooperative program that recognizes employers and employees who proactively prevent worksite injuries and illnesses, here we look at DUNMORE Corporation, a provider of engineered and laminated film.

Headquartered in Bristol, Pa., DUNMORE produces coated film, metallized film and laminating film substrates for a wide range of industries. In 2010, the company’s film contract manufacturing facility in Bristol achieved VPP Star certification for superior workplace safety.

The VPP Star program is designed for exemplary worksites with comprehensive, successful safety and health management systems. Companies in the Star program have achieved injury and illness rates at or below the national average of their respective industries. These sites are self-sufficient in their ability to control workplace hazards. Participants are re-evaluated every three to five years, although incident rates are reviewed annually.

“DUNMORE has pursued this certification to enhance the framework to drive future improvement in our already strong health and safety systems,” Tom Rimel, VP of operations and development at DUNMORE, said in a statement at the time. “Safety and associate well-being is a core value of the company, and we believe that no activity of our business is as important as associate safety.”

DUNMORE’s commitment to safety and associate wellbeing does not begin or end at its initial VPP Star certification. The company, which has been continuously improving its safety and health programs throughout its entire 40-year history, has also begun working toward VPP Star certification at its Brewster, NY, manufacturing facility.

Nov 25

Emptying Rail Cars with Vacuums

Emptying Rail Cars with VacuumsIn the 1880s, freight cars became a popular way to transport agricultural products from the farms to the market. Transporting goods by rail remains one of the most cost and energy efficient ways to move bulk quantities of raw materials today. Modern freight cars are not only capable of containing a tremendous volume of goods such as sugar and limestone, but also hauling a great deal of weight – up to 120 tons!

While the freight rail network solved the problem of transporting goods to customers, emptying the sheer amount of material from the cars themselves posed another. The goods travel unpackaged, which means that they must either be dumped or vacuumed out. Some types of freight cars are designed with compartments that slope downwards, towards gates that open on the underside of the car. To unload one of these cars, the operator moves the car over a dumping pit and opens the gates.

A rather simple procedure, unloading freight cars in this manner invariably leaves some debris that must be cleaned out. Some materials such as limestone can crust and harden inside the freight cars, making it difficult to empty a load properly. The traditional way to prevent this situation is to have someone enter the car and clean it out using a simple shovel and bucket. As technology progressed, however, so have ways to keep rail cars clean. Today, the most efficient method of disposing residual material inside a freight car is to use a vacuum system.

At DeMarco, we offer industrial vacuum systems that will complete the job quickly and efficiently. The vacuums can easily be connected to a freight car with our flexible, abrasion resistant hose. Using an industrial vacuum not only eliminates the need for workers to expose themselves to potentially harmful dusts, but also gets the job done faster. DeMarco has been the preferred supplier of industrial vacuum systems to the railcar industry for over 40 years.

To learn more about DeMarco’s capabilities, please speak to one of our vacuum engineers today!

Nov 18

Industrial Vacuums Infographic: It Pays To Be Clean

Having a manufacturing plant, production facility, or any other operations building requires ongoing maintenance and upkeep. Permitting facilities to become dirty and filled with dust and debris can lead to serious issues over time. One way to maintain the cleanliness of a manufacturing plant is to have a regularly scheduled maintenance and cleaning schedule. In addition, regularly checking, updating, and servicing industrial vacuum and ventilation systems can save money by avoiding costly issues.

Our “It Pays to be Clean” infographic provides information that can help you add to your bottom line!

Check out the following 6 quick and easy facts about maintaining a clean work environment. Improve profitability through clean work environments!

From our infographic, you’ll learn about some of the following:

  • Clean manufacturing areas equals parts passing QC.
  • Spotless machining areas lead to higher efficiency.
  • Clean environments can lead to less employee health issues.
  • Proper maintenance can prevent dangerous situations

industrial vacuums infographic

Sep 10

Grain Dust Removal: What Features Should You Look at in an Industrial Vacuum?

industrial vaccum systemGrain dust is highly combustible and can burn or flare up if enough becomes airborne or accumulates on a surface and finds an ignition source. To help reduce or eliminate accumulations of ignitable dusts inside a plant or facility, industrial vacuums are the ideal solution for efficient and effective cleaning.

The amount of grain dust accumulation necessary to cause a risk for explosion can vary greatly. This is because there are so many variables – the grain dust particle size, the method of dispersion, ventilation system modes, air currents, physical barriers, and the volume of the area in which the grain dust cloud exists or may exist.

The OSHA ventilation standard, 29 CFR 1910.94, contains ventilation requirements for certain types of operations (such as abrasives, blasting, grinding, or buffing) which involve dusts, including dusts that can become combustible. Additionally, 29 CFR 1910.22(a)(1) requires employers to keep work places and other areas clean, which includes the removal of dust accumulations.

In nearly all industries, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends vacuum cleaning as the preferred first defense method of controlling dust. The 2013 revision of the NFPA 654 standard, issued by the Standards Council last year, states that vacuuming is the preferred method of cleaning.

When choosing an industrial vacuum to safely remove grain dust, what features should you look at in an industrial vacuum?

HEPA Filtration – If the collection of ultra-fine particles is a concern, the vacuum should utilize a multi-stage HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filtration system. HEPA filters remove 99.97 percent of particles at 0.3 microns, and they keep pollutants from re-entering the air supply. A heavy-duty, multistage filtration system will provide minimal material carryover to filters, catching and retaining particles as they move through the filter layers.

Continuous-Duty Operation – Cleaning times for manufacturing equipment can vary, so select a vacuum that provides continuous-duty vacuum operation. The vacuum should include a high-performance, automatic pulse-jet cartridge filter cleaning feature to save on manual labor and vacuum downtime. Look for a vacuum that doesn’t require shutdowns for filter cleaning.

test14aLimited Lifetime Warranty – Any industrial vacuum should come with a limited lifetime warranty. Purchasing a vacuum system is a long-term investment decision, which is why it is important to get a manufacturer’s warranty giving you the assurance and long-lasting protection in the product you are buying. It marks the manufacturer’s unwavering commitment to quality that lasts.

These are just a few of the many factors to consider when purchasing an industrial vacuum system. Ultimately, the overall solution must address the process requirements, materials and the volumes processed.

Aug 05

Cleanliness in the Electronics Industry

Cleanliness in the Electronics IndustryDid you know that the desired cleanliness level for integrated circuit manufacturing is far greater than the guidelines for general operating rooms, pharmaceutical production and even medical-equipment manufacturing by a factor of 10,000 or greater? That is why critical electronic components today are often assembled in clean rooms where HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) vacuums are used to maintain clean conditions.

While electronics, semiconductor, high-tech, medical device and other crucial types of manufacturers operate clean rooms today, all of the effort and expense involved in creating an immaculate, if maintained properly, contaminant-free atmosphere could very well be saved.

Today, industrial vacuums are integral to the production and packaging processes of companies all across the electronics industry. Among innumerable applications, they help clean up debris in TV tube production and wire trimmings in plug-and-switch assembly lines, all to ensure high product quality. Ultimately, industrial vacuums help electronics manufacturers prevent product contamination, which in turn minimizes the expenses related to product reliability loss.

Electronics IndustryIn electrical and electronics industries, where cross-contamination and the collection of ultra-fine particles is a key concern, the ideal industrial vacuum should utilize a HEPA filtration system, which removes 99.7 percent of particles that have a size of 0.3 microns, and they keep contaminants from re-entering the air supply. Because maintaining clean-room standards requires proper cleaning of all floors and surfaces, the HEPA-filtered vacuum should meet stringent standards in collecting and retaining microscopic particulate that can damage the most sensitive electronics equipment.

Jul 22

The Need to Be Clean in Food Production

The Need to Be Clean in Food ProductionThe food and beverage industry recalled about 8.5 million units of products in the first quarterof 2013. Based on analysis of data from the first quarter, extraneous material was the single largest cause of the U.S. Department of Agriculture-requested recalls during the period, accounting for more than one in four recalls (28 percent). Undeclared allergens were the second most frequent cause of recalls reported by the USDA, marking an important reminder to food companies how crucial it is to manage food ingredients well.

Even with food safety and quality standards in place, cross-contamination exposure remains if the right industrial vacuum isn’t being used. By using the right food-processing vacuum, it will prevent the spread of pathogens, otherwise distributed using brooms, mops, rags, and compressed air – even inadequately filtered vacuums. This will ultimately protect food products from bacteria, allergens and other material that is not safe.

The Need to Be Clean in Food ProductionOf course, industrial vacuums come in many different forms to satisfy specific applications for the food industry. Here are a few industrial vacuum features to look for in the maintenance needs of the food industry:

  • HEPA filters to create contaminate-free exhaust and prevent allergens and bacteria from recirculating in the air
  • Explosion-proof models with built-in safety measures like explosion-proof motors, anti-static filters and non-sparking outer shells
  • Food-grade accessories such as color-coded nozzles and heat-resistant wands, nozzles and filters that can withstand high temperatures

Ultimately, developing a strong cleaning and maintenance program with the right industrial vacuum can make a significant difference in the safety required in food processing.