What Are Optional Interlocks for Milling & Lathes?
June 19, 2024
What Are Optional Interlocks for Milling & Lathes?
Properly safeguarding your machines is an essential step for creating an efficient and secure workplace. However, in many cases, a guard alone doesn’t offer full protection against accidents and injuries. Interlock switches, as critical safety features for milling and lathe machines, enhance protection by ensuring the machine does not operate without proper guarding. This is where optional machine interlocks can help.
Interlock switches offer extra protection by preventing a machine from starting if it isn’t correctly guarded. This can be an essential piece of equipment in your facilities, especially for milling and lathe machines. To provide adequate safety solutions and improve efficiency in the workplace, it’s important to have a good understanding of the functions of milling and lathe machines—and when they may need interlock switches.
Functions of Milling & Lathe Machines
A milling machine is a common tool found in many industrial and manufacturing facilities. Milling is the process of machining flat, curved, or irregular surfaces using rotary cutters. Milling machines can perform a variety of large- and small-scale operations, making them a highly flexible solution for manufacturers.
There are two main types of milling machines: vertical and horizontal. In a vertical mill, the spindle axis is arranged vertically and rotates by staying on the same axis. The spindle can typically be extended to perform plunge cuts and drilling. In a horizontal mill, the cutters are mounted on a horizontal spindle. Often, horizontal mills have built-in rotary tables that allow milling at various angles.
Despite some similarities, milling and lathe machines operate quite differently. A lathe is a tool that rotates the workpiece around an axis, rather than the cutting piece. Lathes can perform a variety of operations, including cutting, sanding, drilling, turning, and more.
Both of these machines have sharp cutting tools and rotating parts that could cause entanglement hazards. This makes it vital to impose detailed safety protocols when operating either type of machine. Obtaining in-depth training on how to use a mill or lathe is the first step in ensuring the safety of operators, along with proper safeguards, maintenance, and regular machine guarding assessments.
Interlocking Devices for Milling Machine Guards & Lathes
Mills and lathes are required by OSHA to be equipped with safeguards. This helps prevent entanglement hazards or injuries from the rotating or cutting pieces. An interlocking device can be used to ensure that the machine doesn’t operate if the guard isn’t properly in place.
To further enhance safety, the integration of a lathe guard or sliding lathe guard with interlock switches is essential. These guards provide a robust barrier against hazards, and when combined with safety interlocks, they ensure the machine remains inoperative until it’s safe to use.
Interlocking devices perfectly complement moveable safeguards. They reduce hazards that can arise from unsafe actions by putting the machine in a secure state if unauthorized activity occurs. At Stronghold® Safety Engineering, we offer a variety of interlocks that can be used with mills and lathes. Here are a few of our most powerful solutions:
Prismont Mill Guard – The Prismont Mill Guard is a multi-adjustable interlocked guard for universal milling machines, designed as a comprehensive milling machine guard with safety interlock features to meet OSHA standards. It offers protection from direct contact with rotating parts of the vertical spindle—along with protection from the possible projection of shavings or lubricant-coolant. This sturdy and versatile guard is suitable for frequent changes of operation.
Silvaflame Interlock – The Silvaflame Interlock is an optional device that works with Silvaflame L and SL guard types for lathes. This solution prevents equipped machines from turning on at the wrong time to protect operators. Built with strength and versatility in mind, the Silvaflame Interlock is an ideal tool for safeguarding your manufacturing workflows.
The Importance of Proper Safeguarding
It’s critical to ensure your machines meet OSHA standards for safeguarding to protect your employees and your bottom line. Unfortunately, every year, accidents and injuries occur from machine operations. Optional safeguards act as the first line of defense for the operators and those around them. For the best results, any part, function, or process of a machine that has the potential to cause injury should be guarded.
To ensure that you are meeting OSHA requirements—and that your machines are correctly guarded—you need to conduct regular assessments, use effective communication, and provide thorough training. At Stronghold®, we appreciate the importance of safety. Our machine guarding assessments are a great way to identify risks, eliminate hazards, and implement solutions that maximize ROI.
Stronghold®: Your Machine Safety Partner
Employee safety is vital for the health and productivity of your company. And with the right safety tools, you can make sure every member of your team is operating safely. At Stronghold®, we’re ready to help you create a safer, more productive workplace through a variety of industrial safety services and solutions. We can work together to implement safety solutions that prevent injuries and maximize production in your workplace. If you’re ready to get serious about safety, contact us today.