Did you know that 52 percent of homeowners in the United States of America have reported completing a DIY project at their homes in the past year? Having the right tools for the job makes any project easier, and one of the best pieces of equipment that you can have on hand is the pneumatic clamp.
Pneumatic clamping tables are perfect for holding items in place when you’re working on the minute details of them. It creates a safe and stable working environment that will allow you to get everything right the first time around.
While pneumatic clamping is helpful, it’s important to note that it is dangerous when not handled with respect and care. The good news is that you’ve found a perfect guide to learning safety tips when using a pneumatic clamping table.
Keep reading to learn more today!
What Is a Pneumatic Clamp?
A pneumatic clamp is a great tool to have because it allows you to keep an item stable when you need to drill into it or cut it. Handling these tasks without pneumatic clamps on hand is dangerous, and it could put you or those around you in harm’s way.
As with any piece of construction equipment, it’s best to operate the pneumatic clamp with a great deal of caution. This clamp is quite powerful since it is needed to hold heavy pieces of wood and metal in one spot against a ton of force.
Advantages of Pneumatic Clamps
You might wonder why a pneumatic clamp is needed when you can use a traditional hand clamp. A pneumatic toggle clamp is great because it saves you a ton of energy and effort when tightening the clamp. You or your employees will get to skip the task of tightening and loosening the clamp during each use.
It’s also possible to combine multiple clamps into the same system. Going with the pneumatic clamp ensures that the clamp stays closed even if the air supply fails. You will also get a ton of pneumatic clamping power from a small supply of compressed air.
Five Safety Tips for Using Pneumatic Clamps
Now that you have a bit more information on the purpose and benefits of pneumatic clamps, it’s important to take a look at some tips that will make operating a pneumatic clamp a successful and safe venture. Make sure that you’re using all of the necessary protective equipment in combination with these helpful tips!
- Make Full Contact With the Pressure Plate
A mistake that many new pneumatic clamps operators make is forgetting to make full contact with the pressure plate. The pressure plate is the square-shaped metal plate that provides stability to the item that you’re cutting or drilling.
As you start to tighten the clamp, the pressure plate will move forward as a way to secure the item in place. You need to make sure that the pressure plate is touching the item in its entirety for the best results.
You risk serious injury if you don’t ensure that the item is secure against the pressure plate before proceeding. These Toggle Clamps by SandfieldEngineering are perfect if you’re worried about worker safety when using the clamps.
- Oil Your Clamp
It’s also essential to provide proper maintenance for your pneumatic clamp if you want to keep your employees safe. This isn’t unique to pneumatic clamps, as even a hand-powered clamp needs proper maintenance to continue working as designed.
The most important aspect of maintaining your pneumatic toggle clamps is to oil them consistently. The moving parts of the pneumatic clamp will not work in a smooth and efficient manner without getting oil regularly.
You can trust that your clamp will move in a smooth and safe manner when you need to use it. A good rule of thumb is to apply oil to your clamps at least once every three months.
- Use Safety Goggles
Safety goggles are a lot like bike helmets in the sense that they don’t look cool, and people tend to prefer not using them. That said, they’re an important piece of equipment that you need to use every time you’re operating pneumatic clamps.
Thousands of workers in the United States experience eye injuries each day. One of the easiest ways to avoid becoming a statistic when using a pneumatic clamp is to wear your protective goggles. A good pair of safety goggles will make it easy to use the clamp and cut or drill as needed while still enjoying big-time eye protection.
- Tighten By Hand
Another key tip to use when you’re looking to promote pneumatic clamping safety is to tighten the clamp by hand. Most pneumatic clamps feature a lever that you can use to adjust the tightness of the clamp on the item.
The only thing that you should ever use your hand for when operating a clamp is the tightening aspect. Using a wrench or another tool to work the lever is asking for a workplace injury to occur.
- Don’t Over-Tighten the Clamp
Many users that are new to using pneumatic clamps make the mistake of using too much force to hold the item in place. It’s important to remember that a pneumatic clamping table is capable of applying tons of force to an object.
It’s best to tighten an item until it you don’t need to worry about it moving as you cut or drill into it. Over-tightening the item will not only damage it but could put you in harm’s way.
Now You’re Ready to Safely Operate a Pneumatic Clamp
Operating a pneumatic clamp might look easy, but it is a dangerous piece of equipment that you need to regard and use with caution. Never over-tighten the clamp as this could damage the item and cause injuries at the job site. You should also use oil to maintain the clamp to prevent workplace injuries.
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