SEAL HEAD CLEANING

By Larry Bush

When the plastic mechanics clean the seal heads, they use a metal wire wheel on the metal face of the sealer. After they are done, they lower the seal head and start up the plastic cup machine line.

The cups that were on the line pick up bits of metal. The cups then go through the metal detector and are rejected. The operator calls for Instrumentation to come and check the metal detector because the MD has gone crazy all of a sudden.

This has been going on twice a shift, three shifts a day, for 7 years. I wonder how many cups have been rejected for tripping the metal detector due to cleaning the seal heads.

Quite some time ago, I asked the mechanics if they could put a cover over the cups while the seal heads were being cleaned. They said they had never had to put a cover over the cups and there was no use for it.

I brought my concerns to the attention of several of the plastic shift supervisors with no discernible reaction. This is my last resort. I think several sheets of semi-rigid, reusable plastic could be cut to fit under the seal heads and over the cups while the seal heads are raised for cleaning.

The plastic sheets could then be placed over the cups while the seal heads are cleaned. After cleaning, the sheets would be removed and the detritus could be dumped into a floor drain with no harm to the cups.

Just a little effort could result in a reduction in nuisance reactions from the metal detector along with a slight boost in production. Added up over a year, this slight boost could be a nice amount.

Larry Bush

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About the Author: Larry Bush has been an electrician for 47 years, and in maintenance management for 22 years. Download his e-Book "Emergency Diesel Electric Generators" and the "Maintenance Policy and Procedures Manual" !!