Hach partnered with CIRAS to solve a persistent blade cleaning challenge. Using the CIRAS Digital Manufacturing Lab Powered by Alliant Energy and 3D printing, a team of interns developed a safer, ergonomic tool that reduces cleaning time and safety risks, saving the company an estimated $163,000 annually.
Company Overview
Since our founding in 1933, Hach® has led the industry in developing innovative solutions to help our customers analyze their water more efficiently and more effectively. Today, Hach products can be found around the globe in a wide range of lab, field, and in-process uses in municipal and industrial facilities. Hach analytics solutions are designed to give operators and managers confidence in the many decisions they make to ensure compliance, improve energy efficiency, and reduce waste in production, product quality, and utilities management.
Situation
When producing water testing strips, Hach first adheres testing chemicals to sheets of paper and then cuts them using a rotating 50-blade machine. Over time, adhesive builds up on the blades, which must be removed by hand using a small blade. This process is labor-intensive, time-consuming, and poses safety risks. Cleaning each machine could take up to 15 minutes and had been a persistent challenge for many years.
To address this problem, Hach turned to CIRAS process engineering lead, Andrew Friend, for help developing a safer, more efficient solution.
Solution
Andrew employed the help of interns to lead the project. Satyam Sharma (CIRAS Automation Intern), Xuan Xuan Lee, and Selman Pepeljak (Hach Interns) to lead the project. Leveraging the CIRAS Digital Manufacturing Lab, powered by Alliant Energy, the team quickly prototyped and refined potential solutions using 3D printing technology.
After several iterations, the interns developed a tool featuring an ergonomic handle, fitted blade, and finger guard, designed to make the cleaning process safer, faster, and more comfortable for operators. Rapid prototyping in the Digital Manufacturing Lab allowed the team to experiment and adjust designs efficiently, something not possible with traditional methods.
Impact
Hach received the prototype to further refine or manufacture as an in-house tool. The solution is estimated to save the company approximately $125,000 in labor costs and $38,000 in reduced reportable incidents, thanks to improved efficiency and safety. This project demonstrates how CIRAS helps companies test and refine ideas through iterative prototyping, enabling innovative, practical solutions to long-standing challenges.
“Working with CIRAS gave us a fresh perspective and the resources to solve a problem we’d been living with for years,” said Martin Schildroth. “Utilizing interns from both organizations provided an opportunity to work together and come up with a solution that will provide for long-term improvements, both in safety and cost.”
Contact Andrew Friend to learn more.