Minimising bandsaw injuries in the meat industry

In collaboration with Meat and Livestock Australia, Machinery Automation & Robotics has developed BladeStop. This brake mechanism reduces the risk of serious injury by mechanically stopping the bandsaw blade within 15 ms when it senses that a person has come in contact with the blade. This time frame can be the difference between a small skin cut and an amputated finger.

Bladestop stops the blade quickly by clamping the blade above the throat of the machine and removing drive tension on the blade so that the clamping system only needs to stop the momentum of an undriven blade and not the drive wheels.

By increasing bandsaw operators’ safety, companies can reduce production time lost due to injuries; reduce insurance premiums; reduce workers compensation costs; promote positive OHS related to bandsaw operation; and reduce product spoilage.