TECH NEWS

TEST THE EFFECTIVENESS OF DRAWING LUBRICANTS

This machine tests the resistance to drawing lubricated and/or coated sheet metal through a forming

operation, by simulating the die bead function of a double action press.

The clamping pressure is adjustable up to 5,000 lb. The test load may be varied up to 10,000 lb.

Speed is adjustable to match actual drawing speeds, up to 30 inches per minute. All hydraulic

powered.

Model LUB, shown, has digital readouts of clamping and test loads, and distance traveled, plus an X-Y

recorder. Less costly gauge models are also available.

DETROIT TESTING MACHINE CO.

9390 Grinnell Avenue, Detroit, MI 48213 Tel: 313-921-0659 Fax:313-921-0507

Ergonomics may be defined as the science and study of the human body as a system operating under

two sets of laws: the laws of Newtonian mechanics and the biological laws of life. A new ASTM

standard will deal with the relationships in the designing, manufacturing, constructing, assembling,

installing, using, maintaining, and retrofitting of products, facilities, equipment. construction, and

services. This standard is expected to result from a new activity on ergonomics, to organize Jan. 10,

1992, at ASTM Headquarters. The activity will be under the jurisdiction of Committee E - 3 4 on

Occupational Health and Safety.

"Ergonomics is about the study of work and man and total environmental relationships," says Lewis

Barbe, chairman of the new activity and of Subcommittee E34.80 on Safety Analyses for Products,

Facilities, and Equipment. "It means that man and this work environment must be designed to be

compatible." Standards for ergonomics, Barbe says, will prescribe guidelines for the man/ work

environmental relationship that can be used by engineers, architects, and others to eliminate hazards

in the design and construction phases. "This standard will provide an engineering methodology that

should be used to determine whether something is safe or not safe," explains the chairman. "—hese

standards can assist architects, engineers, and others who design products, equipment, facilities and

services in complying with basic engineering principles."

Those principles state that hazards must be removed from equipment, products,facilities, and

services, or, f the hazards cannot be removed, that protection, training,instructions, or warnings must

be provided to workers. But warnings shall never be used in the place of eliminating hazards by

engineering, according to Barbe. Specific areas identified as being in need of standards development

will be addressed during the Jan. 10 orgaiiza-tional meeting at ASTM Headquarters. For more

information on the new activity, contact Lewis Barbe, P.E., C S.P., Occupational Safety & Health

Services, 6320 Limerick Lane, Edina, MN 55439 (612/941-6319); or Wendy Dyer, ASTM (215/299-

5526). SN

ELECTROMAGNETIC METHOD TASK GROUP OF E-7 TO DEVELOP PRACTICE FOR EDDY CURRENT COILS

In response to requests from the airline industry, the U.S. Air Force, and particularly the Department

of Defense, Subcommittee E07.07 on Electromagnetic Methods is beginning work on a standard for

calibration of eddy current coils. Each bolt or rivet hole in an aircraft must be tested for cracks, and

the pencil-like probe of an eddy current tester checks for these cracks. An electrical current, caused

to flow by an applied magnetic field, is induced into the bolt hole. Changes in the flow caused by

variations in the specimen—in this case cracks in the surrounding material-are reflected on the

tester's coils. Aircraft inspectors use hundreds of new apparatus in their inspections. To ensure that

users are receiving calibrated coils, there is a need for a standard that will aid manufacturers in

supplying characterization measurements for their products. The standard is to be developed in

conjunction with the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Boulder and the Army Materials

Technology Laboratory. According to E07.07 Chairman Patrick C. McEleney, the subcommittee hopes

that the standard will be accepted throughout the industry, making criteria for calibration of eddy

current coils more uniform. The subcommittee, part of Committee E-7 on Nondestructive Testing,

invites participation from individuals interested in the development of this proposed standard. The

subcommittee will next meet Feb. 2-6, 1992, in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, during the standards development

meetings of Committee E-7. For more information,

CONTACT

Patrick C. McEleney, 33 Fabyan St., Arlington, MA 02174 (617/ 648-1619);

or George Luciw, ASTM(215/299-5571). Ti

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