Governor Jim Douglas and the Vermont Department of Labor awarded Mack Molding Co. the second annual Governor’s Workplace Safety Award in the large employer category at ceremonies held earlier this month at the Capital Plaza, Montpelier.
Nominated by the Springfield Regional Development Corporation and the Bennington County Industrial Corporation, Mack was singled out for several key indicators of workplace safety. Among them were impressive records for consecutive days without a lost-time accident in each of its three Vermont manufacturing operations, significantly reduced workers’ compensation costs, established and active safety committees, and the addition of both a full-time occupational health nurse and a part-time occupational medicine physician on site. In addition, Mack’s medical emergency response plan includes 38 employee volunteers who are American Red Cross certified for Standard First Aid/CPR and AED. Each manufacturing facility also has an automated external defibrillator (AED) on site and ready for emergency use.
Last year, each plant set a record for consecutive days without a lost-time accident, with the Cavendish facility reaching 365 days; East Arlington, 209; and the headquarters plant, 175. “That is an incredible achievement that takes commitment from every single employee, and I applaud each of them for their efforts,” says Jeff Somple, president of Mack’s Northern Operations.
“Embracing safety in the workplace not only impacts the health of our employees, but also the health of our business,” he adds. “Our employees are our most valuable asset. When they’re healthy, they are ready and able to work and contribute to our success every day, which positively influences both our bottom line and our ability to compete in a very aggressive marketplace.”
The Governor’s Workplace Safety Award is the highest honor given by the state of Vermont to recognize an employer’s commitment to excellence in workplace safety and health.
The winner of the combined Furniture/Computer & Business Equipment category, the Chadwick suspension chair, is an office chair designed by Don Chadwick for Knoll, an international company that specializes in workplace furnishings. The chair’s principle components are light injection molded forms that make up the frame, arm and base. Mack uses nine tools to mold 14 parts out of 40 percent glass-filled nylon to meet cosmetic and structural requirements. Gas-assisted injection molding is used on several parts to reduce cycle times and part weight, and maximize the structural integrity of the resin.
Winning the Single Part category is the seat encapsulation for the Chadwick chair described above. The seat support must transfer the load of an individual’s weight to the seat frame without any fabric tearing issues. To accomplish that, Mack uses fabric that is produced in two types of copolyester resin.
Designed to meet the specific demands and extreme conditions of the emergency medical services environment, the E Series features a suitcase-style design with an innovative, protective roll cage, allowing emergency personnel to carry and store the device easily. Small, light and tough, it can be dropped off a building or run over by a truck without affecting operation.
Billed as “the toughest pallet truck you can buy,” the 8000 Series features a rugged polymer cover that won’t bend, dent, fade or rust like metal covers. It snaps conveniently on and off for easy maintenance, and there are no catch points that can cause the cover to become damaged. Low pressure structural foam molded of thermoplastic elastomer, the large cover meets both cosmetic and extremely high impact requirements. The combination of material, process and paint allows the part to “flex” without surface damage.
The bench top version is rated IP67 splash proof and IP54 dust-proof and takes up very little bench space due to its small footprint. The lightweight design of the handheld model, coupled with the new waterproof and secure electrode connectors, makes it ideal for fieldwork. Both housings are injection molded of polycarbonate resin for impact strength and chemical resistance.
The second entry in the Medical & Scientific division is the MIHM-1 Monitor from Analogic Corporation, a leading designer and manufacturer of advanced health and security systems and subsystems. The MIHM-1 monitor represents a new minimally invasive approach to monitoring continuous cardiac output. Used in conjunction with other bedside monitors and clinical assessment, the MIHM-1 Monitor helps assess patient status and determine the need and adequacy of therapy in the management of critically ill patients.
The third entry, the HI-Care Cart from Howard Medical, is a point-of-care product for health care professionals designed to efficiently deliver medications and care, and provide for proficient data entry into records via wireless technology. Its sleek, small footprint allows for easy navigation in the tightest of environments. And to further improve maneuverability, an injection molded handle feature encircles the work surface, serving as a grab rail.
The Chadwick suspension chair is an office chair designed by Don Chadwick for Knoll, an international company that specializes in workplace furnishings. Chadwick’s principle components are light injection molded forms that make up the frame, arm and base. Mack uses nine tools to mold 14 parts out of 40 percent glass-filled nylon to meet cosmetic and structural requirements. 
Pitney Bowes provides the world’s most comprehensive suite of mailstream software, hardware, services and solutions to help companies manage their flow of mail, documents and packages to improve communication. Their Weigh-On-The-Way™ (WOW) unit employs patented technology to process mixed weight material up to 16 oz. automatically and in a single operation. Each piece is weighed, the proper rate is calculated, and the postage is imprinted at speeds up to 70 or 90 letters per minute, based on configuration.
This licensed hybrid molding process allows the designer to selectively locate large ribs on the core side of highly cosmetic surfaces, with minimal to no sink and zero read-through. In addition, because of the selective rib location and the luxury of designing section on these ribs, Triton was able to develop a part that met all mechanical critical-to-quality requirements at a much reduced cubic volume, translating into lower part weight.
Due to space constraints, the battery container is designed within a specific allowable footprint, which drives the design of this very large, deep draw, plastic injection molded part toward thinner wall sections and minimal draft. The application also demands a highly cosmetic finish, which is achieved through a well designed mold that ensures proper filling and a clear finish, and virtually eliminates the visual defects commonly associated with large clear injection molded parts.
The second entry, a 25 Caliber Cover for a BT Prime-Mover walkie fork jack, is similar to the part described above in that is a very large cover that requires high cosmetics and impact resistance. Again, Mack combines low pressure structural foam with thermoplastic elastomer and adhesion, primer and color paint coats to produce a cover that flexes without surface damage.
The final entry in the Material Handling division is the Secretariat Handle, a control handle for a Raymond Corporation forklift that controls all truck functions except steering. Designed with the “joystick” generation of video players in mind who have since moved into the work force, the reminiscent design meets all requirements for location restriction, cosmetics and strength. Injected molded of 10 percent glass-filled polycarbonate resin for structural load, the handle is produced in a two-cavity family mold.
Entered in the Transportation category is an upper side air deflector for a Volvo Class 8 truck. This application was designed to withstand highway speed airflow without deflection or vibration in an easy-to-install, easy-to-paint, Class A finish part. Gas-assist injection molded of PC/ABS resin, the application incorporates a large gas channel and a double rib design to achieve superior trailing edge stiffness by using geometry, not added weight. This eliminates adding stiffening brackets on this large Class A part.
Congratulations to Knoll Furniture, ZOLL Medical, Raymond Corporation and Thermo Electron for their winning applications at the Alliance of Plastics Processors annual parts design competition earlier this month. In conjunction with Mack, these companies garnered five awards for processing and product design innovation, “the highest number of awards we’ve ever won over a long history with this competition,” says Jeff Somple, president, Northern Operations.
Chadwick Suspension Chair
