Lab safety

Lab safety is extremely important in order to carry out projects with as little risk of injury as possible. This page features a few common machines and how to use them safely.

-Equipment-

General Safety: always ask for permission, never walk away while a machine is running (other than the 3D printer), check for foreign debris in the machine, and wear proper protection.

-Equipment-

General Safety: always ask for permission, never walk away while a machine is running (other than the 3D printer), check for foreign debris in the machine, and wear proper protection.

3D Printer

Created 3D objects from digital files.

do not touch the print nozzle
check all settings before use
close doors while printing
do not leave anything on the plattform after use
be wary of the plattform being hot after use
use a putty knife to remove creations

Band Saw

makes precise cuts in various materials

blade guard should be 1/8th of an inch above the piece being cut
make relief cuts and push the work piece slowly when cutting a tight curve
keep fingers at least 2 inches from the cut line
hold material against the table
do not cut round materials without a V-Block

Belt/ Disc Sander

Smooths, shapes, and levels rough surfaces

do not use if the belt is torn
hold material firmly
the disc should not be clogged
make sure to sand on the proper side of the disc
do not force material against the sanding surfaces

CNC Machines

use computer programming to precicely cut, drill, and shape materials

check spindle speed and depth before starting
perform a simulation/ dry run before use
cluse doors during use
securely clamp the work piece

Drill press

creates precise holes in various materials

square drill bits can be used
center punch all holes to be drilled
use fingers to tighten chuck
remove chuck key before turning on
clamp materials to the table
use back up stock

Power Tools

complete various tasks like drilling, cutting, sanding, shaping, etc.

ensure there are no frays or cuts in the cords
ensure there are no loose or damaged handles
place hot tools or machines back into the tool cabinet
(jigsaw in image)

Jointer

makes things flat and straight

the guard should always be covering the cutterhead
do not stand directly behind the path of the board
the infeed table should be lowered 1 inch per passing cut
do not pull materials through
the concave side should be faced down

Laser Engraver/ cutter

uses a focused laser to cut or engrave materials

make sure the exhaust system is working
do nut push or pull the laser head and its gantry
the cover must remain closed when in use
never allow anything flammable near the machine
large flames are not ok
make sure the laser housing will not collide with the material

Miter Saw

makes precise angled cuts

make sure the stock is held firmly against the fence
keep hands away from the cut line and blade
ripping (cutting with the grain) is not allowed
wait for the blade to reach full speed before cutting
make all adjustments while the machine is turned off

Planer

flatten, smooths, and shapes wood

feed board so that it does not cut across the grain
do not force boards through
do not plane a board shorter than the distance between the rollers
depth of cut should be 1/16th of an inch pass
never look directly into the throat of the planer while running
do not stand directly behind the board

Robotics

Programmed to complete a variety of tasks

do not reach into the designated safety zone during operation
remove all tools and materials from the safety zone
run a simulation before having the robot execute a program
start with slower movements

Scroll Saw

makes intricate cuts in various materials

mark all lines to be cut
material needs to be held down to table
slowly cut around curves
do not force the material into the blade
turn off the machine immediately if the blade breaks

Table Saw

makes straight cuts in wood

use the miter gauge and fence together
do not raise the blade as high as possible
a push stick is needed for ripping narrow materials
never reach across the blase
do not stand in the line of the cut

Wood Lathe

shapes wood by rotating it on a central axis

do not reach over the stock while it is spinning
perform roughing and beginning cuts at low speeds
make sure the stock cleats the tool rest prior to beginning
set the tool rest 1/4 of an inch from the stock, and 1/8 of an inch above the center of the stock

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