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Performance, Productivity, Safety

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Mission Statement

• “It is the mission of Bettcher Industries, Inc. develop, manufacture, and market high quality, technically superior products which meet all safety requirements and are of a unique and inventive nature for the food processing and industrial markets worldwide.

• Bettcher Industries, Inc. is driven by anticipating and fulfilling the needs of our customers with products of the highest level of benefit coupled with a total commitment to quality service.

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• Started Development in early 1990 at the request of the Poultry Industry Joint Safety & Health Committee

• Their mandate was for Bettcher to design and manufacture automated scissors that would lessen workers’ exposure to the risk of Cumulative Trauma Disorders experienced while using conventional scissors

Answering A Need

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To provide the poultry industry with an engineering solution to replace conventional hand-held scissors, and in doing so, dramatically reduce worker exposure to Cumulative TraumaDisorders while increasing productivity and production quality.

Design Goal:

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Make a tool that:• Functions like scissors• Reduces force and muscle fatigue• Incorporates sound ergonomic principles• Has built-in safety features• Is rugged and durable enough to survive in demanding

plant environments• Has blades that perform consistently and are easy to

maintain

Design Criteria

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• Because the AirShirz perform like scissors, there is no learning curve

• Blade position is fully controllable as with conventional scissors• Unlike conventional scissors, AirShirz allow the hand to assume

a comfortable, neutral position

Scissor Like Performance

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Make a tool that:• Functions like scissors• Reduces force and muscle fatigue• Incorporates sound ergonomic principles• Has built-in safety features• Is rugged and durable enough to survive in

demanding plant environments• Has blades that perform consistently and are

easy to maintain

Design Criteria

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• Cutting force significantly reduced• Overcoming return spring is the only

effort used

Tip: Use the least amount of pressure to activate the tool. The tool does the work for you.

5.00

0.720.00

1.00

2.00

3.00

4.00

5.00

Conventional

Scissors

AirShirz

The average grip strength lost after 5 minutes of cutting

Reference: Pilot study conducted bycertified ergonomics. Copy of entire study available.

Force

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Reduced Stress Points

Scissor have more pressure points

And require effort to open and close

Comfort fit and zero effort to open blades

Conventional scissors have a small contact

area and require more force to operate.

With AirShirz, increased surface contact spreads force over a larger area for improved operator comfort.

• Overwhelming reduction in stress/force for operators

• Reduces exposure to Cumulative Trauma Disorders

• With AirShirz, many jobs can be rated ‘Lite Duty’.

Conventional

ScissorsAirShirz

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

Mic

roVolts

(ave

rage m

usc

le a

ctivity )

94

No Tool

737

7634

479

45

= Flexor Muscle Activity

= Extensor Muscle Activity

Reference: Pilot study conducted bycertified ergonomics. Copy of entire study available.

Measures muscular activity and physiological effort associated with a task over a five minute period

Muscle Fatigue

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Grip S

trength

Loss

(pounds)

5.0

Conventional

Scissors

0.72

Average number of pieces of corrugatedcardboard cut in 5 minutes

• Operators will work more efficiently with higher productivity

• Reduced employee turnover for difficult jobs

• Reduced training costs due to turnover

• Happier, healthier employees

Reference: Pilot study conducted bycertified ergonomics. Copy of entire study available.

Productivity

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Make a tool that:• Functions like scissors• Reduces force and muscle fatigue• Incorporates sound ergonomic principles• Has built-in safety features• Is rugged and durable enough to survive in demanding plant

environments• Has blades that perform consistently and are easy to maintain

Design Criteria

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• When in use, the hand assumes a comfortable, neutral position• Uses strongest part of hand to support tool and it fits had

comfortable while increasing surface contact• Finger loop is spring returned – no effort is used to open

AirShirz eliminating the pressure of opening scissor blades Micro-break strap allows hand to relax and increases control

• Lightweight• Counter balance attachment provided

Ergonomic Features

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Design Criteria

Make a tool that:• Functions like scissors• Reduces force and muscle fatigue• Incorporates sound ergonomic principles• Has built-in safety features• Is rugged and durable enough to survive in demanding plant

environments• Has blades that perform consistently and are easy to maintain

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Safety

Air Power Does the Work

Reduce Cutting Force a light squeeze of the trigger is the only effort required.

Automatic Spring Return no effort is required to open the blades; just release pressure on the trigger.

Safety latch secures blades when not in use

Blade speed and position are fullycontrollable like regular scissors, for precision cutting. AirShirz cut full length of the blades without increased force to reduce cutting repetitions.

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Make a tool that:• Functions like scissors• Reduces force and muscle fatigue• Incorporates sound ergonomic principles• Has built-in safety features• Is rugged and durable enough to survive

in demanding plant environments• Has blades that perform consistently and

are easy to maintain

Design Criteria

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• USDA approved• Stainless steel and hard-coat anodized aluminum construction• Easy cleaning – no special cleaning restrictions

• (submersible, high pressure, hot water and soap are all OK)• All major components are field serviceable• AirShirz were subject to a one year field test

Durability and Maintenance

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Design Criteria

Make a tool that:• Functions like scissors• Reduces force and muscle fatigue• Incorporates sound ergonomic principles• Has built-in safety features• Is rugged and durable enough to survive in demanding plant

environments• Has blades that perform consistently and are easy to

maintain

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• Easy blade change – blade sets are changed in seconds with a screwdriver or wrench

• Blade screw captured in blade set – blade set mounting screw is captured and cannot be accidentally lost

• Can be sharpened using conventional sharpening equipment• Long life blade edge – Ultra high-strength 440 C stainless steel blades

Blades

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• Multiple blade configurations – straight, curved, ball tip, wire cutters, Kevlar® blade and more!

Special Blades

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• No special air requirements• Uses standard 80-12 PSI plant air• Operates using wet air• In-line filter included

• Renowned Bettcher • Customer Service

• Staff of seven trained in-field Sales & Service regional managers• Factory engineering and service support group• Shipment of blades and parts within 24 hours of placing the order• Supplier to the Meat and Poultry Industries for 50 years

Other Advantages

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• Save money by sharpening your own blades

• Sharpen blades with more precision and consistency

• Unique design accommodates both conventional and air-powered scissor blades

EdgeKing Precision Sharpening

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• Scissor-like performance allows full control of blades at all times• Dramatic reduction in force and muscle fatigue greatly reduces exposure

to Cumulative Trauma Disorders and increases worker productivity• Sound ergonomic design principles increase worker welfare and comfort• Built-in safety features help reduce the risk of accidents• Rugged and durable design provides long service life and easy in-plant

maintenance• Bettcher Industries’ expertise has allowed development of a new

generation of long life blades

Summary

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AirShirz®

Bettcher Industries provides a sound engineering solution to the problems experienced by users of conventional scissors. The AirShirz may potentially reduce medical costs associated with Cumulative Trauma Disorders, increase individual productivity, and provide greater worker safety, comfort and well being.