Scanning for Ideas: Taking the Shock Out of Factory-Floor Vacuums

Edited by Stephen J. Mraz

These charges can be a real pain for those handling the vacuums. To cut down on such “nuisance shocks,” Nortech Vacuum Products, Chicopee, Mass., (nortech.com), has devised a line of static-conductive pneumatic vacuums that suppress suppress static charges. All components are conductive, including the carbonfiber paint on the drum. Plastic parts and hoses also contain carbon black that makes the components conductive. The vacuums are dually grounded through the air-supply hose and compressor. Users have the option, however, to positively ground the vacuum by attaching an electrical cable to the units grounding lug on one end and to an electrically grounded point on the other. The vacuums, available with 15, 30, or 55-gallon capacities, consume between 20 and 110 scfm of air.