SBIR-STTR Award

Over a million workers in the U.S. are routinely exposed to vibration from hand-held tools. Prolonged use of these tools causes Raynaud's Disease or Vibration-induced White Finger. For a variety of reasons, the hand-held tools did not get the benefit of technological advances. This project will conduct much neglected research in hand-held tools through design and development of a prototype chipping tool. Three innovations are offered to develop necessary technology which will be translated into a prototype through mechanical design: 1. a viable oscillator, 2. a novel construction grade composite material and, 3. a mode de-coupling joint design. The feasibility of a low vibration oscillator has already been demonstrated and the proposed work will devise a viable system through optimization. The elements transmitting impact energy will be studied critically to understand the mechanism leaking vibration to the body. Change of frequency spectrum and efficient cutting mechanisms will alleviate noise and vibration. Based on the findings, a prototype chipping tool will be fabricated and its performance and vibration levels will be tested. The demonstration of a tool with low vibration and noise will help raise capital for subsequent mass production and marketing. The construction and heavy machinery industry desperately needs low vibration tools to reduce worker injuries and related liabilities. CDC research support through a small business is a viable means to generate the needed technological innovation for demonstrating the feasibility of a low vibration tool for control and prevention of musculoskeletal disease.Awardee's statement of the potential commercial applications of the research:Presently there is a great cost of maintaining health facility and liability from vibration induced white finger disease. Low vibration tools have great commercial potential due to their safety and increased performance.National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)

Over a million workers in the U.S. are routinely exposed to vibration from hand-held tools. Prolonged use of these tools causes hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS). For a variety of reasons hand-held tools have not gotten the benefit of technological advances. The SBIR Phase I (R43) project conducted much neglected researching hand- held tools and carried it through the design and development of a prototype chipping tool. Analytical work resulted in an innovative oscillator that imparts minimal vibration to the tool body. Design parameters were obtained from the mathematical model and related computation. Research findings were translated into mechanical designs. Feasibility of a low vibration tool was demonstrated by construction of an actual prototype tool. In the proposed Phase II project, the initiated research in the low vibration tool will be concluded with design guides for different sizes and applications. An optimized production prototype will be designed and tested both for vibration as well as performance. Subsequently, the tool will be field tested for endurance by chippers working in the foundries. The broader objective of the project is to have injury free tools in the hands of industrial workers within the first twelve months of the project.

Thesaurus Terms:
biomedical equipment development, industry, limb injury, occupational health /safety, vibration occupational hazard, vibration perception clinical research, human subject