THE best tools in the world are usually designed by people who see a need to improve the efficiency or safety of their own job.

Nivek Industries’ ingenious new Lift Assist 40 tool manipulator arm is the perfect example of a workplace solution based on real world experience.

It was designed and built in Australia by Nivek’s founder Kevin Cant, who was a maintenance fitter for several years.

The tool manipulator is designed to take the weight out of a wide range of tooling, including rattle guns, impact drivers, pneumatic torque guns (including Rad and J-guns,) air sanders and more.

Its 40kg SWL capacity allows these heavy tools, which can be in use for hours at a time, to be suspended by the LA-40 arm relieving this strain from the operator.

Holding and using a heavy rattle gun is much more physically demanding than just using the gun, hence the LA-40 was designed to reduce fatigue and improve productivity every shift.

A closer look at the arm’s design reveals the degree of in-house R&D and onsite consultation with some of the country’s leading mining companies, that led to its final configuration.

Requiring no pneumatics or hydraulics in its operation, the LA-40 relies solely on clever spring design to give enough strength to hold 40kg firmly at 1070mm of horizontal extension while also allowing easy, smooth and controlled repositioning by its operator.

That repositioning can be made in six planes to provide a full 360º circle of movement: forwards; backwards; vertically; horizontally; pitch; yaw and roll. Roll is achieved with the addition of the Gimble Mount attachment.

A good tool is one that can be quickly employed and is easy to use – that’s simply human nature.

To ensure that the LA-40 arm will never be retired to the ‘too hard’ basket, Nivek developed a quick-change tool coupling.

When another tool is required, the operator simply backs off a locking thread and slides a spring-loaded collar down (just like removing an air tool from an air hose) and then clicks and locks the next tool into place. Hence, a tool change can be done in seconds.

Adam from Thiess at Mount Owen demonstrates the 1070mm reach of the LA-40 arm, which enabled him to loosen 11 nuts on the cutting edge of this D11 dozer without needing to move the TED machine.

Much of the design input from mine staff was related to workplace safety.

The goal was to keep fitters’ hands safe at all times and keep fingers out of pinch points.

Once again, this is where the subtle genius of the design is apparent. All points of articulation actually force fingers out of pinch points, while internal stoppers prevent the independent spring-loaded sections of the arm from closing fully – eliminating another potential area of risk for the operator.

As a result, there is no need to shield any of the joints for safety or durability reasons.

Most importantly is the critical safety benefit of keeping fitters’ hands out of the crush zone – especially whilst loosening and tightening nuts and bolts.

Because the LA-40 arm was built by a mine maintenance professional, it was made tough for mining and earthmoving environments.

Its articulation points will not stiffen or bind in dirty, greasy environments, so it will keep working – shift after shift – as another valuable member of the crew.

With an effectively simple design, the LA-40 is easy to maintain, durable, and affordable. It enables every pit and workshop, regardless of size, the capacity to keep their fitters safe and with reduced levels of fatigue for greater productivity.

Although the arm can be mounted to any vertical surface via the four-bolt plate, its greatest ally in the field is TED – Tracked Elevating Device.

When mounted to this mobile work platform, the LA-40 arm can be used almost anywhere as TED provides greater access to confined or elevated jobs.

Nivek Industries created TED – a masterpiece of engineering – to make belly plate removal faster and safer for fitters.

Many injuries and even fatalities have occurred from dirt-laden belly guards slipping and crushing workers.

This incredibly versatile product was also designed and built by Nivek in the Hunter Valley, NSW. It has a SWL of 800kg, can lift from just 315mm off the ground and raise to 1200mm.

Jess Briggs is a heavy machine fitter at Mount Owen who loves the time and labour saving aspects of TED and the LA-40 arm.

TED is the answer to a fitter’s prayers. It is remote controlled, so it can be operated from a safe distance.

It is powered by a rechargeable battery and does not require external air or power when it is in operation.

The tracks allow it to travel over all surfaces and make removal of belly pans in the pit safe and fast.

TED even has its own removable grader blade to quickly level a pad on which to safely operate.

It may have been built for a specific role but TED’s repertoire is expanding all the time.

When it comes to moving heavy stands under large machinery, the fork tines or rhino attachment make easy work of it, with the adjustable forks capable of lifting 200kg (or 400kg when a rear counter-balance weight is added). These front-mounted accessories are quickly detached with two pins for fast turnaround.

Up top – on the table top – TED has a bearing-mounted turntable, that make it quick and simple to bolt up a range of top-mounted accessories. Special cradles are available to handle cylinders of all types – especially heavy hydraulic rams.

When it comes to ground engagement tools, TED has that area covered too, with a cutting-edge tool specifically designed to hold, angle and align heavy grader and dozer blade edges. It’s a job that can now be done by a single operator in most cases.

Just when you thought there was an end to TED’s talents, Nivek has also released a sump tray fitting that can be fixed at a variety of angles to match the bottom profile of almost any sump pan.

Once angled and locked, TED’s tray provides perfect support of the sump after the last bolt is removed, without the need for potentially dangerous chocks.

Re-installation is also made far easier as the already positioned sump can be lifted vertically into place against the engine block.

Optional extension blocks are available which enable TED’s work height to increase to 1800mm. This is ideal for applications such as steering rack removal, where TED can be lowered to only 315mm, driven under the vehicle, the blocks added and then lifted up to 1800mm to support steering components higher than 1200mm off the ground.

When it comes to practical, field tested design, durability, tough construction, fatigue mitigation, productivity enhancement, OpEx cost reduction and full safety compliance – TED and the new LA-40 arm tick all the boxes. These are truly innovative tools that have proven themselves every hour of every shift and they are Australian made.

 

Sources: Nivek Industries. 0418 517 359

www.nivekindustries.com.au

WA – Equipment Placement – (08) 9479 4988

QLD – Tefol – (07) 4960 4805

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