Hard Hats Process Plant Design

by:

Erwin Demape

Raw materials
Depending on the intended use and the manufacturer, modern hard hat shells may be made of a thermoplastic such as polyethylene or polycarbonate resin, or of other materials like fiberglass, resin-impregnated textiles, or aluminum. Because it is strong, lightweight, easy to mold, and nonconductive to electricity, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) is used in most industrial hard hats. The suspension system for industrial hard hats consists of strips of woven nylon webbing and bands of molded HDPE, nylon, or vinyl. Together with the strap suspension system, most Type II hard hats use a foam liner made of expanded polystyrene (EPS). Brow pads attached to the front of the helmet's headband increase comfort for the wearer. Various materials are used for brow pads, including foam-backed vinyl, foambacked cotton terry cloth, and specialty fibers (e.g., CoolMax or Sportek) designed for sweat absorption in athletic clothing and accessories.

Manufacturing Process
The following description of the production of Type I industrial hard hats is based largely on the manufacturing techniques of one major manufacturer. However, some details have been expanded to include variations used by other manufacturers. The shell 1. The appropriate shell mold for the model being produced is selected. After adjusting a date-of-manufacture dial inside the mold, the form is positioned in an injection molding press. Electric lines are connected to the mold, as are lines carrying chilled water that will cool the mold. 2. High-density polyethylene pellets are pulled from a supply hopper by a vacuum system. Pellets of colorant are drawn from another supply hopper and mixed with the HDPE pellets in a ratio of 4% to 96%. The vacuum system then transfers the pellet mixture into the injection molding press. 3. Within the press, the pellets are heated to melt them. The molten plastic is injected into the mold to form the hard hat shell. The press opens the mold and ejects the shell onto a conveyor belt.

4. A worker picks the shell up and cuts off the sprue (a lump formed where the molten plastic entered the mold). The worker glues a label inside the shell; the label identifies the manufacturer and the appropriate ANSI type and class designations. The suspension system. 5. Component parts of the suspension system are produced. Injection molding machines form headbands, plastic "keys" that will be used to attach the suspension system to the shell, and nylon strips and gears for the ratchet mechanism that will allow head-band size adjustment to fit the hard hat user. Nylon webbing (0.75-1 in [1.9-2.5 cm]

Different types of hard hat suspension systems help to lessen the consequences of a blow to the head by distributing the force of it over a broader area. wide) from large spools is fed into a cutting machine that produces strips of the appropriate length (approximately 15 in [38 cm]). A die-cutting machine produces browpads.

6. A worker threads one end of a webbing strap through a slot in the end of a key. The worker folds the strap end back and sews it to the strap with a buttonhole machine, securing the key in a loop of the strap. The same process is repeated on the other end of the strap. 7. Depending on the model being produced, the appropriate number (4, 6, or 8) of nylon straps is arranged in a star pattern on a holding fixture, and they are secured to each other by a line of stitching at the crossover point. Alternatively, they may be threaded through a slotted, circular pad (called a crown cushion) that will rest on top of the user's head. 8. A worker inserts both ends of the head-band strip into the ratchet mechanism. 9. A worker attaches a browpad to the front of the headband by folding its tabs over the headband and hooking slots in the browpad over nodules protruding from the headband. 10. A worker attaches webbing strips to th e headband by mating slots on the keys with nodules on the headband. On a six-point suspension system, only four keys are attached to the headband; the other two keys will attach only to the hard hat shell. 11. An instruction booklet and the suspension assembly are placed inside the hat, and these components are placed into a plastic bag and a box for shipment. After purchase, the user will attach the suspension to the shell by sliding the keys into slots.