Adventures in machining. Sounds like this is one of those ISO 9002 or
whatever jobs where you document the materials used (test results from
steel manufacturer) and of course, all the SPC data or whatever from your
shop.

Mercury as a coolant? What is the purpose? Better think of how the unit
will be wiped down after machining (bet it will be anally probed, fer
sure). Is there a chance that the mercury will become atomized by the
cutter, or vaporized by the heat?

What if your setup leaks? What's the spill containment plan? Will you test
the operator prior to machining and after machining to detect exposure?

How will the presence of mercury be monitored for during machining? Is
there a requirement? HAZMAT suits are great, but is the machine in an
isolated room, or part of an open bay shop?

How will the entire exposed working area of the machine be tested, and by
who? Licensed or approved by OSHA?

How long will it take to decontaminate the machine? Are the surfaces
either painted / coated / finished so mercury does not bond / soak in /
hide in crevices?

Be up front with the customer on the clean up costs and requirements. If
the numbers don't come out, try to help the customer find a shop that can
do it. Better do a lateral pass if you can't handle it correctly...

Imagine accepting the job, doing it, then finding out you have a
persistent mercury contamination issue where that machine is not starting
on another job because it's dangerous to touch.

No human interaction within the containment field. All robotics... All to
be incinerated or whatever if the drill bit breaks. No maintenance...
Govt. job type application.

If it leaks into my machine, I hope it doesn't degrade the seals. grin

you have to understand that these guys don't even want to run the pneumatic
lines in from outside. 100% containment. I picture some guy in Iraq with a
nuke bomb and a big, strong box. Inside the box are the bomb, my drill, a
large compressed air cylinder and a pneumatic control system... You use
some sort of remote control to start the process and run away. come back in
an hour and look at the camera view to see if the drill decommissioned the
bomb... Now... Fill the bomb with mercury and you've got an accurate
picture.
--


Regards,
Joe Agro, Jr.
(800) 871-5022
01.908.542.0244
Automatic / Pneumatic Drills: http://www.AutoDrill.com
Multiple Spindle Drills: http://www.Multi-Drill.com

V8013-R