Page 33 - Industrial Technology February 2020

DESIGN ENGINEERING

SHOCK ABSORBER KEY IN ROWING MACHINE

AN ADJUSTABLE INDUSTRIAL SHOCK ABSORBER IS HELPING A YOUNG WOMAN REGAIN STRENGTH AND
MOBILITY FOLLOWING A MAJOR OPERATION TO REMOVE A TUMOUR. THE SHOCK ABSORBER IS BUILT
INTO A MODIFIED ROWING MACHINE IN A PROJECT COORDINATED BY NATIONWIDE CHARITY REMAP

emap helps disabled people achieve smooth movement that glides the seat to a stop. Barry Since modifying the rowing machine with the
independence and a better quality of life by contacted WDS about sourcing a suitable shock absorber adjustable shock absorber it’s been a lot easier for Ellie to
designing and building equipment that meets and was delighted when he was told there would be no exercise her legs and work towards recovery following her
Rtheir individual needs. Each piece of equipment charge because it was such a special project. operation. Barry explains: “The specialised services that
is bespoke to the individual user and may be designed to “The WDS engineers helped identify the best possible Remap provides as a charity allows us to make very real
help them exercise, carry out essential daily tasks without unit for the job and suggested that an adjustable one improvements to people’s lives – often given them a level
having to ask for help, or allow them to take part in sports would be ideal because it could be reset as Ellie gets of independence that they would otherwise have lost.
and leisure activities that would otherwise be impossible. stronger and her muscles grow,” recalls Barry. However we are a charity, so budget does have to be
Founded in 1964, Remap has helped more than Industrial shock absorbers work by driving a piston considered with every project. It’s support from
80,000 people from all around the UK. Many of its into an oil-filled chamber and forcing the oil out through companies like WDS that allow us to reach our targets
volunteers are engineers, craftsmen, designers or a relatively small orifice to provide a cushioning effect. and offer our services to more people who need them.”
programmers from the manufacturing industry who either Adjustable shock absorbers, as used by Barry, have a
fit the work in around their jobs or who have retired but setting wheel which is used to partially close off the orifice
want to keep putting their skills to good use. and thereby match oil flow, and thus the load absorption
One Remap volunteer, Barry Tremlett, was asked to capacity, to the application requirements.
help out on a project for a young woman called Ellie, who In industry shock absorbers are typically used for
is disabled from the waist down following an operation to product handling on conveyor belts and for cushioning the
remove a tumour. She uses a rowing machine to exercise movements of machine parts. They are also used in
her legs for which Barry designed and supplied a exercise machines, to control security doors and gates, in
modification that supports her legs on the forward stroke. impact testing equipment and many other
She uses this for a few hours each day, building up her applications.
muscles and working on her movements. However, she WDS shock absorbers are robustly built for a long
cannot stop the seat as she moves forward meaning that reliable working life, even in harsh environments.
it was crashing into the original stop and passing a painful They come in a range of sizes with stroke lengths from
shock through her body with every stroke. Barry assessed 8mm to 50mm and operating speeds
the situation and decided the best solution was to fit an from 0.8m/s to 3.0m/s. As with all
industrial shock absorber, mounted using a transverse WDS products technical specialists
aluminium square section tube, which reacts against the are always on hand to help with
seat as it runs forward. The shock absorber dissipates the specification and selection or to discuss
kinetic energy in a controlled impact-free way to create a alternative ideas and solutions.

MORE INFORMATION: www.wdsltd.co.uk • sales@wdsltd.co.uk • Tel: 0113 290 9852

February 2020 •INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY 33