Technician’s custom tools make tricky tasks easier
bumpuskl@ornl.gov Tue, 11/29/2022 - 20:38
Mark Roberts was working on a machine, trying to attach a tricky fitting to the end of a pipe while holding three other components in place, and he realized he could use another hand.
So he went back to his desk, gave it some thought, and came up with the next best thing: a custom, 3D-printed tool to hold the valve in place and keep the other components aligned, leaving his hands free to attach the fitting.
As a mechanical technician in the Enrichment Systems Engineering Section, Roberts needs to complete this particular task fairly regularly.
“It was a real pain to get in there and do that,” he said. “After doing my first one, I started trying to figure out a way to make it easier and more reliable.”