Lightweight yet powerful, AirShirz pneumatic scissors are designed to promote the highest level of safety along with reduced risks associated with cumulative trauma disorders, helping to increase production and lower employee turnover. And, because they use standard shop air, the pneumatic shears are easy to integrate into your existing production process.

1. 1
Performance, Productivity, Safety

2. 2
Mission Statement
• “It is the mission of Bettcher Industries, Inc. develop, manufacture,
and market high quality, technically superior products which meet all
safety requirements and are of a unique and inventive nature for the
food processing and industrial markets worldwide.
• Bettcher Industries, Inc. is driven by anticipating and fulfilling the
needs of our customers with products of the highest level of benefit
coupled with a total commitment to quality service.

3. 3
Answering A Need
• Started Development in early 1990 at the request of the
Poultry Industry Joint Safety & Health Committee
• Their mandate was for Bettcher to design and manufacture
automated scissors that would lessen workers’ exposure to
the risk of Cumulative Trauma Disorders experienced while
using conventional scissors

4. 4
Design Goal:
To provide the poultry industry with an engineering solution to
replace conventional hand-held scissors, and in doing so,
dramatically reduce worker exposure to Cumulative Trauma
Disorders while increasing productivity and production quality.

5. 5
Design Criteria
Make a tool that:
• Functions like scissors
• Reduces force and muscle fatigue
• Incorporates sound ergonomic principles
• Has built-in safety features
• Is rugged and durable enough to survive in demanding
plant environments
• Has blades that perform consistently and are easy to
maintain

6. 6
Scissor Like Performance
• Because the AirShirz perform like scissors, there is no learning
curve
• Blade position is fully controllable as with conventional scissors
• Unlike conventional scissors, AirShirz allow the hand to assume
a comfortable, neutral position

7. 7
Design Criteria
Make a tool that:
• Functions like scissors
• Reduces force and muscle fatigue
• Incorporates sound ergonomic principles
• Has built-in safety features
• Is rugged and durable enough to survive in
demanding plant environments
• Has blades that perform consistently and are
easy to maintain

8. 8
Force
• Cutting force significantly reduced
• Overcoming return spring is the only
effort used
Tip: Use the least amount of
pressure to activate the tool. The
tool does the work for you.
5.00
0.72
5.00
4.00
3.00
2.00
1.00
0.00
Conventional
Scissors
AirShirz
The average grip strength lost after 5 minutes
of cutting
Reference: Pilot study conducted by
certified ergonomics. Copy of entire study available.

9. 9
Reduced Stress Points
Scissor have more pressure points
And require effort to open and close
Comfort fit and zero effort to open blades
Conventional scissors have a small contact
area and require more force to operate.
With AirShirz, increased surface
contact spreads force over a larger
area for improved operator comfort.

10. Muscle Fatigue
• Overwhelming reduction
in stress/force for
operators
• Reduces exposure to
Cumulative Trauma
Disorders
• With AirShirz, many jobs
can be rated ‘Lite Duty’.
800
700
MicroVolts
600
500
400
300
200
100
Conventional
Scissors
= Flexor Muscle Activity
= Extensor Muscle Activity
AirShirz
0
(average muscle activity)
94
No Tool
737
76
34
479
45
Reference: Pilot study conducted by
certified ergonomics. Copy of entire
study available.
Measures muscular activity and physiological
effort associated with a task over a five minute
period

11. 11
Productivity
Grip Strength Loss
(pounds)
5.0
Conventional
Scissors
0.72
Average number of pieces of corrugated
cardboard cut in 5 minutes
• Operators will work more
efficiently with higher
productivity
• Reduced employee turnover for
difficult jobs
• Reduced training costs due to
turnover
• Happier, healthier employees
Reference: Pilot study conducted by
certified ergonomics. Copy of entire study
available.

12. 12
Design Criteria
Make a tool that:
• Functions like scissors
• Reduces force and muscle fatigue
• Incorporates sound ergonomic principles
• Has built-in safety features
• Is rugged and durable enough to survive in demanding plant
environments
• Has blades that perform consistently and are easy to maintain

13. 13
Ergonomic Features
• When in use, the hand assumes a comfortable, neutral position
• Uses strongest part of hand to support tool and it fits had
comfortable while increasing surface contact
• Finger loop is spring returned – no effort is used to open
AirShirz eliminating the pressure of opening scissor blades
Micro-break strap allows hand to relax and increases control
• Lightweight
• Counter balance attachment provided

14. 14
Design Criteria
Make a tool that:
• Functions like scissors
• Reduces force and muscle fatigue
• Incorporates sound ergonomic principles
• Has built-in safety features
• Is rugged and durable enough to survive in demanding plant
environments
• Has blades that perform consistently and are easy to maintain

15. Blade speed and
position are fully
controllable like
regular scissors, for
precision cutting.
AirShirz cut full
length of the blades
without increased
force to reduce
cutting repetitions.
15
Safety
Air Power
Does the Work
Reduce Cutting Force
a light squeeze of the
trigger is the only
effort required.
Automatic
Spring Return
no effort is required
to open the blades;
just release pressure
on the trigger.
Safety latch secures
blades when not in use

16. 16
Design Criteria
Make a tool that:
• Functions like scissors
• Reduces force and muscle fatigue
• Incorporates sound ergonomic principles
• Has built-in safety features
• Is rugged and durable enough to survive
in demanding plant environments
• Has blades that perform consistently and
are easy to maintain

17. 17
Durability and Maintenance
• USDA approved
• Stainless steel and hard-coat anodized aluminum construction
• Easy cleaning – no special cleaning restrictions
• (submersible, high pressure, hot water and soap are all OK)
• All major components are field serviceable
• AirShirz were subject to a one year field test

18. 18
Design Criteria
Make a tool that:
• Functions like scissors
• Reduces force and muscle fatigue
• Incorporates sound ergonomic principles
• Has built-in safety features
• Is rugged and durable enough to survive in demanding plant
environments
• Has blades that perform consistently and are easy to
maintain

19. 19
Blades
• Easy blade change – blade sets are changed in seconds with a screwdriver
or wrench
• Blade screw captured in blade set – blade set mounting screw is captured
and cannot be accidentally lost
• Can be sharpened using conventional sharpening equipment
• Long life blade edge – Ultra high-strength 440 C stainless steel blades

20. 20
Special Blades
• Multiple blade configurations – straight, curved, ball tip, wire
cutters, Kevlar® blade and more!

21. 21
Other Advantages
• No special air requirements
• Uses standard 80-12 PSI plant air
• Operates using wet air
• In-line filter included
• Renowned Bettcher
• Customer Service
• Staff of seven trained in-field Sales & Service regional managers
• Factory engineering and service support group
• Shipment of blades and parts within 24 hours of placing the order
• Supplier to the Meat and Poultry Industries for 50 years

22. EdgeKing Precision Sharpening
22
• Save money by sharpening your
own blades
• Sharpen blades with more
precision and consistency
• Unique design accommodates
both conventional and air-powered
scissor blades

23. Summary
• Scissor-like performance allows full control of blades at all times
• Dramatic reduction in force and muscle fatigue greatly reduces exposure
23
to Cumulative Trauma Disorders and increases worker productivity
• Sound ergonomic design principles increase worker welfare and comfort
• Built-in safety features help reduce the risk of accidents
• Rugged and durable design provides long service life and easy in-plant
maintenance
• Bettcher Industries’ expertise has allowed development of a new
generation of long life blades

24. 24
AirShirz®
Bettcher Industries provides a sound engineering solution to the problems experienced by
users of conventional scissors. The AirShirz may potentially reduce medical costs associated
with Cumulative Trauma Disorders, increase individual productivity, and provide greater
worker safety, comfort and well being.