Automation: Automatic Knife Sharpener– Uses, Care and Maintenance

Automation: Automatic Knife Sharpener – Uses, Care and Maintenance

The automatic knife sharpener is also called an automation knife honer or automatic blade sharpener. It is a specialised equipment to sharpen microtome knife automatically. It utilizes specialized technology to achieve optimum results. This minimizes the risk of knife damage during the sharpening process. The following are features of automatic knife sharpeners:

• 1. Motorised system: The automatic knife sharpener is equipped with a motorized system to control the microtome knife sharpening process. It ensures controlled movement of the knife to reduce human error during the knife sharpening process.

• 2. Sharpening stone or Honing stone: Automatic knife sharpener has a sharpening stone or honing wheel. Honing wheel or sharpening stone is made of high-quality abrasive materials. The abrasive surfaces are designed to refine and polish the microtome knife cutting edge. Automatic knife sharpener restores the sharpness and precision of microtome knife.

• 3. Adjustable angle: The automatic knife sharpener allows the operator to adjust the angle of the microtome knife during the sharpening process. Angle is adjusted as per requirements or recommendations of microtome manufacturers.

• 4. Automated sharpening process: Insert a microtome knife into the sharpener. The automated sharpening process started automatically. The machine moves the microtome knife across the sharpening stones or honing wheels. The machine controls this movement precisely and effectively to sharpen the microtome knife.

• 5. Safety features: The automatic knife sharpener has safety features to protect the microtome knife and operator.

Automatic Knife Sharpener Uses:

An automatic knife sharpener in histopathology is used the following purposes”

• 1. To obtain a high-quality tissue section.

• 2. To improve tissue preservation. It minimizes tissue distortion and damage during section cutting,

• 3. Time efficiency. It consumes less time to produce quality tissue sections.

• 4. Reduced user variability. The quality of the tissue section does not depend upon the skill and experience of laboratory technicians.

• 5. Longevity of microtome knife.

• 6. Safety. It reduces the risk of accident and injury during section cutting,

• 7. Cost effectiveness. It prolongs the life of the microtome knife and reduces tissue section cutting time. This makes automatic knife sharpeners economical in the long run.

Automatic knife sharpener – care and maintenance

The following steps are followed to care for and maintain an automatic knife sharpener.

• 1. Always follow the manufacturer’s guidelines to operate an automatic knife sharpener.

• 2. Cleaning. Regularly clean the knife sharpener to remove debris and dust. Use a soft lint-free cloth or a brush to clean it gently. Do not use harsh chemical or abrasive materials to clean

• 3. Knife inspection. Carefully inspect the knife before using automatic knife sharpener,

• 4. Fix a regular sharpening (honing) schedule to a sharp knife. The frequency of sharpening depends upon the volume of tissues for section cutting and the condition of the knife.

• 5. Proper blade installation. Follow the manufacturer/s guidelines to install a knife in an automatic knife sharpener. Ensure secure and accurate placement of knife in automatic knife sharpener.

• 6. Lubrication. automatic knife sharpener requires periodic lubrication

• 7. Operator training. Allow only trained operators to operate, care and maintain automatic knife sharpeners/

• 8. Regular calibration and servicing

• 9. Safety precaution. Implement proper safety measures to avoid accidents and injury.

• 10. Record keeping. Maintain a log book to record cleaning, calibration, servicing, and repair of automatic knife sharpener.

Dr. Pramila Singh