Productivity and efficiency are important in different work environments, including workshops for DIY enthusiasts or professionals. As the growing demand for good tool organisations increases, shadow foaming is a solution that has emerged as one of the most popular choices. It provides many benefits for protecting and organising our tools.
What Shadow Foaming or Board Foam Is
It is a dual-layer and custom-cut foam insert that fits into our tool drawers or toolboxes to provide the required space for every tool. The layers of foam are made of durable and dense materials designed to last and provide a unique visual contrast.
When you remove a tool, the shadow you leave behind shows its location. This makes it noticeable if any of our tools are out of place or missing.
Usually, the foam is layered with different colours: a darker bottom layer and a brighter top layer. This contrast helps to highlight the tool’s shadow, giving a clearer visual cue. We can custom-cut foam to fit any of our tools, be it specialised instruments, power tools, or hand tools.
Types
Here are the most common types of shadow boards:
- Foam-based custom: Foam inserts are used when creating orderly and tailored tool storage systems. We can precisely cut these inserts to match the size and shape of every tool, ensuring secure and perfect placements. Generally, we can craft shadow boards from higher-density foam, commonly known for its resistance to wear and tear and durability.
- Custom shadow boards: These are designed to meet the unique needs of our work environments. They are made from strong materials, such as plastic or metal, and we can personalise them to accommodate the contours and dimensions of equipment and tools. They are suitable for a workshop with different tools, providing an efficient and visually organised storage solution.
Benefits
Using a shadow board in your workshop comes with many benefits. Some of these benefits include the following:
1. Improved Organisation
We can improve the organisation through designated spaces and visual cues. With a designated space, all your tools will have their spot. This will help you put items back and find them easily.
Through visual cues, different foam colours will show us right away when any of our tools are missing. This allows us save time when looking or searching for a tool.
2. Increased Employee Productivity
Cluttered equipment and tools slow down production and manufacturing. This way, employees can cause accidents and preventable mistakes at work. However, with shadow boards, you can fix this problem and save your employees time, thus improving productivity.
3. Versatility & Reusability
Shadow boards are available in various densities and thicknesses, making them suitable for specific requirements. If you change or upgrade your tools or toolbox, you can easily repurpose or reconfigure your shadow foam board to accommodate the new settings.
4. Enhanced Safety
Organised workshops are safe to work in. Shadow boards don’t just minimise the risks of tool accidents by offering a stable and clear solution. They also make it much easier for us to track hazardous tools.
In conclusion, shadow foam boards have many benefits. Apart from helping us look after and categorise/organise our tools, they also highlight if we are missing any. This, in turn, improves safety and employee productivity.
