Design Studio / The Factory 1/2
The Factory
Regardless of what can sometimes be seen in comic books,
products do not come straight out of a chute in the factory. The
making of scissors, for instance, is a complex process, passing in
various stages from one machine to another. An efficient and
cost-effective method of manufacturing requires the detailed
planning of the process already in the model stage. Quality must
be checked and controlled continuously on the production line.
All industrially made products still pass through human hands,
and there is a considerable degree of work by hand in the fin-
ishing stage.
The making of the scissors begins with the blades. The blades
are blanked from a steel band. The remaining steel is returned
to the steelworks for recycling.
The blades are hardened in a gas oven, which is first heated to a
very high temperature and then cooled quickly. The blades are
then annealed by reheating and cooling again. The hardening
process hardens the steel and the tempering gives it flexibility
and durability.
The blades are ground and sharpened mechanically on both
sides, several ten blades at a time. There is a different grind-
ing and sharpening angle for each type and model. This work
requires a high degree of precision, because the parts must fit
each other perfectly.
The blades are placed in an injection mould and molten plastic
is applied with pressure around the blade. The parts for four
pairs of scissors are made at a time. The surplus plastic is recy-
cled within the factory.
Design Studio / The Factory 2/2
Most scissors models are assembled by hand, one pair at a time.
The screw or rivet is tightened by a machine.
Fiskars’ best scissors cannot be found unused even in the shops,
because every pair is tested at the factory in connection with
quality control. Any flaws in the blade are easy to spot when
cutting fabric. The movement of the blades is listened to by
cutting thin air – the movement must be light and even. Any
unevenness remaining in the plastic parts is removed with a
knife.
The Fiskars logo is carefully printed on the blade, with the words
stainless and Finland beneath it.
All the scissors are also washed at the factory. Grease and dirt
from the machinery attaches itself to the products, which are
cleaned in a washing machine.
The production line ends at the packaging stage. The cardboard
and plastics used for packaging are recyclable. The type and
quality of the plastic is given in the package text to facilitate
further handling. The protective plastic covering is welded ultra-
sonically to the cardboard, because glue would create problems
for recycling the plastic.