Most every automated warehouse system utilizes programmable logic controls control systems that interface between hardware and other software. PLCs easily integrate with other control systems – Human-Machine Interfaces (HMIs), WMS, WCS and enterprise resource planning software for better monitoring, data collection and overall system management. They provide robust, local and flexible programming that can evolve as needs change.
UL 508A Panel Certification: Why It’s Critical for Reliability and Safety
August 22, 2024
by Scott Stone
Tags: Manufacturing, conveyor systems, UL
Posted in Automation, Labor & Efficiency|
Employee Spotlight – Lori Knaeble
August 20, 2024
In this month’s employee spotlight, we chat with Lori Knaeble, Accounts Payable Manager within our Finance Department. Lori is vital to ensuring our accounting processes run smoothly and keep flowing, all with a smile or a laugh!
Posted in ESOP & Company News|
Checklist: What to Discover Before Your Automation Project
August 8, 2024
Initiating an automation project can be daunting. You have to ask for a budget. You have to justify your ideas. Inertia and tradition are your enemies. If you find yourself staring at a blank page, intimidated by the idea of beginning to automate, you’re not alone.
As we have discussed before, there’s no reason you must automate all at once when incremental steps will serve. You can set yourself up for success and start a project with greater confidence with careful thought and planning. What does that process look like?
Posted in Automation, Labor & Efficiency|
Essential Conveyor Belt Maintenance Tips for Maximum Performance
July 25, 2024
Conveyors are the beating heart of any industrial or distribution facility. Their daily operation is critical for moving product through your facility and to the key functional areas. They must flow seamlessly, each one performing its task to move forward.
Posted in Conveyor Optimization|
Employee Spotlight – Chris Henry
July 23, 2024
In this month’s employee spotlight, we sit with Chris Henry, an engineering manager with our Systems Technology Group. Chris is a key member of this group, working with his colleagues to design controls solutions to customer specifications and create impactful programming.
Posted in ESOP & Company News|
Insights: Top States for Business Climate, Factory Layout
July 18, 2024
by Scott Stone
This month’s Insights focuses on top states for new factories, autonomous technology and the latest on manufacturing workforce development.
Posted in Industry Insights|
Automation: It’s Not All-or-Nothing
July 9, 2024
by Scott Stone
If your operation is mature, up-and-running, and delivering results, is it possible to automate individual steps and achieve excellent ROI? The answer is yes — but only in cases where your process is well-defined and correctly segmented into steps you can analyze for productivity gains. This kind of localized productivity is often the intersection of productivity and automation.
Posted in Automation, Labor & Efficiency|
Insights: The 4 Pillars of American Manufacturing, Warehouse Heat and More
June 27, 2024
by Scott Stone
This month’s insights focuses on the “four pillars” of American manufacturing strength, along with an analysis of a 2024 panel on the robotics and automation picture. Because we are the start of a very hot summer, we included an analysis of how you should approach any HVLS warehouse fan implementations as well.
Posted in Industry Insights|
It’s Critical: Pallet Rack Load and Application Drawings
June 18, 2024
by Scott Stone
It’s a fact of life: companies need to adapt to new business, and that means the warehouse.
Your customer base might change. Your company’s inventory strategy could differ from year to year, which means new loads and shifting layouts. You may need to move racks from one place to another or supplement them with new components or replace damaged ones. To be sure your warehouse is safe, you should have load and application drawings.
Tags: facility safety, warehouse design
Posted in Pallet & Warehouse Racks|
Employee Spotlight – Markus Green
June 13, 2024
In this month’s employee spotlight, we talk to Markus Green, a safety specialist in our Dallas office. Markus leads our safety automation group in solving forklift/pedestrian interaction issues with advanced solutions. With June being National Safety Month, we talked with him about how he approaches safety for his customers.
Posted in ESOP & Company News|