Convey This! The Idea of Conveyor

The idea of a conveyor has been around longer than most people consider. In it’s earliest form, the idea of a conveyor came about from bucket brigades. Passing down pail after pail of water from one person to the next to extinguish a fire in the most efficient way possible at the time. Today, almost everything in your life has traveled down a conveyor belt at one point or another. Here’s a look at just a few products that might be involved in your everyday life.

Food! Glorious Food!

A majority of the things we eat surf the conveyor belt for most of the creation process. From candy bars to meat products, there really isn’t much that doesn’t travel this way. Some tasty treats are even cooked with a conveyor system, like cookies for example. Not only does the conveyor run them through the oven to bake, but travel long enough to cool before being bagged.

Some other food items that often travel down a conveyor:

• Sweets- Candy bars and most commercially made confections are created on a conveyor line. Layer by layer until at last it’s covered with sweet chocolate, dried and wrapped.
• Vegetables- It’s not just sweets but farm grown goodness that hits the line. A lot of different produce goes down a conveyor for inspection. This way foreign materials that you don’t want in with your bag of potatoes can be removed, leaving only the desired produce to travel further down the line to be washed and waxed so it’s preserved.
• Meat- While it might not be the most pleasant of prospects to consider. Most meat products that are commercially produced travel down a conveyor line. Sparing the details, from the time the animals arrive to the time the finished products is packaged and ship is largely spent on the line.
• Dairy- Ever wonder how the yogurt gets into those little cups? Conveyor belts move packing material along to be filled by finished product, sealed and shipped to a store near you.
• Baked Products- The great conveyor of the food chain has come full circle. Many common baked products like breakfast cereals are packed autonomously with the help of a conveyor belt. These products are packaged through a hopper that dispense a preset amount into every box or bag that rolls down the line.

Wired and Ready to Go

Many household electronic devices are put together on an assembly line. As technology advance many lines are automated, replacing human workers with a robotic arm that can replicate each motion with precision and accuracy time after time. Some lines even incorporate both a human and an automatic component, working in tandem to create a finished project.

Common Electronics Assembled on the Line

• Kitchen Gear - Toaster, blenders, processors and almost every other piece of culinary equipment is conveyed through the factory. From the extruder which raw material is fed via a bucket conveyor to the actual assembly of the equipment itself.
• Hand-Held Electronics - From your trusty mp3 playing your favorite song, to the cellular device that rules our lives, these commonplace devices ride the belt at some point.
• Entertainment Equipment - Televisions, computers, gaming consoles all have the same thing in common, the assembly line.
• Automobiles- Even cars ride the assembly line during creation. Put together piece by piece from frame to finish. This just happens to be on a much larger scale than most assemblies.
• Large Scale Equipment - While you may not be able to fit an entire machine like a drill press or a vending machine onto a conveyor line, many individual pieces that comprise the entire unit are made and transferred on the conveyor line through the warehouse.

Can’t Eat it, Can’t Plug it in...

If it doesn’t fit in with food or electronics, that doesn’t seem to leave much, but there are still a great number of things that are made on a conveyor.

Books and Other Print- While these seem to be disappearing of late in favor of the electronic version, books are still printed, cut and bound on an conveyor assembly.

Materials- Coal is a big one for this category, being moved with a different type of conveyor known as a bucket conveyor, a bucket conveyor moves vertically, dumping raw material into a bin, tank, hopper, or even a centrifuge that spins out unwanted material.

Other Materials Moved Include:

• Metallic ore on it’s way to be refined
• Filler Material such as packing peanuts
• Plastic beading that fuels an extruder for plastic or styrofoam.

It’s difficult to think of something that actually isn’t produced, manufactured, or transported in some way by conveyor belts. This model of efficiency has not only increased production values for many companies but has changed the way almost everything we use on a daily basis is made.

About Author:

William Toth is a freelance writer from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, who has been published across the web for a multitude of topics, some of which include: manufacturing, engineering, and technology.  Pioneering companies like Ryson International Inc.  specialize in vertical and spiral conveyor systems for a number of industries. 

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How High Temperature Furnaces' Are Made? - The Production Process

Source: Thomas's Pics, cc-by-3.0, flickr

A furnace is generally an object made with the sole purpose of producing heat at high temperatures for various uses. It may for instance be used for warming houses and workplaces in times when the temperatures are usually extremely low. It is also used for commercial purposes like melting metals to convert them into more useful models and shapes. A lot of work is however put into the production of a furnace. Here is a comprehensive furnace resource about the whole furnace production process.

The Production process

A furnace is used to produce and hold the heat of extremely high temperatures. One may thus wonder what the furnace is made of if the temperature of heat it holds is adequate to melt a lot of hard metal and other materials. It is mostly made from materials like fiberglass, aluminized steel, stainless steel and aluminum among others. After a furnace is made to the very last detail, it is put through a series of tests to establish its strength. This is necessary since being the heat it produces and holds to leak out, it would be uncontrollable and very destructive, deadly even.

How does a furnace do what it does?

One would wonder just how such high temperature end up being produced in the first place and being held in the furnace. All are however, addressed in the comprehensive furnace resource, here is a look. A furnace is made of several compartments. It is, for instance, made of the heat exchanger, another secondary type of heat exchanger based on the furnace’s rating, burner, a gas control valve, an air-circulation blower, a pilot light, an external thermostat and a flue draft blower.

The process of heating depends on all of these compartments. When the thermostat signals for the hat, the burner’s light as well as to deliver the heat into the main heat exchanger. A hot air is then delivered to a secondary heat-exchanger and then into the exhaust flue which is meant to accelerate the burners as well as to increase the level of heat produced, and the intended destination in the long run.

The material utilised in the process of furnace production does quite a great work in preventing fire leakage. Some heat will however escape during the process when the furnace is at work. Depending on its quality, an ordinary and modern furnace will let out about 10 to 20% of heat into the air.

An average furnace come with three different heat exchangers and each of them produces about 25,000 BTU, making the total BTU 75,000 at the end of it all. That is sufficient to perform most of the common tasks like melting metal. The work of the heat exchangers is to transfer the heated air from a furnace to its intended location and also to eliminate any dangerous exhaust fumes in the process.

While the production of furnaces has gone on for quite some time, they still have faults, which bring some discomfort to some degree during operation. Manufacturers however, have their eyes set on first enhancing the furnaces’ capabilities and minimizing its faults.

Industrial Heating Equipment Association (IHEA) has come up with some rules and regulations in order to minimize the faults in the furnaces'. Dowa Hightemp Vietnam is one of the companies which follow the rules and regulations of IHEA.

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The Ultimate CNC Cheat Sheet | Oxyfuel Cutting | Plasma Cutting | Laser Cutting

When it comes to CNC machinery there are tons of choices and options. Trying to remember all the different jobs and processes can make your head spin. Thankfully, specific brands are standardized and can be simplified for a basic understanding of the different processes.

Processes:

Oxyfuel Cutting: This flame cutting process is the most cost effective. It’s for the cutting of mild and low alloy steels, even with weld preparations. Its plate thickness ranges from about 3mm-2800mm, and has a typical cutting range of 10mm-300mm. Oxyfuel cutting uses oxygen/fuel gas flame for a combustion process.

Plasma Cutting: This is a fast, precise process for cutting unalloyed and high alloyed steels as well as Aluminum with high quality. With mild steel its plate thickness ranges from 2mm-90mm, and with stainless steel its plate thickness ranges from 3mm-160mm. Its typical cutting range with mid steel is 2mm-50mm. It’s used in the cutting of electrically conductive metals by utilizing electrically conductive gas to transfer energy from an electrical power source through a plasma cutter torch to the material being cut.

Laser Cutting: Laser cutting is the highest quality of cuts with the best possible accuracy. It uses a square cut edge, narrow cut kerf, and low heat input. With mid steel the plate thickness ranges from 1mm-25mm, and with stainless steel the thickness ranges from 1mm-20mm. This uses a strong focused laser beam that’s produced by a laser diode. The high energy laser beam heats the surface of the material and melts it rapidly.

Machinery:

Machines	Process Options	Product Description	Laser Classification
ProBlade: Solid Design, High Quality	Oxyfuel, Plasma	The most economical access to the quality and support of the Messer World: ProBlade, the first Messer’s global machine. With a small size, this CNC cutting machine has a stabile track construction and an ergonomic design, tough enough for a hard days work. The installation of this machine is fast and easy, which saves costs and gets you into production.	Bevel (non-laser)
MetalMaster: Drop & Cut	Plasma	Dual side longitudinal drives and precision linear guides guarantee high cutting quality and consistency. The plate support table, which is integrated into the system, is divided into a number of sections for efficient fume extraction even with a smaller fan/filter unit. The highly dynamic performance of the machine is achieved through low weight with high design rigidity.	Bevel (non-laser)
MultiThermeco: Easy Operation and High Flexibility	Oxyfuel, Dry Plasma	Compact design, simple operation and high flexibility – that is the MultiTherm .The machine is conceived for daily work in a standard cutting shop. The high level of automation, simple set-up and operation enable high productivity of high quality parts – quickly and economically. The symmetrical wheel-housings and the parking space for unused torches over them optimize the working width in the narrowest spaces. The electrical cabinet is positioned over the wheel-housing so it is not exposed to thermal radiation from the cut plate. It is accessible from the side to simplify maintenance and service.	Bevel (non-laser)
MultiTherm: Versatile and Efficient	Oxyfuel, Dry Plasma, Laser	Whether plasma (straight or bevel), multi-torch oxyfuel cutting, laser, marking or a combination of all is your requirement, the MultiTherm® is the machine for you. High power drives for speeds up to 35 m/min* enable high positioning and cutting speeds even on tight contours. The effective working width is used to the maximum thanks to parking space for heads over the wheel-housing. Multiple torch operation for high productivity is, of course, possible with oxyfuel, plasma and laser operation.	Bevel
OmniMat: Machine for Special Tasks	Oxyfuel, Plasma	This machine has been robustly built to guide even the heaviest units accurately. The CNC controlled cutting machine with a high load gantry construction, dual sided longitudinal drives and precision machined guide sections offers you high cutting accuracy and shape consistency even in 24 hour continuous operation. Whether with oxyfuel, underwater or dry plasma, whether vertical cuts or bevels, the OmniMat® is the ideal solution for the toughest conditions.	Bevel (non-laser)
FIBERBLADE: Your Entry into the Laser Class	Laser	With the most modern fibre laser, the unit is at right up to date: the laser is characterised by a robust and long life design. No adjustment is necessary right up to the cross carriage and the emitter diodes in the laser have an average lifetime of over 50,000 hours. The laser beam is carried in an optical fibre cable through the drag chain to the cutting head, so no beam path purging gas is required. Because of the high efficiency of the laser and the low gas consumption in total, the cutting costs on the machine are kept very low.	Class 1
LaserMat: The Apex of Quality	Laser	With working widths of over 4 m and bed lengths up to more than 40 m, the system is predestined for large format plates. The CNC controlled laser processing system offers high part accuracy due to linear guides for longitudinal and transverse motion. The laser beam is guided in the transverse direction via moving mirrors with 100% beam path length compensation and thus ensures a consistently high processing quality over the entire operating area. The colour camera which is directed at the cutting head makes possible easy observation on the screen alongside the operating panel. Apart from vertical cuts, bevel cuts are possible and various marking options are available.	Class 1

Each of these specific models are designed and manufactured exclusively by Messer Cutting Systems.  Messer operates on 5 different continents and is always looking to expand. 

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How Is Your Smartphone Made? | Manufacturing Process | Software Development

Mobile Phones
Source: Irita Kirsbluma, cc-by-3.0, flickr

The modern smartphone has quickly become one of the most popular devices of our time. With many different brands and styles, the smartphone market is competitive and has a quick turnover with manufacturers and designers constantly looking for ways to make improvements to their models. Despite having become something that many of us depend on in our daily lives as a source of contact and a way to find information, few of us ever consider how smartphones are made. Although a complex process, here is an overview of how a smartphone is developed and made. 

Software Development

The software of any smartphone is constantly being developed. Companies like Apple and Android are constantly competing to create the most advanced smartphone technology, so will always be looking for ways to develop innovative software updates to make their product leap ahead of the competition.

The rate at which software is being developed is incredible, with many existing smartphone owners finding that their devices often need updating to the most current software. Despite many smartphones often having regular device updates, this doesn’t mean that customers will constantly be needing to replace and update the models of the phones that they own, but simply download updates and any new software that is developed and released.

Those who develop software for a smartphone will want to make their device easy to use and for it to contain pre-installed popular and useful apps as well has allow for additional ones to be purchased and downloaded.

Design

The design of a smartphone is important for a number of reasons. With many consumers being interested in aesthetic qualities, smartphone companies need to create a product that has a combination of physical practical and stylish design features. A smartphone needs to be easy to hold and have a screen that is of an appropriate size for use. As smartphones usually have minimal buttons, placements of these need to be well thought out, and those who are designing the phones will carefully consider how it is likely to held and used by the majority of its target audience.

A smartphone will need to be similar yet different to the design of its competitors so as to entice consumers to purchase and use it. Recently, smartphones are being offered in an array of colours, with Apple introducing its iPhone 5s in black, gold, and white, and its iPhone c in a range of bright, vibrant colours and Nokia’s Lumia also offering a variety of clip on colourful backs.

Manufacturing Process

Parts manufacture of a smartphone requires precision and accuracy. Due to the need for a precise part to be created, most smartphones are manufactured using a computer numerical control engineering process. CNC engineering allows for parts to be bored from a solid piece of material meaning that they are not only precise, but also have more strength and durability than parts that are melded.

By having a smartphone that is manufactured using CNC drilling or boring, companies can create a product that is strong enough to resist certain levels of damage, and will last for a long period of time. Quality is of high importance to many smartphone companies as many wish to market their product as a high tech, luxury good, that offers much more than just a practical use.

By Beth Stubbings

Beth Sutbbings thinks that a smartphone is an amazing piece of technology. She would recommend Griffiths Engineering to businesses who are looking to have parts manufactured using CNC engineering.

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The Sites That Help Comparing Energy Prices

Energy –

Energy is a very important utility that is required for our day to day life. Energy is the fuel that runs the world and that is why energy is not only very much important, but also is costly. There are several types of energy that we use every day and that are very important and without those we cannot live a normal healthy life. Electricity is one of those that are very important in this modern world and without electricity everything stops as every industry. Households and important places require electricity to run. Same goes to gas that enables us to cook food so that we stay healthy and fit. These are very important things and are very important resources. There is no unlimited stock for these utilities and that is why it is very much important to save these energies so that we can help the world to live longer.

Importance of energy conservation –

There are several benefits of conserving energy as these are not in abundance. If we continue using energy that we are doing now then there will be time in the future that our future generation will run out of energy and that will be the end of the human race with this majestic planet. So it is very much important to save the fossil fuels. Secondly, people pay a lot of electricity and gas. These utilities are costly and there are always alternatives so that we can actually save energy and in the process save money. But the important thing is that it is not easy to save money. There are ways that one needs to seriously consider saving money and energy. When one starts saving money every month, in the beginning, it might seem very less but once it is annually. One can save a lot. So let’s now focus on how doing that?

Compare energy prices to save energy –

There are many websites that provide services such as comparing energy prices and these sites are very much popular among the consumers all over the world. These sites actually help the consumers to Compare energy prices and choose the best product that helps save energy. There are many alternative products that help saving energy and one such is the solar technology. There are many solar products that help in cooking and other such stuff. There are CFL bulbs that consume less energy that the usual bulbs.

Compare products that save energy -

There are many other products that can save a lot of energy and that are why these energy comparison sites are so popular and important. One needs to know how they can save energy and how they can compare and that is why there are so much Compare energy price sites all over the world. These websites provide much information other than providing the comparative. There is information such as the ways and tips to save energy, information about products that can help reduce waste energy and hence in the process save money. These are the things that one can use in their daily life to save energy and money by comparing their prices.

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Why Would I Need Bead Blasting? | Art and Metal Sculpture

Blasting and Coating

Bead blasting is a type of metal finish that is achieved by firing small glass beads under pressure at the article and thereby removing small imperfections such as casting flaws and burrs. It is also used in conjunction with water for cleaning concrete and stone so has a number of different applications. Unusually for this kind of technique, it is possible to carry out bead blasting on a small scale by buying equipment which is storable (and usable) in the average garage. For anyone who likes to work with metal which then needs an aesthetic finish, this kind of home-size bead blaster is ideal.

Commercial Use:

Huge bead blasting chambers are available from several companies which will take very large pieces. The process is usually available at three different stages, giving different degrees of finish. Even at 1 stage, the lightest blast, the finish is perfect and, unlike mechanical polishing, leaves no folds or minor imperfections. This makes the process ideal for any vessel or piece of equipment used in the medical, veterinary or food production sectors, as there are no nooks and crannies left to harbour germs or debris. The ‘bead’ in this instance is a fine aluminium oxide and gives a matte grey finish. 2 stage bead blasting uses a fine glass bead and the item is passed through twice. This gives a brighter, semi-gloss finish and looks very attractive. It is also smoother than 1 stage items but costs more, using as it does twice as much material. Three stage bead blasting as its name suggests uses three passes and a much finer bead. The finished item has a lovely sheen and the surface is absolutely perfectly smooth, with no imperfections at all. Even with one stage bead blasting there is no acid weeping from joints and also no rust left on the surface, so items last much longer.

Removing Cosmetic Flaws:

In an industrial setting, bead blasting is generally used on stainless steel, aluminium and titanium, especially in the automotive industry. It can also be used for other metals used in jewellery and art installations such as gold, silver, brass and copper. Because the beads are so much softer than the metal being cleaned or prepared, there is no danger of damage being done to the item in the way of deforming it or losing definition so it is an ideal way to clean any corroded metal parts which may be quite delicate. Bead blasting can be either wet or dry – wet bead blasting is gentler than dry and is sometimes referred to as peening. This can be used to clean soft items such as wood and concrete or tile. In this way, dirt and concretions can be removed from buildings and relatively thin metal welds or constructions. One of the side effects of bead blasting is that the surface of the item is actually strengthened by a slight compaction of the surface because of the impact of the beads, making joints stronger and surfaces rather more resilient.

Art and Metal Sculpture

Bead blasting is used extensively by artists who work in metal, either as a welded piece or cast. When pieces of metal are welded together, the weld is the strongest point but is also the least attractive as it is impossible to weld totally invisibly. Some artists use these construction points as a part of their work and deliberately make them visible, but others would rather have them removed. Bead blasting also gives an even finish and the item has a homogeneity that is impossible to achieve any other way except painting, which many artists feel impairs the integrity of the work. Bead blasting equipment is relatively inexpensive and if used wet the beads are easy to clean up afterwards and can even be reused a number of times if washed thoroughly. Any residue that is not collected and recycled can be added to landfill. Because bead blasting can be adjusted for strength and can be used even on soft stone such as sandstone, it is a very popular method for cleaning statues, large areas of stone as may be found in a garden or park or even for blasting wood which is out in all weathers but must keep its strength such as steps. Gentle bead blasting removes slippery algae and moss without weakening the basic structure and so many parks and gardens use bead blasters regularly to keep paving and walkways safe and free from slip hazards. There are few cleaning methods which can be used in huge industrial settings and in an artist’s studio with equally good effect – bead blasting may even turn out to be unique in that respect.

About Author:

John Hinds writes for Lojix. His interests include blogging, reading, playing tennis, listening to music and traveling.

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The Different Types Of Industrial Shelving Systems | The Mezzanine Floor

Industrial shelving systems for warehouses and other storage areas are a major expense for any business and making the right choice is important. Much will depend on the product being stored in the warehouse, the frequency of the removal and replacement of the product and whether the stock varies from time to time or is always essentially the same. Stock levels are also an important factor to bear in mind as well as if the stock has a sell-by-date and therefore needs to be rotated and used in strict date order.

Shelving Systems
Source: Markj52, CC-BY.3.0, WikiMedia

Pallet Racking

Pallet racking is not just a way of piling up loaded pallets of items for later retrieval. There are several different kinds of pallet racking systems depending on space available, likely load of the pallet and also to an extent man-power and existing lifting equipment. If space is limited, narrow-aisle pallet racking may be the answer. In this type, an aisle is left to the width of a fork-lift truck and the pallets are stacked on either side. Double deep uses space efficiently too, with pallets stacked one behind the other but both accessible from one aisle. For a stock that needs to be used in rotation, a dynamic system is easily the best, as containers, pallets or boxes are moved forward automatically as one is taken from the front. This is similar to a system everyone is used to – the drinks and snack machines seen in every station. This simple system means that there is no risk of a box or pallet getting forgotten at the back, costing money in spoiled inventory. These systems run on rollers and can work for any size unit.

Longspan Shelving

For items that are not too heavy or bulky, longspan shelving is ideal, because for the minimum of metal carcase, there are long lengths of shelf. For any stock system that relies on manual loading and picking, this is the ideal solution and if necessary, bracing structures are able to be fitted at intervals along the shelf lengths. Most companies dealing with small unit size find these invaluable and they are also the perfect choice for any business that deals direct with the public as they are easy to access, label and adjust depending on stock levels. For a business with seasonal variations in stock or in which stock moves fast and is often changing, longspan shelving is ideal because with no breaks in the shelf, niches can be created or one shelf can stock an enormous amount of one thing without looking odd.

Cantilever Racking

For companies who stock and need access to long lengths either of wood, plastics or metals, cantilever racking is the perfect choice, because the shelves are not broken up at the loading edge by the frame of the units. The shelves are held on brackets which are in turn supported by a central column held in place by being connected to an extremely heavy base ‘foot’. This means that the long item can be extracted sideways rather than being slid off the end of the unit. This saves a great deal of space because in practice the warehouse need be no longer than the longest item. With regular shelving, the warehouse would have to be at least twice as long as the longest length, to enable the item’s removal. Cantilever racking is also very useful when it comes to cleaning the area beneath the shelves, as access is much easier than trying to get a cleaning machine over the edges of racking. All that is necessary is that the machine can get between the ‘feet’ and they are reasonably far apart, so even the largest machine can do that.

The Ultimate Shelf – The Mezzanine Floor

When space gets really tight, one simple answer is to put in a new floor. This seems a little like a major building project but this is not actually so – a mezzanine floor is attached to steel supports and can either be in the shape of a gallery around the edges of a space or can actually enclose the whole area, giving a closed in second storey. Many storage areas suffer from a lack of space and offices and staff spaces become edged out and cramped from a need to give more storage for stock. A mezzanine floor gives the opportunity to make some rooms for staff to work in whilst leaving the warehouse area free. This also reduces casual traffic on what can be a very busy and dangerous area, so everyone benefits. Although health and safety measures are in force, an accident can't happen so easily if the warehouse floor space is not a thoroughfare. Putting your workforce on this ‘shelf’ could be the best thing that ever happened from the point of view of staff comfort and safety.

John Hinds writes for Lojix. His interests include blogging, reading, playing tennis, listening to music and traveling.

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Instrument Calibration: Why It's A Necessity | Hazards of Inaccurate Calibration

Industry, Source: paparutzi, CC-BY-3.0, via Flickr

Those working in the industrial sector understand how important it is to obtain properly calibrated instruments. At its simplest, calibration means comparing an instrument to a known reference value.

Industries like the railroad system, cars, power plants and other crucial companies need accuracy when it comes to performing their job. Corporations like power plants need every bit of accurate information from their instruments since one minor difference or imprecise reading can possibly result in sticky situations.

Hazards of Inaccurate Calibration

There are plenty of possible hazards caused by inexact readings. For one, a company could lose their licence if their instruments are improperly calibrated. Companies or businesses that deal with weights, for instance, need to have their instruments regularly calibrated. Not doing so could result in the wrong mass of products or materials offered to customers. This, in turn, could ruin business relationships with clients.

Why Calibrating is a Must

Industry, Source: Rhys A, CC-BY-3.0, via Flickr

Calibrating an instrument has many advantages and benefits. For important industries, it’s actually a necessity to do this.

One primary reason instruments need to be calibrated is for safety. Safety is always a top concern for many companies, big or small. Chemical plants, for example, need to make sure that the right amount of chemicals and compounds are mixed to avoid dangerous situations from happening. If one weighing instrument is improperly calibrated, errors can occur especially in cases where precise measurements are critical.

This is also quite true in production environments where controlled temperatures are necessary. Temperature gauges must be accurate to ensure the employees as well as the environment itself remains safe. Industries and businesses that deal with gases or oils need to be able to monitor temperatures and adjust it accordingly if there’s a spike or fluctuation in the gauge.

The auto industry also requires proper calibration for their gauges. Not doing so could result in variable speed results which in turn can be potentially hazardous to the driver and pedestrians when on the road. Moreover, railway systems also need accurately calibrated railway components to keep them running smoothly.

Company profits can also become affected by the calibration process. Companies that require plant maintenance or those whose products are directly affected by the invoicing can lose profits if the instruments they use to measure their products are not accurate.

When to Calibrate Instruments

Knowing how to calibrate is one thing but identifying when to do it is also necessary. Majority of instruments when first received from the manufacturer will often come with recommended calibration intervals. It’s important to follow this.

On the other hand, it would also be helpful to have data or a record of when each instrument has been calibrated. This will help owners or the company keep track of its calibration history.

When necessary, it is also possible to hire a specific company that offers top notch calibration services. Equipment breakdowns and other problems can be fixed easily or altogether avoided if regular calibration check-ups are performed.

Regardless of the type of industry, each instrument must receive proper care and attention to ensure that the end product or results are accurate.

About Author: Debra Wright

Debra Wright is a creative and innovative blogger and online marketing specialist. She uses her wordsmith skills to share her ideas, thoughts, and tips to other people about topics that fascinate her, such as technology. Follow Debra on twitter @debrawrites...

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How-To Effectively Manage And Design An Industrial Plant

No matter what industry you’re in, when it comes to designing a plant, expertise is key. Poor plant design can have major consequences later on, and the last thing you want to deal with while starting up a new plant is having the stress of things not being laid out correctly.

So here are some tips for making sure you’re going to get the plant you envisioned and have it working the way it’s supposed to.

Do…

• Make sure that a state-of-the-art design software is being used at the conceptual stages of the process. At Ambitech, the latest 3D technology is used so that everything can be virtually constructed and simulated as it would be in real life.

This means that considerations such as safety regulations, operability, maintenance and more can be reviewed to make sure that everything is up to par.

• Get an accurate price estimate. Embarking on a project without making sure the math is right can lead you to spending more money than you have. It’s never good to be half-way through a project only to find out that you’ve run out of money and can’t complete it.

 At Ambitech, we have project managers and engineers that are trained in the IPA Project System and Best Practices, so you can be sure that they will give you an estimate with impeccable accuracy.

• Stay on time. Budgeting your time is just as important as budgeting your money. This means making sure that things are moving at the rate they’re supposed to, and things are getting done in the proper order.

Throughout the design process, Ambitech handles permit applications, inspections, procurement activities and mobilization in a timely matter, ensuring that no time is wasted waiting around.

• Keep a close relationship with your plant designer. It’s important that you know what you want and know that your designer is on the same page as you throughout the entire process. Communication is key, and if confusions and uncertainties aren’t taken care of right away, time that could be spent moving your plant forward will be wasted fixing misunderstandings.

At Ambitech, we ensure that you are involved every single step of the way. If something’s not okayed by you, then it doesn’t go any further until it’s reconceptualized to your satisfaction.

DON’T…

• Be impatient. Yes, you want things to get done in a timely manner, but you don’t want to rush it, either. There are some things that require a little more time and patience than others, and sacrificing quality for quickness can bring about problems that might actually make the project end up taking longer.

• Assume everything will work out. You know what they say about assuming. Planning, even down to the smallest detail, is what needs to happen to ensure your plant design is going to go smoothly. Even the slightest overlook can cause a chain reaction that sets everything off course. A good plant design team will know everything that needs to be considered and make sure it’s planned out properly. We do at Ambitech, at least.

• Try to do it completely on your own. It’s a daunting task when going at it alone, especially if you don’t have the expertise that’s needed. Save yourself some time and stress, and hire an expert. Ambitech isn’t a leader in the plant design industry for no reason. We’ve got the skills and knowledge to get even the most challenging jobs done.

So for your new plant, make sure you can check all of these tips off your list. Before you know it, you’ll be standing in the facility you envisioned and getting to work.

About The Author:

Brianna Martin is a writer from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, who has been published across the web. She writes about a number of topics, ranging anywhere from management techniques to engineering services for companies like Ambitech. 

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Recycling: How-to The Industrial Way

In our industrial world today, it’s becoming more and more important to make sure we are taking care of our waste products properly. With countless new technologies out there, this is becoming easier and more achievable.

Even aside from the environmental benefits, recycling waste products in an industrial setting can even help save the manufacturer money and resources. It’s no wonder that more and more industries are hopping on board and investing in some new and impressive recycling machines to use in their plants.

What Kinds of Machines?

There are many different elements that are used in a plant to recycle resources. Here’s a list and brief descriptions of some of them.

• Conveyors

These well-designed conveyor systems are key to making it easier and more efficient for a plant to separate its resources and get them from one place to another—from the waste pile to the machines used to recycle them.

• Compactors and Balers

These machines are similar to each other, in that they compact recyclables like aluminum, cardboard, paper and plastic. Balers specifically compact them into blocks, making them easier to transport and stack.

• Disc Screens

These machines are used to separate materials such as newspaper, cardboard, mixed paper and containers. As the materials slides down an infeed chute, the smaller pieces falls down through the disc openings, while the larger pieces are transported to the end of the screen.

• Trommels

A trommel is another separating machine. It’s a screened cylinder used to separate materials by size.

• Optical Sorters

Using a bit more advanced technology, these machines are able to use optical recognition to analyze recyclable materials and separate them into different categories.

• Metal Separators

For plants using metals, these separators can separate ferrous or non-ferrous metals from a pool of mixed metals, typically using magnetic strategies.

• Glass Cleanup

These machines will typically have a rotating screen and an air system that vacuums glass particles, which are then in turn recycled.

Benefits:

As you can see, there are many different elements that can go into an industrial recycling system, and the benefits are substantial. Our planet has a limited amount of its resources, and it’s important to utilize recyling techniques in all industrial settings. Recycling allows us to preserve natural resources for future generations and get the most out of the resources we have right now.

As mentioned before, not only is industrial recycling beneficial for the environment through a decrease in pollution, landfills, and energy usage, but it is also beneficial to the economy. Recycling reduces financial expenditure in the economy. Businesses spend less on production costs, thanks to recycling. This means that there will be an overall reduced cost and will encourage consumer spending.

It’s no wonder that there are legislative regulations being enforced regarding waste material recycling. With the help of companies dedicated to implementing recycling systems in industrial settings, the technology continues to advance and make things easier and more efficient in the hopes that they can make the world a healthier and more sustainable place to live.

So if you’ve got a set-up that’s in need of a new or better recycling system, don’t hesitate to start looking. You’ll be helping us all out more than you know.

About The Author:

Brianna Martin is a freelance writer from Lancaster, Pennsylvania who has been published across the web. The topics she has covered span from a number of industrial operations and solutions for companies like Messer Cutting Systems who take pride in manufacturing some of the most unique waste processing machines. 

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