Category: Whitepapers

Customers see productivity improvements from Hy-Brid Lifts’ first ZT-1630 order

Hy-Brid Lifts, the industry provider in high-quality, low-level access equipment, delivered the first order of ZT-1630 lifts to Advantage Rental Inc., a division of Scott Electric. The ZT-1630 is part of Hy-Brid Lifts’ Zero-Turn Series, which was recently introduced as part of their next generation of low-level, all-purpose lifts. The rental center placed an order for the new models soon after their release and has since experienced positive customer feedback. “I jumped on the opportunity to order the new models from Hy-Brid Lifts because I was so impressed with their previous lifts,” said John Ganiear, Advantage Rental Inc. rental manager. “The ZT-1630 features fit the specific needs of our customers in many industries, and these lifts fill a gap that we hadn’t previously offered in our lineup.” Hy-Brid Lifts designed the ZT-1630 for precision maneuverability, featuring a zero-turn radius and a simple point-and-go-style drive. Advantage Rental customers often require precise, compact lifts, as they work primarily in the electrical contracting, plumbing and mechanical contracting industries. The ZT-1630 weighs 1,785 pounds and lifts up to 650 pounds, which is typically more than enough for one operator and required materials. The lift delivers a 16-foot platform height and a working height of 22 feet. “Our customers are doing everything from changing lightbulbs in hospital hallways to installing overhead pipe or electrical line,” Ganiear said. “They need a lift that’s compact enough for small hallways and elevators, and the ZT-1630 is just that. These lifts do not require folding rails, something a lot of competitive models require. Customers ask for lifts without folding rails, and have been impressed with the Hy-Brid model.” Advantage Rental offers free delivery on most orders, which makes the compact and lighter-than-average ZT-1630 ideal because of its easy transport. Competitive models often weigh upwards of 3,000 pounds, which limits their transportability. Ganiear says that he and his team are able to transport the lifts in a standard box truck instead of requiring a trailer or additional large equipment. The ZT-1630 is a safer and more secure alternative to a traditional mast lift, and meets all ANSI A92.20 standards. The scissor stack supports the weight of the platform with four points of contact while mast lifts are supported by only one point of contact. The lift also provides the operator a larger work area than standard mast-style lifts. “The ZT-1630 is really a natural fit for rental centers and customers and we’re pleased that Advantage Rental has seen such successful early results,” said Terry Dolan, Hy-Brid Lifts president and CEO. “Whether customers need one or 10 lifts at a time, they have come to know and trust the Hy-Brid Lifts name. Additionally, working with our dealers allows us to get feedback from customers to continue innovating to meet their needs and design the best lifts for their operations.” Advantage Rental is so satisfied with their experience with Hy-Brid Lifts that they recently purchased 20 PS-1930 units. The brand-new 19-foot lifts are the latest in the Hy-Brid Lifts lineup, and offer unique features including non-folding rails, under 2,000-pound weights and 650-pound lift capacities.

ACCO MHS partners with Hoist & Crane Service Group to supply and install custom Hoist for Pulp and Paper facility

New Orleans, Louisiana-based Hoist & Crane Service Group (HCSG), a national provider for hoist and crane inspections, preventative maintenance, and repairs, partnered with ACCO Material Handling Solutions LLC, a manufacturer of material handling products, including cranes and hoists, to provide a custom 2.5-ton heavy duty wire rope hoist solution to remove waste from wells at a pulp and paper recycling facility. The Wright Work-Rated electric wire rope hoist is installed on a 42.9 ft.-long beam with a 4 ft. radius curve. It is pendant controlled and supplied with the grapple. The overhead lifting solution, which replaced a previous system that utilized the same monorail, also boasts a customized spreader bar that connects two lengths of stainless-steel wire rope, while the grapple hooks to a center pin. Typically, the hoist drum payout is offset from the center of the monorail, where the wire ropes go down to a load block and return up to the dead end on the hoist frame that is located on the opposite side of the monorail, thus, keeping the load directly under the center of the monorail in a balanced condition. With this dead end now eliminated, the payout of the drum needed to be shifted so that it is directly under the center of the monorail, maintaining the crucial balance. The hoist, with 36 ft. of lift, positions the grapple as required to remove debris from three wells that have the same diameter but varying depths. It removes waste product and discards it multiple times per shift in line with operations. Bradley Ross, zone operations manager at HCSG, said: “Very few hoists can actually carry out this type of work and ACCO built it as a tailored product for this particular application. The issue that can arise is that pulp and paper accumulates on moving parts of the grapple, as well as any parts that are in the tank. This could include the load block of the hoist, which regularly utilizes wire rope sheaves that rotate as the hook is raised and lowered. “The pulp and paper collecting on the sheaves and wire rope will jam in the load block of the hoist, potentially causing damage to the moving components. If enough debris is collected, the load block could fail.” Clay Soverns, service manager at HCSG, said: “The solution was to design a hoist where the load block had no moving components and as few debris collection points as possible. ACCO achieved this by modifying its standard reeved hoist design into a winch with only a load bar for the grapple at the end of the wire ropes. While debris will still collect on the load bar, there are no moving parts for it to create a jamming scenario.” Eric Weber, product manager at ACCO, explained that the ends of the wire ropes had to be fitted with attachments for connection of the spreader bar to the grapple. HCSG utilized swaged clevis fittings, facilitating easy installation and removal of the grapple from the hoist when needed for maintenance. Weber added: “With the wire ropes coming off of the drum and not returning to the hoist to share the load with a dead end, we had to reconfigure the unit to accommodate the entire load solely on the drum.” The 2.5-ton capacity ACCO hoist provides plenty of leeway with even the heaviest of grapple loads only reaching approx. 1.25 tons.

The importance of matching Pallets to Rack type for safe handling

Products arrive in warehouses and distribution centers on any number of pallet types these days: two-way entry, four-way entry, skids, slip-sheets, nine-block, and more. Some pallets are designed with multiple boards—or stringers—spanning the bottom surface; others have a foot in each corner. Pallets also come in a broad range of materials: wood, plastic, steel, paper, presswood, and others. They can come in various dimensions depending on the type of load and industry-specific requirements. To ensure that a rack system will safely support the type(s) of pallet(s) an operation is using, it’s critical to share all pallet construction and load details with the rack design engineer to ensure a safe operation and work environment. That’s because the storage rack system is designed specifically to work with a given type of pallet and load, taking into account—among many additional factors—the distribution of the load weight. Implementing comprehensive pallet rack safety protocols, including regular inspections and proper load placement, is crucial for Some facilities will even have different storage rack systems engineered to accommodate different pallets and loads in order to maximize the operation’s capacity. That’s one reason why ANSI MH16.1-2012 requires load capacity plaques: Specification for the Design, Testing and Utilization of Industrial Steel Storage Racks, published by RMI. Section 1.4.2 states that the rack “owner is responsible for displaying in one or more conspicuous locations a permanent plaque(s)” with the following details: The maximum permissible unit load (the combined weight of the product and its storage container or pallet) and/or maximum uniformly distributed load per level. The average unit load (calculated as the maximum total weight of product expected on all beam levels in any row, divided by the number of beam levels in that row), if applicable. The maximum total load per bay. Indication of storage levels that support stacking of multiple unit loads. As different rack configurations might be engineered to accommodate different pallet types used within the same building or even the same aisle, it’s a good practice to place a plaque on every aisle for every configuration. The rack manufacturer usually provides plaques for installation. Want to learn more about the considerations rack engineers take into account when designing a pallet rack structure? Purchase the ANSI MH16.1-2012: Specification.

Food producer Allan Brothers Fruit boosts operation effectiveness with Li-ion Technology

Summary This is another example of a team effort that produced a great outcome for the customer. Papé Group / Pape Material Handling introduced Allan Brothers, Inc. to the lithium solution. Bill Dorsett and Tim Gosser brought the idea to life. Then once Onecharge was brought in, Pape’s Walter Tapia, Ron Scott, OneCharge’s Nate Hyatt, Brian Burciaga and Mark D’Amato made the installation happen. OneCharge Li-ion Batteries has helped Allan Brothers to save over half a million USD upgrading its lift trucks with Li-ion technology. Not unlike its own fruit, Allan Brothers Inc. is growing healthily. In 2018, as the vertically integrated fruit company prepared to install a new state-of-the-art fruit packing line – the biggest in the world – management realized that the costs associated with the lead acid battery-powered electric lift trucks in the operation’s fleet were adding up. Time spent on changing the batteries during shifts was costing $56,000 a year and another $7,600 a year in watering maintenance costs. The expansion required a new battery room which would cost another $440,000. Allan Brothers found itself in need of new battery technology solution. All of these costs were cut by switching from traditional lead acid to lithium batteries by OneCharge. By equipping its 30 lift trucks with OneCharge Li-ion Batteries, Allan Brothers was able to save on both the ongoing maintenance costs and the investment needed for expansion. About Allan Brothers Allan Brothers manages its own farm acreage, growing apples, cherries and wine grapes. In diversifying its business portfolio, the company purchased  the Washington iconic vineyard, Sagemoor Vineyards, located in Pasco. The business began over a century ago and a fourth generation of family members are involved in the business today. The genesis of the operation was when the Allan family started planting around Naches, Washington. 20 row crops were converted to cherry orchards and the fruit operation began, growing to eventually include around 3,500 tree fruit and wine grape acres. Today, the business is led  by CEO Miles Kohl, who assumed the position in 2007. From the Allan family, Travis Allan oversees the fruit operation and Tom Allan works on the storage side of the business. There are four members of the Allan family on the company board. The operation grows their own fruit, packages, and ships it along with third-party fruit to locations across the U.S., Canada, Mexico and other countries. Kohl said the fruit business has focused on moving away from commodity varieties and into apples like Honeycrisp, Jazz, Envy and Pink Lady. Allan Brothers purchased Sagemoor Vineyards in 2014 and now has about 110 winery customers, according to Kohl. The business has 600 full time employees, and 2,500 workers during peak harvest season. Its packing operation is situated on 30 acres in Naches, and the company recently completed a 300,000-square-foot building expansion. The Challenge In 2018, the company had installed a new apple packing line. The line, featuring cutting edge technology, is the largest in the world. At the same time as this expansion, the business was deciding on the next lease term for its lift trucks. But the company’s growth meant an unexpected demand for new battery space to accommodate a fleet of lift trucks powered by lead acid batteries, a cost expected to amount to $440,000. Now with 30 trucks covering two shifts and each truck requiring a change of battery per shift, company management figured maintenance was racking up 750 minutes of down time daily. This was costing the business up to $56,000 yearly. And the weekly preventive maintenance the batteries required in the form of watering was estimated to cost another $7,800 a year. The Solution Management closely looked into the available options and zeroed in on the efficiency and quality that Li-ion batteries could provide. Compared to the costs associated with lead acid batteries, the company’s leaders realized how much could be gained by opting for lithium-ion batteries for its lift trucks. Li-ion would provide savings not only by sparing the expense of adding to the physical space for battery room, but in the time and money spent on battery maintenance and in the improved lift truck efficiency from better battery performance. Added to this was the benefit of lower costs from employees not working with hazardous lead acid batteries, and safer conditions for both the workers and the company’s food product lines. Allan Brothers selected OneCharge, which offers over 550 unique model parts to fit material handling lift truck battery needs, as the right fit for a large and expanding material handling operation. The Results The benefits of using lithium-ion were apparent soon after the Allan Brothers’ fleet of electric lift trucks were equipped with Li-ion batteries. Batteries plugged in overnight were completely charged by the start of a new shift at 3 a.m. Quick hit opportunity charging was used during 15-minute breaks and 30-minute lunch breaks to increase efficiency and function of the batteries. The costs of downtime during battery charging were eliminated. Also gone were the dangers associated with battery maintenance that had previously been a concern. There had not been any major accidents at Allan Brothers involving personnel changing the batteries, but the potential risks the procedure presented caused frequent concern. Lead acid batteries present risks surrounding spills and possible toxic fumes from the equipment require additional ventilation. The crane used for battery changing at Allan Brothers was used by all truck drivers resulting in wear and tear and possible liabilities. The reduced health risks in an operation using lithium ion meant lower insurance rates for all 30 truck operators, totaling $6,000 in savings per year. And doing away with this concern ensured better conditions for the food products in the handling process by eliminating hazardous materials in the food packing facility, including the possibility of fumes or acid spills from the previous batteries. Allan Brothers’ management also appreciated the power of Li-ion, as the batteries continued to operate at close to 100 percent of the original capacity throughout shifts. The company’s lead acid batteries, by comparison, had gradually

Where’s secondary packaging going?

The war on packaging waste is fought on many fronts in the beverage industry – from the manufacturers of packaging materials to the bottler. KHS is helping to develop new standards in this field, from which beverage producers and consumers alike are set to profit The way to produce ever more sustainable primary and secondary packaging involves two major lines of approach: recycle and reduce. The first requires that packaging materials are kept in constant circulation by them being reclaimed, processed and continuously reused. The second entails finding many different ways of using less and less packaging material in order to save on resources and avoid waste. “The greatest challenge for us is the processability of the packaging materials,” says Karl-Heinz Klumpe, packaging product manager for KHS in Kleve. He explains what he means in the following example. “Shrink film made of recycled plastic demonstrates very different shrinking properties versus film made of new material. As an engineering company we can’t provide all the answers ourselves but instead have to coordinate closely with the film manufacturers.” To this end KHS is staging a number of workshops this year. These aim to find out how the percentage of recyclate in film – as stipulated by the new German Packaging Law, for example – can be increased. “You make a few changes to the chemicals or recipe of your film and we adjust the air fl ow or temperature accordingly,” is how Klumpe loosely summarizes the topics up for discussion. “Providing that there’s a standard of quality which is accepted by the big bottlers’ marketing departments, of course. With film made of 100% recyclate the shrink results aren’t yet satisfactory. Together we still have to work out how to close the gap here between recycling requirements on the one hand and the demand for packs of ever increasing quality on the other.” Another avenue film manufacturers are exploring is to reduce the thickness of their film. “The material’s getting thinner and thinner,” states Klumpe. “To provide the same stability the materials have to be more and more complex. This has its limitations when used for beverage packaging: below a thickness of 35 microns it’s possible that the price per kilogram for film then again rises. When it comes down to it, neither bottlers nor their customers want to pay for this.” Spotlight on economy Klumpe well realizes that the striving for greater sustainability is often rooted in aspects of economy rather than ecology. “Everything we do to reduce the amount of material used primarily has a financial motive and aims to cut costs for bottlers. Or – if we’re talking about recycling – film manufacturers of course have to continue to develop and adapt so that their business model can be further maintained even in the face of stricter legal requirements.” What applies to plastics also applies to cardboard – chiefly when it comes to reducing the amount of material used. Paper factories are experimenting with thinner cover layers and lower ridges in the manufacture of corrugated cardboard. “The stability and durability are OK,” assures Klumpe. “However, we have to answer the question of how suitable these materials are for use with machinery. What happens when the cardboard absorbs moisture? If the cardboard is thicker on the outside than the inside, it bends rather like a bimetal and can only be processed on machines with certain restrictions or not at all. What can we do to counteract this?” In terms of recycling less attention is paid to cardboard than to plastic. Yet here, too, the reuse of this material is an issue, for example in how far print can affect the recyclability of the paper. KHS is itself also experimenting with new packaging materials. For instance, a manufacturer from Sweden recently approached the company with a newly developed, award-winning cardboard looking for partners for a market launch. “Our top requirement is that we can be sure that we can process the cardboard without any problems,” Klumpe stresses. Constant process The packaging experts in Kleve are also in constant dialog with the manufacturers of adhesives and adhesive application systems. “Here, we explore how we can avoid having to heat the glue so intensely or how we can reduce our consumption of adhesive,” says Klumpe. “We’re now applying smaller and smaller dots of adhesive as opposed to the diamond shapes we used to use.” All told, sustainable product innovation is a constant process which KHS is undergoing with both proven and new partners. The focus is always on the question of which approach can be adopted to save on materials, time and energy on the machines. One example of how energy can be saved is the shrink tunnel with porous gas burners. To heat the air KHS has decided not to use electricity as the energy transfer medium but to work directly with gas to prevent energy being lost during transport from the producer to the consumer. This saves up to 50% in energy costs and CO2 emissions are cut by as much as 60%. In the last few years KHS has also set standards in many other areas with its resource-saving packaging machines. Both Fully-Enclosed FilmPacks and nested and shifted packs have done away with the need for stabilizing cardboard pads or trays. “We don’t need any more cardboard at all here,” smiles Klumpe. “The taut film gives us a good shrink pattern and a sturdy pack.” In a countermove the DisplayPacker has also been developed where large packs are placed directly onto cardboard trays without the need for an extra wrapping of stabilizing film. However, one of the most outstanding examples of how material can be reduced is the Nature MultiPack™. In 2018 it was launched to market as a six pack of cans by the Carlsberg Group under the name of Snap Pack. A few dots of adhesive developed specifically for this pack which hold the cans together and a stabilizing carrying handle make any further packaging material redundant. Once

Fat Brain Toys thrives in competitive retail market with propane forklifts

NEBRASKA-BASED TOY STORE EXPEDITES SHIPPING WITH PROPANE EQUIPMENT Keeping pace in today’s retail world is no small undertaking. A company’s reputation and customer satisfaction depend on its ability to move and ship materials at a rapid pace. Fat Brain Toys, a family-owned and operated business in Omaha, Nebraska, can attest to the challenge. Fat Brain Toys takes pride in designing and curating world-class toys and games, and in having the largest selection of American-made toys found anywhere. It stocks nearly 7,500 games, toys, and gifts — including the classics like LEGO Bricks, Lincoln Logs, puzzles, and heirloom toys — in its two Nebraska-based warehouses, which equal approximately 140,000 square feet in total. The company began as a small, in-home business in 2002 but has since grown substantially, now operating an online store, two warehouses, and two retail stores — located in Omaha and Kansas City, Kansas. To maintain a high level of productivity and move products at an efficient pace, the company relies on propane-powered material handling equipment. COMPANY FACES COMPETITIVE MARKET, SHOPPER EXPECTATIONS As Amazon, Walmart, Target, and other large retailers continue to reduce shipment and delivery timelines, customers are pushing even the independently-owned online retailers to keep pace. According to PwC’s 2018 Global Consumer Insights Survey, 88 percent of consumers worldwide are willing to pay more for same-day delivery. The survey also revealed that, when asked what factors, other than price, sway customers to buy from a particular retailer, nearly a quarter of respondents named fast, reliable delivery. Fat Brain Toys takes the growing demand for speedy delivery to heart, and therefore guarantees same-day shipping for customers who purchase three items or more. Most in-stock orders are shipped within 24 hours — if not faster. A fourth-quarter dominant company, Fat Brain Toys earns half of its annual revenue in six weeks of the year. The company ships approximately 500 packages on a normal day, but during the busy season, it can ship up to 12,000 packages per day. To keep up with this aggressive shipping strategy — during busy seasonal sales and year-round — the company needs a good, consistent level of production. More importantly, the company needs reliable, efficient material handling equipment in order to ship products as quickly as possible and meet its distribution demands. propane is the only forklift fuel that can meet the company’s stringent demands. PROPANE IS THE ONLY FORKLIFT FUEL THAT CAN MEET THE COMPANY’S STRINGENT DEMANDS Propane’s uninterrupted operational capacity, clean reputation, reliability, and ease of use, maintenance, and refueling are all reasons Fat Brain Toys trusts propane to get the job done. “We’ve honestly never considered another forklift fuel and do not think battery-powered forklifts would meet our needs as well,” said Bernie Lorkovic, distribution center manager at Fat Brain Toys. “We like propane and chose it because of its ease and simplicity.” The company relies on two propane forklifts — one at each warehouse location— to unload trailers and move products throughout the warehouses. Propane offers superior performance benefits compared with other fuels. For starters, propane provides employees with 100 percent power throughout operation and propane forklifts don’t lose power throughout the workday, unlike electric forklifts. According to data from the Propane Education & Research Council, propane forklifts push heavy loads at full capacity more consistently than their electric counterparts, too. Propane forklifts also maintain more consistent travel speeds and acceleration throughout a shift compared to battery-powered forklifts — allowing employees to be more productive in a warehouse where time is money. And because a fast, easy cylinder change gets them back into business quickly, propane forklifts offer minimal downtime, too, which is mission critical during fourth quarter, busy-season workdays. By operating on propane, the company skips the mess of forklift batteries and avoids the hassle of dealing with downtime for charging batteries or battery mismanagement. “We have always felt that it’s much easier to switch out a tank than charge a battery,” Lorkovic said. “With propane, we can switch out a cylinder in a couple of minutes, without having to worry about handling or maintaining messy, leaky batteries.” With such a large influx of seasonal employees, simplicity is critical. The company has found that propane forklifts are easy to train employees to operate at a high level quickly. PROPANE ENABLES COMPANIES TO COMPETE- AND THRIVE- IN TODAY’S RETAIL MARKET Since 2002, Fat Brain Toys has gone from a basement-start up to a significant player in the international educational and specialty toy industry, with annual sales exceeding $40 million worldwide, and the company’s propane forklifts have played an instrumental role in that growth. Fat Brain Toys’ propane-powered forklifts enable the company to consistently keep up with its aggressive shipping needs year-round and overdeliver for customers with every opportunity, which is a key component in the company’s mission statement. Research has shown that consistent execution of expedited delivery can have a significant impact on customer experience and brand loyalty. By enabling the company to consistently maintain its shipping and distribution demands, Fat Brain Toys’ propane-powered equipment also helps the company to keep pace in today’s market, compete with other large retail companies, and continue to grow.   Click here for the PDF.

New Phoenix center study links railroad investment to industry’s deregulation

Analysis shows risk of Surface Transportation Board’s renewed interest in aggressive regulation of U.S. freight rail industry Prior to the Staggers Rail Act of 1980, over-zealous regulation brought the U.S. rail industry to the brink of total financial ruin. The Staggers Act restrained regulatory excesses, leading to an economic resurgence of the rail industry. Even so, some firms in the rail industry struggle to earn a competitive return on their investments. Despite the Surface Transportation Board’s (“STB’s”) own evidence of financial fragility and its disastrous regulatory past, the STB is now contemplating ways it may return to a more aggressive regulatory posture, including rate regulation and forced access. Analysts and industry officials worry that a regulatory revival at the STB might unwind the significant progress experienced since deregulation, worsening an already precarious financial situation and threatening continued investment in the sector at a time when the nation’s critical infrastructure is crumbling. In a new study released today entitled Infrastructure Investment in the Railroad Industry: An Econometric Analysis, Phoenix Center Chief Economist Dr. George S. Ford quantifies the relationship between industry revenues and returns on infrastructure investment by the largest firms in the railroad industry. Dr. Ford finds significant, causal relationships between the financial health of the rail industry and its investment behavior. “At a time when investment in critical rail infrastructure is needed, my analysis indicates that the STB should proceed with caution before imposing stringent new regulation on the freight rail industry” says study author and Phoenix Center Chief Economist Dr. George S. Ford. “While my analysis by no means addresses the full complexity of the issue, this evidence may serve as an input to what is hopefully a rational debate over rail regulation—regulation that history has shown to be catastrophic.” A full copy of Phoenix Center Policy Perspective No. 19-09, Infrastructure Investment in the Railroad Industry: An Econometric Analysis, may be downloaded free from the Phoenix Center’s web page by clicking here.

Flexcon’s precision container solutions are good medicine for pharmaceutical distributor

Background: Independent pharmacies across the country rely on Rochester Drug Cooperative (RDC) for their daily shipments of prescription and over-the-counter drugs. At times, the timely delivery of medicines is critical for patients. For RDC’s client base of independent pharmacies who are competing against giants like Walgreens and CVS, that means delivering to patients without delay—otherwise they’ll lose customers to the Rite-Aid right across the street. To keep these clients supplied, they overnight thousands of shipments every day from a pair of highly automated facilities in NY and NJ. Totes play a critical role in the herculean feat that happens daily. Customers place their orders during the day up until 8 PM. Those orders get picked by workers and placed in totes as they are routed through the warehouses. Robotics handle the totes through a symphony of actions, navigating them up, down and around corners and then lidding, sealing, wrapping and labeling them. In operations like RDC’s, totes are often the most critical moving part: the machines are calibrated to their exact specifications and their ergonomics are directly tied to the productivity of the pickers. For years, RDC had relied on the same supplier for their totes. The specifications were standardized, so when RDC’s tote stock dwindled or old totes needed to be replaced, they routinely reordered. The fact that the supplier also sold the same models to the industry’s largest distributors kept costs down. The routine worked well for RDC until the day the robots of Rochester revolted. Challenge: It happened right after a routine reorder of 1,000 totes was introduced into the production line. The destacking machines started to jam during the tense night shift. They’d work for five minutes and send out 15 or so totes, then jam. The team would clear the jam, restart the assembly line and the same thing would happen. Over and over that would happen 15, 20, 30, 50 times a night. Having reordered totes before without trouble, the team blamed the destacking machine. After flying in a technician from the automation company and doing some detective work—including measuring the new totes—they discovered that the totes were a different size. When they approached the supplier about the size discrepancy, they learned that the supplier’s big customers had requested some changes to the container molds, which the supplier made without making fuss—or telling RDC. Even though RDC was able to make some adjustments and make the totes work, the whole incident cost the company thousands of dollars in idle time, tech fees and nuisance costs while the unstandard totes gummed up the works and prevented orders from getting out. RDC was in a bind with no control over the mold or standard totes that their system was calibrated for. They’d been able to dodge the bullet this time—but what would happen the next time the supplier changed the mold to satisfy their bigger customers? That moment came sooner than they expected. On their very next order, RDC received a batch of totes that were too big to accommodate. The dimensions had changed too much and the destackers couldn’t be adjusted to work correctly. This second gaffe cost RDC $20,000 in worthless totes and wasted countless hours of labor and production time. Plus it left them dangerously short on containers, so sales had to scramble to collect empties from their clients and pay to have them couriered back. The tote fiasco put RDC’s client relationships and very business at risk. Pharmacies and patients were counting on shipments, and delays on the assembly line were threatening their ability to deliver on time. Strike two made it clear to the team that without creating their own standard container and controlling the mold so no one would ever change it, their business would never be safe—and neither would the pharmacies and patients who rely on them be. Solution: That was the point that RDC reached out to Flexcon. RDC was opening their second warehouse in Northern New Jersey and they decided to do their totes right from the get-go. We helped RDC design their own tote and create a mold that they owned so there would never be a change without them knowing. No longer would they be at the mercy of bigger distributors who could dictate the standard tote dimensions with their supplier—and change them without notifying RDC! By controlling the precise dimensions of their containers, RDC would be able to maintain the necessary surplus of totes so they never ran out and they could ensure their totes worked with their sensitive robotics no matter how many times they reordered. They’d be set well into the future if they expanded or added a facility because the totes would be the same. Flexcon designed the perfect container for RDC by taking the best features of their existing totes and looking at their needs anew. The end result was an efficient design with enhanced performance features that was perfectly calibrated to their robotics. “Flexcon’s ability to provide the perfect container continues to ring true. From design to manufacturing to delivery, every part of the process was handled professionally and with the perfect solution for the customer always in mind.” — Gary Ritzmann, Director of Operations, Rochester Drug Cooperative Results: Control of their own mold This has led to several successful reorders with no size discrepancies, saving RDC tens of thousands of dollars in hard costs, soft costs and nuisance costs. Maximum value of their investment By adding a few modifications for strength whether they were shipping or nesting, their totes will stay in service longer. Reduced tote noise by 50 – 60% By cambering off the sides a little bit more, we were able to prevent the totes from bouncing. When applied to the hundreds of totes in motion at once—the difference was significant. Optimum weight Achieved a balance of strength and economical weight to control shipping costs. System wide calibration Totes designed to perform through all machinery from destackers and labelers to lidders and strappers. Worker satisfaction

TVH tips: Lubrication of the lift chain

The lift chain is an important part of the lift truck that deserves a lot of attention. The lifespan and good functioning of a lift chain depend on its use and maintenance. Each mechanical system, whether complex or not, requires constant lubrication in order to function perfectly and be protected. It is crucial that lift chains are regularly treated with a professional lubricant. By lubricating the chain, it retains it optimal functionality, and a longer lifespan is guaranteed. How can you recognize a good lubricant? Attention, lubricant is not the same as lubricating grease. We talk about lubrication when the lubricant is liquid, and about grease when it is a solid. Always use a lubricant suitable for chains. A lubricant in the form of a spray is the most suitable. This way, the lubricant penetrates between the plates and round the pins to prevent rust. How to lubricate the chain? Cleaning When it comes to maintaining the chain, it is sufficient to use a lubricant spray to remove any impurities that are stuck between the links. Sand, dust and other dirt sticking in the chain, acts as an abrasive and reduces the lifespan considerably. Chains can only be cleaned by means of paraffin derivatives, such as petroleum or diesel oil. Never clean the chains with a high-pressure cleaner, air spray or chemicals. Lubrication Never re-lubricate the chain while it is under tension, as this will prevent the lubricant from reaching in all crevices and openings. Always spray on the interior of the chain links and not on the sides, as this will not lubricate the links. If you lubricate the interior of the links, the lubricant will remain in place longer. The chain definitely has to be properly lubricated on the sections that run across the guide rollers. How often do you need lubricate? Each day, week, month … this of course all depends on the environment the lift truck is used in. A lift truck that is used outdoor or in a dusty environment will require more lubrication than a lift truck that is used in a clean warehouse. It is therefore obvious that frequent maintenance and sufficient lubrication help to reduce costly downtime and a loss of productivity. When do you need to replace the lift chain? Every day, the lift truck lifts hundreds of kilos, day after day. In ‘normal’ conditions, a chain has a lifespan of 3 to 5 years. A chain wear gauge is essential to measure the chain. According to the official regulations, a chain is worn when the section running over the guide roller is stretched beyond 3%. For safety reasons, we recommend replacing chains when they display an elongation of 2%. In the event of external damage, it is recommended to replace the chain immediately, since such damage will eventually lead to irreparable damage. An inspection of the chains must be a daily routine, but it is best to also have them inspected by an expert once in a while. Chains operate in extreme conditions, and chain breakage must be avoided at all costs. Conclusion The better you maintain your lift chain with a good lubricant, the better you can prevent risks of breakage and premature wear and – as a result – a loss of productivity.

Big deal: Heineken opens new production facility in Mexico

Heineken and KHS are setting standards with the newest and one of the biggest breweries in Mexico on all counts: besides its impressive proportions the plant is also a shining example when it comes to ecological and economic sustainability As far back as in 2006 the potential for the launch of one of the most important greenfield projects in the history of Mexican brewing was recognized: Cervecería Cuauhtémoc Moctezuma proposed building its seventh production site in Meoqui in the state of Chihuahua in the north of the country. Nine years later the plans were finalized by HEINEKEN México which in the meantime had since taken over the brewery. By setting up shop in Meoqui Heineken is closing a geographical gap in the north of Mexico. This strategic location optimizes the company’s production and sales network. The region also has a good infrastructure, provides qualified personnel and a local government which specifically promotes economic development. Largest Heineken site worldwide With a capacity of five million hectoliters a year the greenfield site has now become the largest production facility in the Heineken Group. The brewery has created 500 new jobs on site and 1,500 indirect positions to boot. The premises are such that expansion is possible in the medium term. A few facts and figures from 2016 illustrate just how important the Mexican market is for Heineken: the Mexican branch contributed 16% to the sales, 12% to the turnover and 15% to the profits of the Dutch brewery even before the new bottling plant went into operation. And – even more importantly – over the same period HEINEKEN México increased its volume by 4%, its value by 8% and its profit by a proud 16%. Against this dynamic and extremely promising background, which also bodes well for the future, it’s little surprise that the parent company decided to invest around €400 million in its Mexican enterprise – more than ever before. The exemplary project encompasses six lines, four of which were supplied and commissioned by KHS. These comprise two glass lines for 355-milliliter non-returnable bottles, one for 325-milliliter returnable bottles – all with a capacity of up to 40,000 bottles per hour each – and a fourth line for up to 28,000 947-milliliter returnable or non-returnable bottles an hour. The machine program covers practically the entire KHS product range: from bottle washers through fillers, labelers, pasteurizers and packaging machines to palletizers. Plant manager Eusebio Reynoso Razo tells us what ultimately won the Dortmund systems supplier the contract. “We’ve been in the business together for over 40 years. It’s thus clear that we can fully rely on the careful, proven and modern processes which distinguish KHS as a first-class manufacturer of lines and machines with ist highly qualified engineers.” Trust is a key criterion, believes Reynoso. “It’s quite a challenge to build such an enormous factory. We therefore only wanted to work with the best so that we could get off to a good start.” Mexico is a familiar stomping ground for KHS, with one of its eleven own production plants opened in Zinacantepec in 1992. “At HEINEKEN México we have an installed base of around 80 machines spread out across the entire country,” says Mario Perez, sales manager for the north zone at KHS Mexico. “This base primarily consists of fillers, packaging machines and pasteurizers.” The very first project involving the two companies dates back to 1977 when delivery was taken of a VVF-120D canning line. It’s located at Monterrey in the northeast of the country and is still in operation. Among the particular challenges posed by the site in Meoqui weren’t just line performance, however, but first and foremost flexibility and sustainability. Maximum flexibility Two types of beer, six beer styles and thirteen different brands are produced in Meoqui – not just Heineken but also Tecate, Dos Equis and Indio, among others. This range, filled into various containers of differing size, results in a vast diversity of Stock Keeping Units (SKUs) and a large number of possible combinations. This calls for the shortest possible setup times for format changeovers and maximum flexibility in labeling. In addition there is also a slightly unusual requirement regarding the secondary packaging; instead of plastic crates, returnable cardboard boxes holding 12 or 20 bottles are used, the handling of which presents a certain technical challenge. Maximum flexibility was also needed in other areas of the project. “Owing to current market demands we were forced to change the original order of the lines for commissioning according to the SKUs we needed most,” plant manager Reynoso remembers. “This of course made all those involved nervous. But the KHS team understood our situation. Despite this change cooperation with the local crew was marvelous and we were able to wind up the process with outstanding results.” In the first few months alone over 30 different SKUs were processed on the 4 KHS lines and over 1.2 million hectoliters filled into glass bottles and packaged. All told, Reynoso is extremely satisfied with the teamwork. “We’ve experienced a lot of successes together – from installation through commissioning to the moment when the first full pallets of product rolled off the conveyor belts. The great willingness of the responsible KHS representative on site to get things moving, his good cooperation and excellent communication really helped the team to function well.” Exemplary use of resources The second major challenge was sustainability: in keeping with its commitment to “brew a better world” HEINEKEN México sees itself as a pioneer. The factory in Meoqui was thus erected according to the latest principles of the circular economy – with the focus on renewable energies and an efficient use of water. Electricity comes from renewable sources. Photovoltaic cells are installed in the brewery windows, for instance, which generate about 12% of the total electricity needed on site. The rest is produced by wind power. Treatment of wastewater means that all facilities and green spaces can be supplied and biogas is used in the boilers. The declared objective is

ACCO explosion proof crane, runway extension

Cedar Falls, Iowa-based AFE Crane has installed a 5-ton capacity ACCO explosion proof crane for lifting bulk container bags in a hazardous area at a facility in Nebraska. AFE, a distributor for ACCO Material Handling Solutions LLC, a manufacturer of material handling products, accepted a scope of work to install a replacement custom motorized underhung single girder crane and double the length of the runway from 60 ft. to 120 ft. The confidential site was classified because of electrical equipment installation in an atmosphere with combustible dusts representing a risk of fire and explosion. The existing (ACCO) crane was built in 1999 and AFE, which conducts most of its installations in the U.S. Upper Midwest, was called upon to overhaul the lifting system, whilst conforming to the requirements of a crane system working in a hazardous environment, and to the tight confines of the building. The runway extension was required to allow access to new machinery in an extended work area. The Class II, Group G, Division I crane has a 14 ft. span and 17 ft. 6 in. overall patented track bridge. The ACCO-Wright electric wire rope hoist offers 30 ft. per minute in single speed and a lift height of 66 ft. Nick Burns, applications engineer at AFE Crane, explained that this was the fastest possible without sacrificing headroom. The trolley is also single speed, offering 50 ft. per minute. Jim Orme, District Sales Manager at ACCO, explained that Class II covers combustible dusts; Group G relates to grain dust; Division I means there is ignitable concentrations of dust present all of the time or some of the time under normal operation conditions.  He added: “All hoist components for use in classified areas are marked as such. The hoist motor, motor brake, conduit fittings, etc. are all labeled for Class 2, Group G, Division I. The Work-Rated hoist model includes an overload device as standard, as well as a Weston-style mechanical load brake as a secondary means of braking.” Burns said: “We increased the speed for the new hoist due to the long lift. The installation provides high speed and capacity in line with the demands of the facility. Radio remote controls provide further safety and efficiency benefits as the end user can operate the crane and hoist at a safe distance from the hook.” Other notable features of the crane, which operates to Monorail Manufacturers Association (MMA) Class C duty cycle, include ACCO-Louden 585 style end trucks with eight (8) 4.5-in. diameter wheels, steel wheel drives and a 6 ft. 0 in. wheelbase. Dual gimbal rod assemblies, a suspension system for under-running crane runways, completed the installation. Orme said: “Dual gimbal rod assemblies allow the system to ‘float’ with an allowance for the runway to move to adjust for movement in the building versus a ‘rigid’ suspension system. The system offered greater capacity and better headroom than a single rod alternative. It also allows for a higher tread elevation when headroom is critical. “Besides our standard offering, this installation demonstrates our ability to deliver material handling solutions to meet requirements of special applications.”

KHS helps Portuguese brewery on its way to a sustainable future

Reliability, environmental friendliness and viability for the future are values held by KHS that Portuguese brewery Sociedade Central de Cervejas E Bebidas S.A. (SCC) greatly appreciates – and has done for decades. The commissioning of the new glass line is a further milestone in the long-term partnership between the two companies. By employing up-to-the-minute technology from the systems supplier the beer producer from Vialonga has minimized both its water and energy consumption and its CO2 emissions. SCC has placed its trust in plant technology from the Dortmund systems specialist for more than 34 years. “Back then we heard that KHS was an exemplary supplier of future-proof filling systems,” says Nuno Pinto de Magalhães, head of Corporate Affairs at SCC. Over the decades a close and trusting relationship has been built up. “KHS has always convinced us with its excellent state-of-the-art technology and outstanding service,” smiles Pinto de Magalhães. First choice for technology and service The brewery, which is chiefly famous for its Sagres brand, has thus continuously invested in new lines and systems in the last years, including a keg line in 2016. “Today, all of the key filling and packaging machines in Vialonga have been constructed by KHS,” reports Frank Schneidermann, sales director for Portugal for the German engineering company. At the beginning of 2018 he and his team were awarded a contract for a new glass line. “After 20 years the old one simply wasn’t state of the art anymore regarding its energy consumption,” he explains. The initial situation was challenging as the brewery could only fill its one-liter bottles on this particular line. Therefore the old line had to be dismantled and the new glass line installed very quickly in order to keep production loss down to a minimum during this time. “Thanks to the extremely precise advance planning and professional teamwork machine replacement went very quickly and without any hitches,” states Jose Luis da Mata Torres, supply chain director at SCC. Glass line convincing with its high capacity and low use of resources A KHS Innofill Glass DRS glass bottling machine forms the heart of the new line. With its computer-controlled filling system the Heineken subsidiary has an increased output of up to 55,000 0.33-liter bottles per hour. The multiple-format system can process bottles holding between 0.25 and 1.0 liters. The hygienic QUICKLOCK fast-acting locking system cuts changeover times down to a minimum. The proven filling system’s low consumption of resources is also compelling. The new vacuum pump reduces the amount of water used by up to 96%, for example. “That’s more than 32 million liters of water a year,” claims Schneidermann. The new line further saves on resources with its low energy consumption and CO2 emissions which amount to up to 12,600 kWh or 80 metric tons less per year than on a standard setup. In addition to the DRS the new glass line also includes a rinser and two closure systems blocked with the glass filler. The brewery, founded in 1934, can now seal its bottles not just with crown corks but also with roll-on and ring-pull closures (pull-tab caps). The brewers also invested in a tunnel pasteurizer, labeler and wrap-around shrink packer from KHS. A palletizer and depalletizer round off the line. “With our new glass line we’re perfectly set up for the future, regarding both efficiency and sustainability,” Pinto de Magalhães concludes. KHS systems dominate the Portuguese beer market The beer market in Portugal is very important for KHS. “About 90% of all beer is filled on our machines,” Schneidermann reports. The turnkey supplier works closely with Portugal’s biggest breweries, with which SCC is also affiliated. This is why Dr. Johannes T. Grobe, CSO for KHS, and Portuguese deputy prime minister and minister of the economy Dr. Pedro Siza Vieira were both present at the opening ceremony for the new line. In his speech Dr. Grobe praised SCC as “a company which perfectly masters the balancing act between tradition and future-oriented technology”.

Six tips to prolong the lifespan of your pallet truck

Preventing your pallet truck from failing? Discover the points you can pay attention to in order to use your pallet truck longer and be able to repair it yourself. And this in an efficient and budget-friendly manner, as a result of which you prolong the lifespan of your pallet truck and your bank account. Preventive maintenance of your pallet truck is vital for a safe working environment. By means of a daily inspection of your pallet truck, you can intervene in time when it requires repairs. As a result, regular check-ups prevent unpleasant surprises and prolong the lifespan of the pallet truck. Discover what things you need to keep in mind to ensure an optimal use: 1. Check and top off the oil of your pallet truck The oil level of your pallet truck is best checked every six months and oil must be topped up or replaced preferably every year. It is recommended to use hydraulic oil for pallet trucks. The oil must have a viscosity of 30cSt at 40 °C, with a total volume of approx 0,4 litres (ISO VG32). If other oil is used, the pallet truck may be hard to pump up, as this oil will most likely be too thick. Follow below step-by-step plan to top up the oil of your pallet truck: Place the forks in the lowest position and turn the pallet truck on its side. Place the drain plug of the hydraulic cylinder at the top. Remove the screw plug. Add the hydraulic oil, until the level of the oil reaches the bottom of the filler opening. Install the screw plug and place the device upright. Will the forks not raise when pumping with the lever in the RAISE position? This could be due to air bubbles in the hydraulic oil as a result of transport, or by pumping the tiller when the pallet truck is not upright. How to bleed the circuit? Leave the operating lever in the LOWER position and move the tiller handle up and down a couple of times. This will expel the air, causing the forks to lift normally again while pumping. 2. Lubricate the pallet truck on a regular basis All bearings and axles were lubricated by the manufacturer with long-life grease. Lubricate the pallet truck on a monthly basis and/or after each cleaning with long-life grease on the lubrication points, such as the wheels, axles and grease fittings. 3. Protect the wheels of your pallet trucks A clean workplace makes working more pleasant. The surface on which the pallet trucks are used, is very important to the wheels. All types of dirt or wires can become stuck between the wheels, as a result of which they will wear considerably faster. This can easily be prevented by regularly cleaning the wheels and by removing this dirt before using the pallet truck. It is also recommended to watch out for curbs and steps. Taking a short cut might seem like a good idea, but your wheels might not agree. Rather, take a detour and prevent your wheels from cracking in this way. Overloading your pallet truck can also have serious consequences to your wheels. It is better to make two trips than to take everything in one go, even if this takes a bit more time. You prevent the wheels from forming a flat spot, so you can use them longer. Read more about how you can protect the wheels of your pallet truck and find out when it is time to replace them 4. Check the chain regularly for a correct position Check on a regular basis if the chain of your pallet truck is still in the correct position. You can mainly notice this when operating the lowering valve no longer lowers the forks. You can easily solve this by re-attaching the chain to the lever. 5. Adjust the lowering valve if the pallet truck can no longer pump or lower its forks The pallet truck no longer pumps or lowers its forks? This is probably due to the lowering valve. In this case you need to adjust the lowering valve, so that you can again pump or lower the forks. If pumping has no effect, slightly loosen the lowering valve screw. Do the forks of the pallet truck no longer descend? Slightly screw in the lowering valve screw. Tip: after use, store the pallet truck unloaded and in the lowest position. 6. Use your pallet truck in a correct and safe way With these tips, your pallet truck lasts longer: Don’t use the pallet truck on a slope: if let go, the pallet truck can reverse and hit something. To move the pallet truck, set the operating lever in the DRIVE position. As a result, the drawbar moves more easily and the pressure in the hydraulic pump section lowers. This protects the hydraulic seals and the components of the valve. This ensures a longer lifespan. Never overload the pallet truck: observe the maximum rated lifting capacity. A longer lifespan for your pallet truck Thanks to a couple of quick check-ups, you can easily extend the lifespan of your pallet truck. So definitely keep an eye on the oil level, the wheels, the grease fittings and the lowering valve. This will eventually save you a lot of time and unnecessary expenses.

How Wickham Tractor Company scaled up from two to five locations smoothly

More locations mean more complexity, right? Wrong. While scaling can be complicated, especially when it is done through acquisition – approaching it in the right manner can make the process go smoothly. Wickham Tractor Company in Eastern Plains, Colorado, grew from two stores to a five-store complex in one year after buying an existing dealer. Through standardization, effective training and extensive use of management reports, they have scaled effectively. Founded in 1960, Wickham Tractor is a fourth-generation family business owned by brothers Jason and Brad Wickham. They are a forward-thinking, values-driven company, serving a wide-range of people – from big agricultural producers to city-based lifestyle consumers. Based in the beautiful Rocky Mountain region, the brands that they carry include Case, Kubota, Polaris and Cam-Am. Ashlee Reed, the Corporate Service Coordinator at Wickham Tractor Company, makes sure that all five of the service departments are on the same page, and she is also responsible for IT training. We sat with her to learn how Wickham Tractor Company scaled its way to success. What would you say sets your dealership apart from others? Ashlee: “We truly are a family-owned and operated business. Our owner group is very involved, and they don’t mind getting their hands dirty. They are smack-dab in the middle of business and they are very personable. Having that working relationship with them has been helpful and it makes a big difference to employees and customers alike. It’s the opposite of working for a corporate entity with people at the top who don’t actually know what’s going on day-to-day.” What would you say is the toughest part of your job? Ashlee: “The volume of IT training is definitely the toughest part of my job. This is not because DIS is a complex system, but because of the amount of people that I have to train. Last year alone, I’ve trained about 10 people in just five stores – that’s a lot to go through.” How do you manage the volume of people that you train? Ashlee: “I have a steps-and-procedures guide on the content of my training where I keep track of what employees need to know. I give everyone an overview of the basics of DIS and what it’s used for. I am constantly editing my own training Microsoft© PowerPoint and evolving it over time. I take snippets of screenshots while we’re using DIS and send those out on a regular basis. “We utilize Management 360, and we almost ‘live’ in that for a few days during training. We look at all facets, including Work in Progress (WIP), Open Documents and other elements critical to our business. When I have a store fully staffed, I travel to each location at least once a week, if not more.” When did you implement DIS? Ashlee: “We have been a DIS dealer for longer than I’ve been alive, so it has been quite a while.  When we bought out our three new locations, they were on RIMSS. We had presentations from DIS, RIMSS and CDK. It was up to the management team and the two owners to make the ultimate decision on what they wanted. We chose DIS since they had all the resources that we needed, and it was the most economical choice.” What would you say is the benefit of using DIS? Ashlee: “The biggest strength of DIS, in my opinion, is how easy it is to use. I don’t feel that it’s a very complicated system; it’s fairly simple and it’s straightforward to learn. Once you know the basics of how the system works, you just apply that knowledge to any task or report.” What feature helps you the most? Ashlee: “In my day-to-day, the feature that helps me the most is definitely Management 360. I pretty much ‘live’ in it. It helps me keep tabs on all five stores, where they are progressing in terms of their monthly sales and open documents, for example. “Warranties are something that we keep a pretty close eye on. We can check and see activity within Management 360, or within our WIPs. Once it gets to ‘no labor’ within 14 days, we focus in on that. It’s nice that I can have access to all five locations in one spot very easily. “There are also some interesting things to come. I am excited to have the Service Scheduling and Service Logistics tools coming out – those will be game-changers.” What would you say is the overall impact of DIS on your dealership? Ashlee: “We wouldn’t be able to function without it. We pretty much ‘live’ 100% in DIS. Having Customer 360 at our fingertips and getting a snapshot of what kind of equipment a customer owns when they walk in the door is invaluable. “I’m excited about bringing back the ‘picture’ function as well. Getting pictures in the system means that we can start to recognize our customers by name. When you view somebody’s picture anytime they call, you get to know what they look like. Then you can recognize them when they come into the showroom.” What recommendations would you give to somebody looking to do your job? Ashlee: “The advice that I would give to somebody trying to do my job is to ask the question ‘why.’ Learn why things are connected and which functions affect what outcomes, for example.  When you change certain coding, what does that affect? “It is a good idea to understand and explain the reasons behind the data that you collect as well. Otherwise, your managers will know how to input the data, but they may not understand why and what that does on the reporting side of things. Answering ‘why’ to those kinds of questions is key while training.”  

What type of brush do I use for my Industrial Floor Scrubber?

There are plenty of different types of brushes for industrial sweepers and floor scrubbers. What kind of brush or sweeper should you be using? Use the information below to make the perfect choice. You’ll even find out what about the different types, patterns and materials. BRUSH TYPES The range at TVH contains different types of brushes: Side broom  A side broom pushes debris in front of your sweeper for the main broom to pick up.  Main broom  The main broom is built around a heavy-duty core, with staple-set tufts aligned in spiral rows. This design keeps bristles on the floor at all times. It increases the efficiency of your vacuum and improves pickup.  Rotary brush or “side scrubber” A rotary brush or ‘side scrub; is designed to spin and loosen debris from the ground. It has dense, stiff bristles.   Cylindrical scrubber or “main scrubber” A cylindrical scrubber or ‘main scrubber’ uses a full-fill design to keep the bristles on the floor at all times. It guides your cleaning solution to the centre of the scrubbing path as the bristles loosen debris from the ground. The length of the filaments mean this brush is considered to be a ‘scrubber’; the bristles are too short to ‘flick’ or ‘sweep’ the debris off the ground.  Pad driver or pad drive board The pad driver is set with stiff 1/2” long polypropylene bristles. They are trimmed unevenly and widely spaced to give them a firm grip on floor pads. Wondering which kind of floor pad you need? You’ll find everything you need to know here. ROW PATTERNS TVH also has a huge range of row patterns: Single row The single row pattern is ideal for sweeping applications in dusty and/or sandy conditions. It is also known as the ‘full-fill’ or ‘high-density’ pattern. It is designed to pick up fine debris, but not bulky items. Double row  The incredible versatility of the double row pattern makes it the most popular pattern for sweeping applications. The design gives enough space between the rows to trap bulky items, while the bristles pick up finer debris such as dust and sand. Patrol brush (V-pattern)  The patrol brush has a V-pattern. It is designed primarily for high-speed sweeping in large areas. With fewer rows and more tufts per row, there is more space between rows, perfect for picking up medium to large debris such as cans, paper and leaves, even at higher speeds. TYPES OF BRUSH MATERIALS There are many different types of materials used for brush bristles: Nylon Nylon has an excellent brush lifespan when used for sweeping in dry conditions. It performs well on rough surfaces and in high-temperature environments because of its durability and high melting point. Characteristics in most applications: excellent lifespan, good wear resistance, low to moderate absorption of water (3% to 9%) leading to only a temporary reduction in stiffness, excellent bend recovery rate, resistance to most common solvents and even suitable for use with weak acids. Polypropylene  As the most popular filament in scrubbing applications, ‘poly’ is efficient when used with most soils and surfaces. Although poly is more economical than nylon, it is not recommended for sweeping high-temperature debris. Proex  Proex is highly efficient as an all-purpose filament for indoor and outdoor sweeping applications, including damp or humid environments. It is not recommended for high-temperature sweeping applications. Proex is made of polypropylene; it derives its name from the X-shape of the bristle. (Steel) wire  (Steel) wire is a highly durable material. It is highly abrasive and not suitable for every type of surface. Steel wire is most appropriate for work on steel and iron, but may also be used on wood, aluminium, brass and copper. Union fibre Comprised of a mixture of Tampico and Palmyra fibres, this material is excellent for dust control and sweeping fine debris. A natural fibre, Union has a shorter lifespan than synthetic materials. Grit Grit is nylon filament impregnated with silicon carbide particles. Grit comes in different sizes: .070”/46, .050”/80, .035”/180, .022”/120, .018”/500. The first number in the size refers to the diameter of the filament; the larger the diameter, the stiffer the bristle. The second number is the particle size. The smaller the grit number, the more aggressive the scrubbing. Grit brushes reduce/eliminate the need for black stripping pads. Grit filaments offer excellent performance over a long lifespan. All brushes and other spare parts and accessories for your scrubber or sweeper can be found in our catalogue “Replacement parts for scrubbers & sweepers” (REF 40905935).

Implementing Access Control within a Triangle of Trust

“Honeywell Pro-Watch® solved our biggest problem: how to transition and replace our legacy security software that was no longer supported and given end-of-life status without compromising service.” — Jeffrey Reed, Global Security Application Engineering Manager, PepsiCo Facing the sudden end-of-life of their legacy access control software, here’s how a global packaged goods leader used internal security audits and Honeywell Pro-Watch® Software superior flexibility and scalability to re-gain it at more than 300 locations. The Need  “We were really put in a bind when our legacy access control software provider suddenly announced end-of-life for the product we were using,” said Jeffrey Reed, PepsiCo’s seasoned Global Security Application Engineering Manager. “Their decision put a hurt on us.” Reed and his team support more than 300 locations that include Pepsi®, Frito-Lay®, Quaker Oats® and other well-known brands, as well as the more than 100,000 people serving those brands. These are largely warehouse facilities, with products that have a shelf life, making security especially critical. Because support for the existing product was being discontinued, Reed and his team had to move quickly and efficiently. “It was an obscene deadline,” he said. “When they abandoned the product, they basically abandoned us.” Even though promises were made offering a migration path to a new product, Reed contacted his integrators and began another internal audit of locations — audits he had been conducting on an ongoing basis since September 11, 2001, to create standardization. That audit and extensive review process suggested Honeywell’s Pro-Watch® Access Control Software as the standard and basis of the support Reed needed. The Solution Reed and his team tapped into his key integrators for recommendations. Meetings and presentations were held, and studies were conducted. It was an exhaustive, time-intensive process that led directly to the Pro-Watch® Software. “I want to do business with people who want to do business with us,” Reed declared. “At evaluation events it became very clear who those people were. You see, it’s not just about the software. I mean, it has to be scalable and flexible. In our extensive review process, we found that Pro-Watch had what we were looking for in terms of features: custom reporting capabilities and out-of-box customization of badging. Additionally, the web-based workstation made deployment so easy. Beyond these features, it’s really all about the support AFTER you implement that is the real tell. And that was how we knew we made the right choice.” Linda Birnbaum, Honeywell’s National Account Manager, pointed out, “We helped secure information and coordination with Structure Works and PepsiCo’s other integrators involved in the process of selection with Jeff. Support is Honeywell’s real business.” Reed adds, “In any migration, there are a lot of moving parts, and lots can go wrong. That’s why there is an enormous amount of responsibility between the vendor, manufacturer and end user. And truth be told, we haven’t had a significant failure in three years of migration to Pro-Watch, which could not be said for the previous software.” The Benefits “Access in control software has become something of a commodity,” Reed explained. “You really need a proper evaluation in order to differentiate between them. All things considered, the difference will always boil down to service and support. We didn’t want to continue to ‘rip and replace.’” Honeywell’s Pro-Watch software was selected because it helps companies like PepsiCo meet the most stringent compliance requirements, reduces total cost of ownership, and provides superior flexibility and scalability. Importantly, Honeywell supports their base by putting integrators through an extended, rigorous certification process. “We’re able to leverage existing installed hardware as the system expanded,” added Michael Villano of Structure Works, a New York-based systems integrator, and one of the three Platinum Honeywell integrators which now support PepsiCo. “Scalability is key, here, for what PepsiCo was doing in their facilities.” Pro-Watch software also allows the company to provide remote security management for badging, reporting, and alarm and event monitoring. In addition, Pro-Watch allows for multiple readers. “I like the hardware that these card readers attach to,” said Karen Hudgins, Reed’s partner Global Security Application Engineer at PepsiCo who worked in partnership in bringing Pro-Watch online. “Plus, it’s Windows based. How good is that!” A major feature of Pro-Watch that was attractive to the PepsiCo security team was its expandability with functionality they can call up as needed, such as Logical Device Exceptions. “Access privileges are really based on the roles within an organization of an individual,” Birnbaum explained. “One of the unique features of Pro-Watch that makes it so attractive to our clients is Logical Device Exceptions.” With the Logical Device Exceptions functionality, the software enables the administrator to grant, revoke, or delete card access to Logical Devices (any input device such as a card reader or output device like a door), which are tied to individuals. This saves time because the security officer can search for a logical device anywhere in any location, generate a listing of people associated with that device, and adjust privileges by selecting and clicking. Reed, as the writer and manager of the security engineering standards at PepsiCo, has made his operation the center of excellence for security. That said, he will tell you, “No software can predict events. You really need people to react quickly, efficiently.” That’s why the biggest problem that Pro-Watch solved for PepsiCo was service. As Reed notes, “Service is always the issue. I want to know that the product can be installed and is installed. And that it works and will continue to work and not be declared suddenly end-of-life. Our integrators, Honeywell and our internal team created a ‘triangle of trust’ and were all integral to the successful implementation of Pro-Watch.” Explore https://www.honeywellintegrated.com/products/integrated-security/sms/ for more information on the Pro-Watch® product in your facility. To request a demo, click “Request a Demo” and fill out the form, or call 1.800.323-4576.

Servicing for Preventive Maintenance Vehicle Scales saves Time and Money

Neglecting your scale can cost you profit The goal of any vehicle scale service program should be to ensure that equipment stays in working order, with minimal downtime between service visits or the life of the product. The losses to revenue due to a scale failure can exceed the cost of maintenance. Adopting a comprehensive preventive maintenance program ultimately saves money over the long run. Owners should opt for a program with the level that fit their specific needs. The highest level may include parts, service visits and calibrations. For those facing little exposure to significant repairs, a basic option covering only calibrations may be the best fit. The difference between preventive maintenance and general servicing A general service visit is typically more specific in nature – a “tool in hand” service. Preventative maintenance includes this type of service, but also includes more interaction with a customer to understand the business and the role the equipment plays in it. Along with upkeep of equipment, preventative maintenance servicing takes into account such factors as heavy use periods, the value of supplying bench stock on difficult to acquire parts (so as to limit downtime), as well as strategies for repair if a breakdown occurs. In other words, preventative maintenance is a more holistic approach to service. It does not just look at the customer’s equipment in isolation from the operation, but sees the wider picture, including how the proper and efficient operation of the equipment (as well as breakdowns) affects the customers’ business. One final way of looking at the difference: General servicing puts out fires. Preventative maintenance servicing prevents them. The importance of preventive maintenance programs In effect, a scale is a company’s cash register. Preventative scale maintenance directly equates to bottom line dollars. Neglecting to account for the longevity of equipment can result in significant future repairs. Problems generally do not stay static or improve over time – they usually get worse. When a small issue morphs into a significant problem, wholesale repairs must be performed. These are often not budgeted for, so they result in unanticipated downtime, which often comes at a critical time. Downtime can be minimized or eliminated almost entirely by doing proper preventative service. In one case Fairbanks Scales recently worked on, a scale experienced significant structural damage due to rusting of critical components, resulting in the need for a $38,000 full rebuild. This customer had not regularly check his scale; had maintenance visits been performed, the issue would have been caught and small repairs could have been completed. Table 1 provides a general overview of the types of service program options available in the marketplace. Table 1 – Service Program Level Options Preventive maintenance Electronic indicator inspection and cleaning Mechanical inspection and lubrication Ethernet/modem connection inspection Power supply inspection and cleaning Inspection of truck scale lever systems, scale deck clearance and protective bumpers Detailed inspection report and maintenance recommendations Testing and calibration Complete testing and calibration with certified test weights Testing conducted in compliance with NTEP Handbook 44 standards and ISO/IEC 17025 Scale accuracy reports and calibration certificates Fixed cost total support programs Semi-annual preventive maintenance Emergency service including truck and travel Priority response times One fixed price for annual agreement period for maximum value What to look for in a service program There are two major types of service programs: open-end and closed-end. Open-end service is the type most often provided in the industrial weighing service industry. Service is paid for as required, also known as “pay as you go.” The service may consist of periodic inspections that are pre-scheduled to specific needs and requirements. It is called open-end because there is no limit to the total cost of repairs. When service is required, the customer contacts the service provider, the service provider requests a purchase order (as promise for payment for services) and, when satisfied with financial arrangements, the service provider sends a technician to make the repairs. Once the service company determines the nature of the damage or failure, they may either give the customer an estimate for the total cost of the complete repair or repair the scale with the final cost of repairs unknown. An advantage of open-end service is that actual service costs may not exceed the amount budgeted. Some scales have a history of near-perfect performance and the need to cover any risks that may occur can outweigh the concern about unscheduled costs. On the negative side, a disadvantage of open-end service is that it is impossible to know what the costs will be. Although it may be possible to know the cost of scheduled calibrations, it is impossible to predict component failures. It is also impossible to prevent failure unless the cause is apparent at the time of an inspection. When there is a failure, policies and processes (work order requisitions, approvals, and purchase orders) may delay getting the equipment serviced. Open-end service can increase downtime, as service providers may have to check credit history for past-due service payments or other problems. Another disadvantage is that parts and service repairs are typically warranted for a period of 90 days, so repeat failures could be financially catastrophic. Customers often postpone service for known problems with their scale because they do not want to spend the money during financially slow periods. This may result in additional failures, making the repair even more expensive. To make matters worse, these decisions are often made without a complete understanding of the financial impact an inaccurate scale can have. The losses due to a failure can exceed the cost of maintenance, but because they are not seen on an invoice, these actual costs are often ignored. Closed-end service plans are far less common in the industrial weighing market. They involve a fixed price for an annual agreement period. With a closed-end service plan, extra costs above the service contract amount are borne by the scale service provider. Large service providers are better able to take this risk, so this service plan type

KHS is driving the digital revolution in the beverage industry

Systems supplier researches networking and line optimization The entire sector is talking about digitization and Industry 4.0 – but what do these oft-cited terms actually mean for the beverage industry? One thing is clear: their potential is vast. Digital technologies simplify processes, intelligently network systems with one another and relieve operator workloads. At the same time the digital revolution presents beverage producers and engineering companies with many mighty challenges. As one of the leading systems suppliers KHS is well aware of the significance these complex change processes hold for the success of a business. The Dortmund machine and systems manufacturer is thus driving a number of research and development projects which specifically focus on digital networking and line optimization.  For KHS, one goal of its group strategy is to boost line efficiency and cut down on the amount of resources used such as materials and energy. “When deciding whether we implement an idea or not, it’s the added value for the customer that counts for us,” states Dr.-Ing. Matthias Schopp, head of Engineering Systems at KHS. The Dortmund systems provider thus finds it prudent to enter into close cooperative partnerships with its clients to this end. “These provide the perfect conditions in which to approach new technologies with realistic expectations and with an open mind as to their outcome,” says Schopp. “This is demonstrated by our various sponsorship projects, for instance, where we can experiment with new technologies in a kind of ‘protected space’. This can definitely be referred to as a platform which enables our developers, together with experts outside the company, to try out new ideas that carry a certain risk of implementation.” Networking and cooperation with research institutes and universities KHS believes one vital driver of progress to be networking and cooperation with external research institutes and universities. At the time of writing, for example, KHS is involved in a project for additive production in maintenance logistics managed by a research consortium comprising scientists from the TU Dortmund, Ruhr University in Bochum and Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics (IML). In this process, which is also described as 3D printing, components are produced layer by layer. Among other things, this form of manufacture permits complex component structures to be fabricated that cannot be made using conventional methods and are to simplify the production of machines in the future. The 3D printing process also speeds up the supply of spare parts as production is much faster than conventional manufacture. At the moment the selected projects focus on networking, digitization and process optimization, however. “The overriding aim of our research activities is to make our lines and machines even more energy efficient and gentler on resources so that our customers also profit from these projects in the future,” Schopp explains. Faster filling processes thanks to self-optimizing systems One research project KHS recently brought to a successful conclusion with its partners bears the name DnSPro[1]. This acronym describes the development of a filling system that is equipped with various sensors and an intelligent logic controller. “The results from this project can form the basis for future filling machines where the machine can perfectly adjust itself to a new project automatically, with the automated variation of filling parameters replacing manual setup procedures,” is how Schopp describes the benefits of the self-optimizing filling system. This development centers on the application of machine learning for perfect adaptation to the bottle form, making the filling process quicker and more efficient. The project has evolved from a cooperation between five industrial companies and the Ostwestfalen-Lippe University of Applied Sciences and Ruhr University in Bochum. “Both the cooperation and interdisciplinary development of the machinery were exemplary in this project and will make a major contribution to future product developments,” claims Schopp. KHS line optimization makes major contribution to sustainability When developing new products KHS attaches special importance to the subject of efficiency. Significant aspects here include saving on materials, media and energy and the optimization of lines and machines. KHS is constantly working to make its systems even more efficient. Each component, however small, is therefore seen as an important part of the whole. “New functions in individual assemblies are successively changing our systems and machinery. We’re constantly working on giving all components the maximum efficiency and perfectly coordinating them with one another,” Schopp claims. KHS is also hoping to gain new impetus for this endeavor from the EnAP[2] project. The goal here is to devise energy-saving concepts and line optimization processes that can be used in pneumatic and electrical handling systems. The project, funded by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, not only intends to help save energy and resources but also to enable the beverage industry to keep its overall operating costs down to a minimum. Digital technologies relieve operator workloads Another primary future concern for KHS is the interaction between man and machine. “Our aim must be to make the operation of the increasingly complex technology demanded by growing market requirements easier for human operators. With the help of artificial intelligence we want to engineer self-learning and self-optimizing systems,” explains Schopp. At the moment KHS is examining the main basic principles in this area under the umbrella of the CyProAssist project. The objective is to develop an assistance system for production which supports optimum human machine operation. “We want to help machine operators so that operating errors are avoided and error states corrected as quickly as possible to permit high line availability,” Schopp explains. Badische Staatsbrauerei profits from digital KHS technology KHS’ cooperation with Badische Staatsbrauerei Rothaus shows that the use of digital technology in the beverage industry is no longer a vision for the future but very much a present-day commodity. The systems engineer from Dortmund recently supplied its long-standing customer with an Innofill Glass DRS glass bottler which includes many additional digital functions, such as a camera-controlled high-pressure injection control system called OPTICAM. This produces a fine jet of water which displaces the residual oxygen from the

NREL brings promising High-Efficiency Solar Cell down to Earth

After developing a way to produce solar cells using materials previously considered too expensive for use on Earth, scientists at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory have improved upon their method and made the process faster. As reported late last year in the journal Crystals, the scientists pioneered a new growth technique, called dynamic hydride vapor-phase epitaxy (D-HVPE), as an alternative to the current growth technology. The manufacturing cost of solar cells made with III-V materials—named because of where the elements fall on the periodic table—remains too high for earthly applications. Using D-HVPE, III-V solar cells could potentially enter terrestrial markets, where their highly efficient ability to convert sunlight into electricity would prove desirable. NREL scientists were able to make a flexible gallium arsenide a solar cell using dynamic HVPE, which holds the potential to greatly reduce manufacturing costs. (Photo by Dennis Schroeder / NREL) The newly published research in Nature Communications details how the NREL researchers refined the D-HVPE process to produce solar cells more than 20 times faster than the process now commonly used called metalorganic vapor-phase epitaxy (MOVPE). The growth rate enhancement enables the growth of a base layer for the solar cell in about 23 seconds, down from over 8 minutes compared to MOVPE.  MOVPE typically uses rates of about 15 micrometers an hour, although scientists have been attempting to increase that pace. “If we can get the costs down like we think we can, that opens up a huge number of markets where these devices would be useful. Anywhere you want a high-efficiency device that’s thin, light, and flexible—electronics charging cases, electric vehicles, building-integrated PV, rooftops, drones,” said Aaron Ptak, a senior scientist at NREL and co-author of the new paper. His other co-authors, all from NREL, are Wondwosen Metaferia, Kevin Schulte, John Simon, and Steve Johnston. The title of the paper is “Gallium arsenide solar cells grown at rates exceeding 300 µm h−1 by hydride vapor phase epitaxy.” NREL scientists have used the D-HVPE process to make solar cells with a 25% efficiency. “The maximum efficiency we expect, using our current device design, is 27%,” said Schulte, “but fundamentally, we see no reason that we cannot reach the more than 29% efficiencies of MOVPE. There are some technical hurdles we need to clear to get there, but we are working on these hurdles.” MOVPE deposits atoms derived from expensive precursor molecules layer-by-layer atop a semiconductor wafer, which makes for a costly and time-consuming process. The NREL researchers returned to an older process called hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE), which was overtaken by MOVPE in the 1970s. While HVPE also deposits materials layer by layer, the process is faster due to the different process chemistry. Scientists at NREL advanced HVPE by developing a dual-chambered reactor that quickly moves the substrate from one chamber, where the first layer of chemicals is deposited, to the second chamber and another layering on of chemicals. They dubbed it dynamic HVPE to distinguish the process from what had come before. D-HVPE uses much lower-cost source materials compared to MOVPE. “D-HVPE is an alternative to MOVPE, one that promises to be much lower cost in high-volume production,” Ptak said. “What we’re promising is the same device efficiency – the same material quality – but at greatly reduced cost. High growth rates leading to high throughput are one of the ways we’re going to get to lower costs.” The researchers also demonstrated D-HVPE of indium gallium phosphide (GaInP) at rates up to 206 micrometers an hour, over 50 times traditional MOVPE growth rates, and do not believe they have reached the ceiling for that material. GaInP is used as a passivating layer in gallium arsenide (GaAs) solar cells and can also be used as a light-absorbing layer in multijunction solar cells. Fast GaInP growth will enable rapid growth of GaInP/GaAs two-junction cells, which are even more efficient than single-junction GaAs cells. Funding for the research came from the Energy Department’s Solar Energy Technologies Office and the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy. Read more about NREL’s D-HVPE research.

Lightweight Plastic Containers account for 50% sales in Rigid Industrial Packaging Market, finds FMI

As per a latest report, Rigid industrial packaging recorded a volume sales of ~1.85 billion units, equating a value of ~US$ 26 billion in 2018. Rigid industrial packaging has been gaining rising momentum in a number of commercial sectors owing to its enhanced protective capabilities against harsh environmental factors. The study opines that fast-paced industrialization and increasing demand for chemicals and pharmaceuticals continue to influence the growth prospects of rigid industrial packaging market. It’s not sufficient for rigid industrial packaging to merely contain the product inside. The study finds that there is greater awareness among manufacturers and suppliers to deliver more environmentally acceptable packaging formats. Therefore, the futuristic focus revolves around technological innovations and sustainable solutions that reduce the cost of manufacturing as well as the environmental impact. Manufacturers capture opportunities arising from chemical industry According to the study, one of the important growth drivers is an increase in inter-continental trade activities, which necessitate newer industries – such as bio-chemical, food grade ingredient, and processed food – to use rigid industrial packaging format. Furthermore, the market remains heavily dependent on four key end-use industries including chemicals & solvent, food & beverage, oil & lubricants, and automotive. The study opines that high demand for steel drums, pails, and rigid intermediate bulk containers (IBCs) from chemicals & solvent industry continue to influence the growth strategies. Additionally, manufacturers are focused on increasing the production of plastic drums and bulk boxes to capitalize on rapidly expanding automotive and food & beverage industries. Despite the cloud swirling around the ill effects of plastic, manufacturers continue to use plastic as a convenient material for rigid industrial packaging, owing to technical and operational advantages and lower costs as compared to metals. Accounting for ~50% revenue share in 2018, sales of rigid containers made up of plastic are likely to witness significant growth in the future, backed further by the lightweight property and advances in technologies of polymer processing. However, low degradability of plastic will remain a key concern among manufacturers as well as end users. As per the study, reuse of containers is gaining ground in the rigid industrial packaging space, and to align with the current trends, manufacturers are placing more focus on R&D activities and innovations to increase the efficiency of products and maximize repeat use. The trend of customization has also been noticeable in the market, as manufacturers are inclining towards offering products that meet end users’ specific requirements. Growth prospects of the rigid industrial packaging, as identified by the study, are high in East Asia, representing a revenue share of 50% in 2018. An exponential rise in manufacturing activities in the region along with expansion of F&B industry has surged the demand for safe and contamination-proof packaging. Favorable government policies on intercontinental trade activities along with increasing number of OEMs will continue to create opportunities for market players in East Asia. The study identifies restraints that could possibly hamper the growth of the rigid industrial packaging market. Rapid emergence of new companies from developing countries, catering to the needs of local customers at reasonable costs, are likely to squeeze the global player’s margin in the market. These players are further under the pressure from end users to reduce the overall costs. The business intelligence highlights the competitive landscape in the rigid industrial packaging market, by conducting a thorough analysis on the key growth strategies of the market players. Acquisitions and partnerships with local players remain a strategic focus area of key stakeholders for enhanced global footprint. This study tracks growth of the global rigid industrial packaging market from 2019 to 2029. The global rigid industrial packaging is likely to spectate a steady rise at 4.5% value CAGR over the course of the forecast period, according to report study’s projections. These insights are based on a report on Rigid Industrial Packaging Market by Future Market Insights.