Industrial News

Industry news and automated systems blog

Author: jamie

  • Using Lifting Equipment in a Garage

    In a car garage, there will often be the need for lifting equipment of all shapes and sizes. When you are working with cars and large vehicles, then you will need ways of moving them easily and safely.

    Usually, you will use a hydraulic ramp to lift up a car and be able to see underneath it. If you are working with especially big vehicles, or need to leave them there for longer, then you might make use of a scissor lift table. This will be able to support higher weights and will allow you to lift up the vehicle easily and safely. In order to lift the vehicle off the ground and lift it onto the table or ramp, you will usually need some kind of jack. This will often be manually operated and you shouldn’t lift loads with it that are too heavy. Make sure you asses each piece of equipment to see if it is appropriate for your particular garage before buying.

  • Buying Hydraulic Cylinders Online

    When looking to buy hydraulic cylinders, any buyer is going to want to get value for money. Value for money comes from having a high quality product, that you know you will be able to rely on. Buying online can make this more difficult; how do you know that what you are getting is going to be right for you? Working in construction and on engineering or construction projects, you need to know that the equipment you have is completely fit for purpose.

    A hydraulic cylinder is ideal for use on site, where you need to carry out lifting operations and there might not be electricity. They will usually use pressurised hydraulic fluid, which can be used to convert into motion. You can find single and double cylinders, and they may also have additional operational features like foot pumps,

    Cylinders are most often used on site, for mobile applications. These could include trucks, loaders and bulldozers, as well as other common types of lifting and site equipment. They provide power that cannot be matched in any other way, so they can also be used for a number of tools, like wire cutters, nut splitters and spreading wedges.

    How to look for a good hydraulic cylinder retailer: 

    1. See what else the company sells. A good, experienced retailer will often offer a range of equipment, and if they have invested in their stock and their service, then you are much more likely to get quality equipment from them. Other equipment they might stock include cranes, slings, lifting clamps and hydraulic tools.
    2. Talk to them directly. You can only tell so much about a company from their website. Send them a message, use an online chat facility or pick up the phone and talk to them. Hydraulic cylinders are not cheap, so make sure you are choosing the right company who won’t rip you off. Talking to them ensures they are real people, and you can always place orders online in the future.
    3. Read their reviews. This gives you a great insight into the way other people in your industry use the supplier. If you are considering working with a new supplier, it is always good to know that other people who use hydraulic equipment have found it useful and beneficial.
    4. Check their delivery information. Make sure you properly understand all terms and conditions, so that you can place your order accurately and receive it when you expect.
    5. Look at their terms and conditions. Always read the small print – it’s there for a reason. Look over the terms carefully so you know where you stand when you buy from a certain retailer. All suppliers have slightly different terms so it is always worth checking them out carefully.

    The equipment is only ever going to be as good as the retailer, so make sure you choose carefully. Also check out the equipment specs, which should be readily available on any good website. This will help you to choose the right equipment for the right application.

  • The Role of Lifting Equipment in Manufacturing

    Lifting equipment can involve anything from cranes and hoists to smaller-scale items like forklift trucks and trolley jacks. These allow manufacturing facilities to carry out a range of lifting operations on site, in a safe, streamlined way. Lifting equipment is integral to manufacturing processes.

    The main reason why lifting equipment is needed in manufacturing is to do with health and safety. Everything needs to be as safe and as well managed as possible to protect the people working there. If there is an accident, employers will be liable if they haven’t been using the right kinds of practices. Therefore, it’s really important that equipment is used to protect workers from manual lifting.

    It is also important in terms of efficiency and will help a manufacturing facility to get more done. Lifting equipment takes the difficulty out of manual lifting, making it simpler and quicker. This helps speed up manufacturing and get more done.

  • Plasma Cutting Machines and their Uses

    Plasma cutting machines use a high speed jet of hot plasma to cut through materials like metal. They are incredibly quick and produce very accurate results, making them one of the most popular types of laser cutting machine on the market.

    Some of the materials that might be cut with a plasma cutter include:

    • Stainless steel
    • Aluminium
    • Brass
    • Copper

    When the plasma cutter is in use, a superheated gas is used to create a completed electric circuit. The plasma is hot enough to melt the metal, and a jet of compressed gas is used to blow away the molten metal, separating it.

    It is important that you are safe when using a plasma cutter, and that you also ensure the safety of everyone else around you in the workshop. This means positioning the plasma cutter correctly, and wearing protective clothing whilst it is in operation, including goggles, an apron and gloves.

  • Fascia Panels – Choosing the Right Option

    Front panels, control panels or fascia panels are all one in the same thing. They are used on some kind of control system to make it safe and usable for operators and anyone else in the surrounding area. The most important part of choosing a fascia panel is choosing the right one, as no two control systems will be the same.

    What is a control panel?

    A control panel is usually found in a factory or some kind of industrial environment. They are used to control systems and to monitor them as well. They may be designed as a mimic panel, mirroring the area of the system they control to make it easier to control the system. Every one will be different – it is not something that can be mass produced. This is because every system is different and will have its own requirements it has to meet. You won’t be able to find just any system to do just any job. Usually, a control system will be individually designed for the building it sits in.

    What makes a good fascia panel?

    A fascia panel is so important because it is the front-end part of a control system and is what people see. These are some of the credentials that will make a fascia panel a good investment:

    • Quality material. It should be made of anodised aluminium or similar, to give it durability and strength.
    • Long lasting. The use of quality materials will help to make a fascia panel more durable and will help it stand up to the tough environment it might be working in.
    • Simple. Simplicity is key. The fascia panel must be user-friendly, or it will not be easy for staff to use and operate. It may also need to be used quickly, so it is not going to be compatible with this if it is too complex. Even if the systems it controls are complex, the panel itself cannot be.
    • Scratch resistant. The use of strong materials should help make the panel scratch and damage resistant so that it won’t become unreadable or unusable due to damage in the future.

    Should control and fascia panels always be unique?

    It would be hard to create a standard fascia panel. They need to work with different systems, so this wouldn’t work if they were going to be the same. It is usually easier to build a fascia panel from scratch, rather than trying to adapt something that already exists.

    Choosing quality fascia panels

    The easiest way to make sure you are getting quality is to go to the right retailer or supplier. They will be able to talk you through the design process, and if it is something you are unfamiliar with, they should be able to give you plenty of guidance. Work closely with the manufacturer to make sure the panels you are getting are going to be of the highest quality and won’t let you down. Make sure you are involved in the process, as the most important thing is for your panels to be representative of you.

  • Finding Production Processes to Suit you

    One of the best ways to be successful in industry is to use processes that will work for you. It’s important that you adapt your processes for your specific industry, to make sure you can achieve the maximum possible output. Here are some things to think about:

    • Find a production process that works. You could look at some types of production, for example, if you are designing or manufacturing software, look at theories like kanban. There will be ways of working that you can address to improve your methodologies.
    • Think about ways to increase output. Perhaps you have lots of downtime, in which case, look at ways to reduce this. There could be machinery you can invest in to increase speed.
    • Look at energy saving processes. Saving energy will be a big part of increasing your margins. You should make sure you spend as little as possible, to make as much as possible.

  • Fit Your Factory with Industrial Roller Shutters

    If you run or work in any industrial premises, then you will inevitably be well aware of security and safety issues. From relatively straightforward health and safety basics, such as having a first aid box on the premises to making sure your staff wears the appropriate protective clothing where necessary, these concerns will most likely be a high priority. Most shutters can be operated easily. In the past, they have to be opened and closed manually, but they now come electrical and fully-automated versions. Despite what they are they are capable of being quiet during operation, so you do not have to worry about opening and to close them ever quite often. Regarding physically protecting your business premises, the security of entrances, exits, and windows is something that you will need to pay attention to.

    Practical solution

    It is precisely in the area of entrance-ways (or combined entrances and exits) that industrial roller shutters come into their own. These shutters operate somewhat like a blind covering a window, in that they are rolled downwards to entirely cover and secure an entrance. Likewise, to provide access to the entrance, they are simply rolled upwards.

    Shutters can either be manually operated, make use of a hand chain, or electrically operated using a single-phase or three-phase motor. Made of galvanized steel, these roller shutters are extremely resistant to theft, intrusion, vandalism, or extreme weather conditions. Once fitted, they take up a small amount of space. Indeed, since they work vertically, there is no question of people or vehicles in the vicinity being obstructed. The combination of simplicity, practicality, and effectiveness ensure that, in industrial settings, roller shutter is a very popular security solution.

    Adaptability and versatility

    Some business owners choose to have a personal access door slotted into a corner of a roller shutter. This is especially the case for businesses with large entrances, where rolling the shutter up in the middle of a busy day could delay proceedings. Integral access doors are easily supplied accessories. Moreover, for additional protection, electric roller shutters can be fitted with a control panel which can be wired into an alarm system. They can also be set to close automatically through the use of a timer.

    Industrial roller shutters can be customized for fire resistance, providing high levels of protection if you need to keep your property secure and unattended for extended periods. When choosing the fire-resistant option, do ask your suppliers if their goods comply with Loss Prevention Certification Board standards. If they do, this will help your business meet the exacting requirements of insurance companies. One additional benefit of industrial roller shutters is that they can protect staff working in large indoor spaces from the weather outside.

    Effective in a variety of settings

    Industrial roller shutters can be put to efficient use in a range of environments. They make life more comfortable in factories, warehouses, and working garages, such as vehicle repair centres. They are also put to good use in farms. For example, they can help provide security for farm vehicles and equipment which need to be locked away at night, as well as providing security for grain and seed stores. All in all, the ever-versatile roller shutter is now a reassuringly familiar feature of everyday industrial life. Most businesses simply cannot do without them.

  • All About Vortex Commercial Umbrellas

    Commercial buildings can benefit from the use of awnings, making them more noticeable and memorable to potential new customers. For business owners and managers, a custom-made commercial awning can make a big difference.